Improving the accountability & transparency of city government
In the January 19, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Carol Lavery McCornack writes in a letter:
It seems that the vigor with which the City Council resists an independent voter-approved auditor suggests that is precisely the solution that Eugene needs.
In the January 18, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, reporter Christian Hill writes:
With opposing Eugene city councilors unable to block its path, a competing city auditor proposal moved another tentative step toward the May ballot on Wednesday. …
In the January 17, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Ruth Duemler McCornack writes in a letter:
So some Eugene City Council members want to choose their city auditor.
Don’t they understand that what is urgently needed is a city auditor with no ties to city administration or the council? …
In the January 13, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident (and former Eugene City Councilor and Measure 20-283 chief petitioner) Bonny Bettman McCornack writes in a letter:
In the Jan. 11 article “Rival auditor plan advances,” Bonny Bettman was quoted as characterizing the group Citizens for Sensible Oversight as “city government insiders” Essentially the city of Eugene is writing its own rules for its own auditor. Pretending that the proposed draft ballot measure presented to the City Council Monday night is a “citizens’ measure” is a charade that will not pass the smell test. …
In the January 13, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Richard Young writes in a letter:
In the Jan. 11 article “Rival auditor plan advances,” Bonny Bettman was quoted as characterizing the group Citizens for Sensible Oversight as “city government insiders” (clearly a bad thing) who are proposing “that the fox should guard the henhouse.”
Bettman sees the city government, including the councilors and the mayor, as foxes and the city manager as the main fox. Clearly, she wants an “independent” auditor to be a prosecutor of our city government rather than an enabler. …
In the January 13, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, former Eugene city councilor and Eugene resident David Kelly writes in a letter:
I know, and respect, some of the members of the group that pitched an alternative city auditor proposal to the Eugene City Council this week. However, what part of “independent” don’t they understand? Their proposed appointment of an auditor by the council and overseen by a review board also appointed by the council makes a mockery of the word “independent.” …
In the January 12, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, the editorial board writes:
In May, Eugene voters will decide whether to approve a charter amendment that would give the city a performance auditor with as much independence as the proposal’s authors could devise. Their intent is to insulate the auditor as completely as possible against interference by the Eugene City Council and city manager. Where the authors see independence, however, critics see a lack of accountability. These critics are well on their way toward getting the City Council to place a competing measure on the May ballot—call it Auditor Lite. The council should pull back from this approach. …
In the January 11, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, reporter Christian Hill writes:
Come the May election, Eugene voters appear increasingly likely to have two rival city auditor proposals to choose between. …
In the January 10, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, reporter Elon Glucklich writes:
A group of residents, including former Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, have writtenAs Eugene residents consider a pair of ballot measures to create an independent auditor to examine city government, Lane County officials hope to soon fill their own often-vacant position for a performance auditor of county government. …
In the January 10, 2018, issue of the Register-Guard, businessman David Monk and retired general contractor Ron Bevirt write in a guest viewpoint:
Brace yourselves, voters, because opponents of an elected independent city auditor are bringing the war on truth to Eugene. Between now and the May election you will be subjected to a barrage of “death panel” rhetoric (such as the Jan. 5 guest viewpoint, “An auditor plan could work, but not this one”) as our opponents try to scare you away from voting in your own best interest by approving Ballot Measure 20-283. …