On January 24, 2018, Rachael McDonald of KLCC reported:
The Eugene City Council voted 4 to 3 Wednesday to advance a city auditor measure to the May ballot. Voters may have a choice between two competing proposals.
Members of the group City Accountability wrote measure 20-283, gathered signatures and got it on the May ballot. Their proposal is for an elected city auditor that would be independent of city council. The proposal the City Council could add to the May ballot is for an auditor that’s hired by council and under its oversight.
Former Eugene City Councilor George Brown, one of the chief petitioners of measure 20-283 says he thinks the goal is to sabotage their efforts.
“Council majority and mayor are so scared of having a truly independent auditor that’s not under their control, they’re grasping at this desperate ploy to make our measure fail. It’s quite obvious that’s the strategy.” Brown says.
Brown says he trusts voters to figure out the best option. The Eugene City Council will make their final decision on whether to put a competing auditor measure on the May ballot at their February 12th meeting.