Improving the accountability & transparency of city government
In the July 20, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, reporter Ted Taylor writes:
Volunteers are “well on our way” to collecting 10,000 signatures to put an Office of Independent City Auditor on the Eugene ballot next May, according to David Monk, one of the chief petitioners along with Bonny McCornack and George Brown. …
In the July 20, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, Eugene resident Michael DeLuise writes in a letter:
Recently I was handed a flyer suggesting Eugene needed an “independent” auditor. The auditor would be responsible for providing unbiased verification of public spending, strengthening internal controls and increasing trust of government. Sounds like a good idea. …
In the July 20, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, Eugene resident John C. Helmer writes in a letter:
Since at least 2002, Eugene government has been under attack by Bonny Bettman and associates in an effort to replace Eugene’s council-manager form of government with an alternative that circumvents the city manager. …
On July 18, 2017, the Lindholm Company Blog, released the results of a poll:
Adding an elected Independent Auditor in Eugene is supported by a wide margin. However, it does not hit the crucial 70% level. Ideas that sound good tend to get a large amount of initial support. Campaigns tend to reduce that support. Usually a measure like this would need something above 60% to be really ahead and would like north of 70% to be comfortable.
In the July 15, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident George Brown writes in a letter:
In response to recent misinformed criticism in these pages of the Performance Auditor Charter Amendment, I’d like to point out, as one of the three chief petitioners, that no radical change in the structure of Eugene city government is being proposed. …
In the July 15, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Brian Weaver writes in a letter:
In response to the recent ballot initiative for an independent city auditor, the Eugene mayor has suddenly proposed that the city launch a process for an in-house performance auditor, controlled by the city. Expecting the public to trust such an auditor would be like asking the public to trust self-auditing corporations, in the event the IRS decided that those corporations would therefore be exempt from IRS tax audits. …
In the July 13, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
Good to see the petition to create an independent performance auditor for Eugene got approval from the city recorder’s office in time for petitioners to work the crowds outside the Oregon Country Fair last week. This initiative is important to the democratic process in Eugene. It would not change our form of government, but it would add a vital level of transparency and accountability, and likely save taxpayers many times the cost. Opponents are trying to confuse the issue with talk of compromises and alternatives, but it’s clear the best results come from elected, not appointed auditors. It will take a big group effort to gather the signatures to get this measure on the ballot next May, and the petitioners only have 100 days. For more information or to contact the chief petitioners, go to CityAccountability.org or call 541-520-9572.
In the July 13, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, Eugene resident Don French writes in a letter:
Since at least 2002, Eugene government has been under attack by Bonny Bettman and associates in an effort to replace Eugene’s council-manager form of government with an alternative that circumvents the city manager. …
In the July 12, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident John C. Helmer writes in a letter:
Since at least 2002, Eugene government has been under attack by Bonny Bettman and associates in an effort to replace Eugene’s council-manager form of government with an alternative that circumvents the city manager. …
In the July 10, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Joel Deese writes in a letter:
I was happy to see Mayor Lucy Vinis acknowledge the citizens’ initiative for an independent public auditor, modeled on Portland’s elected auditor system, which is widely considered a success. …