In the January 19, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Brian Wanty writes in a letter:
Creating an equitable and sustainable society is the central problem of the 21st century.
We need to check the extremes of poverty and wealth to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met and society isn’t biased toward the interests of the affluent. Consumption and pollution must be substantially reduced to secure a healthy planet for young people today and future generations.
Two groups have put forward proposals to increase auditing of the city of Eugene. Measure 20-283 will be on the May 15 ballot and the City Council will decide shortly on the other proposal.
They seek to further current policies more efficiently. But is getting to an inequitable and unsustainable society cheaper and faster really what we need? Are more accountants the key to a better future?
I would suggest that a higher quality mayor and City Council would be more likely to turn things around.
We need to pay the our elected officials a living wage so anyone can run for office. We must reduce the undue influence of campaign contributors and lobbyists.
We need a better way to represent the diversity of perspectives in Eugene than electing the mayor and council by winner-take-all elections.