Writing

Lincoln County Oregon and Flint Michigan    FLINTCOLN COUNTY

Are there similarities to the water poisoning issue here and in Flint, Michigan?

To save money,  Flint officials switched  from their fresh water source, Lake Huron, and  started using  the toxic Flint River. In a city issued press release, Flint residents were told the water is OK.

“Even with a proven track record of providing perfectly good water for Flint, there still remains lingering uncertainty about the quality of the water. In an effort to dispel myths and promote the truth about the Flint River and its viability as a residential water resource, there have been numerous studies and tests conducted on its water by several independent organizations. … Michael Prysby of the Michigan DEQ Office of Drinking Water verified that ‘the quality of the water being put out meets all of our drinking water standards and Flint water is safe to drink.’”

“ ‘It’s regular, good, pure drinking water, and it’s right in our backyard,’ said Mayor [Dayne] Walling, “this is the first step in the right direction for Flint, and we take this monumental step forward in controlling the future of our community’s most precious resource.’ ”

Of course, money is also an issue in Lincoln County.   Not saving money, as much as making profits.  The tree farm land  owners,  the  Real Estate Investment Trusts,  they are purely profit driven.  Why would you,  allow someone poison your water sources, so they can continue to improperly manage their land.  Timber management needs to grow up!  Poisons are bad.  Watch how much money  is spent  by the opposition to YES on 21-177.

Michigan officials adapted a wait and see attitude.  We  know poisons should not be allowed  to infiltrate  our water sources.  We know pesticide drift can travel for miles.  Our forests have been sprayed for decades, and we have seen the toxic results.   These approved pesticides have been proven harmful to people!    Opposition by public officials, is a wait and see attitude.  Aerial spraying  should have been banned in the 1980’s when  Lincoln County Commissioner  Andy Zedwick, and a group of Lincoln County physicians proposed a moratorium on pesticide spraying,  and attempted to get a measure on the ballot. We finally have one.  Let’s use it. Yes on 21-177

Michigan  Gov. Rick Snyder finally admitted,  “Let me be blunt, this was a failure of government at all levels. Local, state and federal officials — we all failed the families of Flint.”

Flint  Michigan Water Task force member Chris Kolb said of the Michigan DEQ,   “From a regulatory standpoint, to a protection of human health and the environment standpoint, they missed the boat completely. And it is extremely troublesome to me that an agency whose primary role, once again, is to protect human health and the environment came to these decisions, and they never backed off these decisions, no matter how many red flags they saw.”   We cannot  always  trust our elected officials to  do the right thing.

Oregon timber farms operate under the same laws their industry enacted decades ago.  They have great protections  due to our corporate political climate.  However,  times have changed.  These laws must change also.  Cigarettes are now harmful,  second hand smoke is now harmful.  We learn, we change,  we  evolve.  Vote YES on 21-177, and please speak to your friends and neighbors. Do not be distracted  or scared by opposition claims. Your drinking  water  sources  are being poisoned. You can stop it.  One big difference   between Flint, Michigan residents, and Lincoln County residents is, we  have a voice in this debate. It is your vote.  Please vote YES on 21-177.

 

PROTECT YOURSELF  BE SELFISH

YES on 21-177 presents  an opportunity  to be selfish for the protection of everyone.  Vote  Yes to ban aerial spraying of pesticides in Lincoln County forests.  What’s in it for you?  Are you  better  off  with a ban on aerial spraying, or the continued practice  of aerial spraying?   Do you drink locally sourced  water?  Do you hunt, fish, walk, hike, camp or live in the forest?  Do you have friends , family or guests, who enjoy our forests for recreation?  Would  a ban on aerial spraying of pesticides help you, or hurt you?   YES on 21-177 is the correct choice. The wise choice.   Protect our forests from aerial spraying.  Protect our water.  Ban aerial spraying.

Yes on 21-177 does not hurt local business, or cost jobs.

Yes on 21-177 does not  prevent  Lincoln County golf courses from continuing their existing spray programs. No changes. No impact.

Yes on 21-177, has much greater potential to create jobs, than to lose jobs.

Yes on 21-177 does not affect our local pest control companies. No changes.

Yes on 21-177 does not change the way  fisherman  spray  their  vessels.

Everyone has officials.

Flint  Michigan Water Task Force member Chris Kolb said of the Michigan DEQ,   “From a regulatory standpoint, to a protection of human health and the environment standpoint, they missed the boat completely. And it is extremely troublesome to me that an agency whose primary role, once again, is to protect human health and the environment came to these decisions, and they never backed off these decisions, no matter how many red flags they saw.”

Michigan  Gov. Rick Snyder finally admitted,  “Let me be blunt, this was a failure of government at all levels. Local, state and federal officials — we all failed the families of Flint.”

What is the definition of aerial?  Can’t agree.  Really! Then let  the courts decide. It won’t  take long.  No one will be fighting for the absurd definitions, opponents of YES on 21-177 fear and toss around. The courts will define aerial spraying as “ from  an airplane or helicopter”

YES on 21-177  opponents  use  misleading interpretations of the measure to make you fear “direct action”. They add words, not in the measure,  like  “vigilantism, property damage,  criminal trespass, and assault”, to their argument.   They assume our authorities will not enforce the ban. Lincoln County authorities will enforce this ban. Why wouldn’t they?

Yes on 21-177 does  change the legality of aerial application of pesticides in Lincoln County  forests.

Yes on 21-177 does  ban the aerial spraying of pesticides in Lincoln County. That is very good.

Yes on 21-177 helps to modify  a formerly accepted practice, now recognized as unsafe, unhealthy and dangerous.  Think,  mercury and bloodletting,  cigarettes and second hand smoke.  We learn,  we change, we  evolve.

Does a ban on aerial spraying in Lincoln County hurt you in any way?  Could it be beneficial?   Be Selfish. Vote YES on 21-177. Please inform your friends and neighbors.   Protect our forests, and protect yourself.

 

LETTER PRINTED IN  LINCOLN CITY NEWS GUARD

 

News Guard 250

YES on 21-177 offers  common sense protection.

Aerial spraying of pesticides is unsafe,  unhealthy and dangerous.  Think,  cigarettes and second hand smoke.  We learn, we change, we  evolve.   Time for a change.   Vote  Yes to ban aerial spraying of pesticides in Lincoln County.   Are you  better  off  with a ban on aerial spraying,  or the continued practice of aerial spraying? Do you want to be poisoned?   Do you drink locally sourced  water?  Do you hunt, fish, walk, hike, camp or live in the forest?  Do you have friends , family or guests, who enjoy our forests for recreation?  Would  a ban on aerial spraying of pesticides help you, or hurt you?  YES on 21-177 is the correct choice. The wise choice.  Protect our forests from aerial spraying.  Protect our water.  Ban aerial pesticide spraying.

Yes on 21-177 does not hurt local business, or cost jobs.

Yes on 21-177 does not  prevent  Lincoln County golf courses from continuing their existing spray programs.

Yes on 21-177, has much greater potential to create jobs, than to lose jobs.

Yes on 21-177 does not affect our local pest control companies.

The courts will define aerial spraying as “ from  an airplane or helicopter”

YES on 21-177  opponents  use  misleading interpretations of the measure to make you fear “direct action”. They insert  words, not in the measure,  like  “vigilantism, property damage,  criminal trespass, and assault”, to their argument.

Ban aerial  pesticide spraying in Lincoln County

Robert Rubin

Waldport

YES on 21-177 offers  common sense protection.

Aerial spraying of pesticides is unsafe,  unhealthy and dangerous.  Think,  cigarettes and second hand smoke.  We learn, we change, we  evolve.   Time for a change.   Vote  Yes to ban aerial spraying of pesticides in Lincoln County. Protect your family.

Are you  better  off  with a ban on aerial spraying,  or the continued practice of aerial spraying? Do you want to be poisoned?   Do you drink locally sourced  water?  Do you hunt, fish, walk, hike, camp or live in the forest?  Do you have friends , family or guests, who enjoy our forests for recreation?  Would  a ban on aerial spraying of pesticides help you, or hurt you?  YES on 21-177 is the correct choice. The wise choice.  Protect our forests from aerial spraying.  Protect our water.  Ban aerial pesticide spraying.

Yes on 21-177 does not hurt local business, or cost jobs.

Yes on 21-177 does not  prevent  Lincoln County golf courses from continuing their existing spray programs.

Yes on 21-177, has much greater potential to create jobs, than to lose jobs.

Yes on 21-177 does not affect our local pest control companies.

The courts will define aerial spraying as “ from  an airplane or helicopter”   No one will be fighting for the absurd definitions, opponents of YES on 21-177 toss around.  All of the other pesticide  application methods are still allowed.

YES on 21-177  opponents  use  misleading interpretations of the measure to make you fear “direct action”.  They insert  words  not in the measure,  like  “vigilantism, property damage,  criminal trespass, and assault”,  to their argument.  The poison of the spray is real.  Instead of fear, let’s be clear.   Aerial spray drift is assault,  property damage  and trespass.

Vote YES on 21-177  Ban aerial  pesticide spraying in Lincoln County  Protect yourself.

Robert Rubin

Waldport

 

 

NEWS TIME 300 WORDS PRINTED

 

 

VOTERS GUIDE INSERT on DIRECT ACTION

 

DIRECT ACTION

There is nothing to fear from  direct action . There are many reasons  to fear continued  aerial spraying of pesticides.   Ballot Measure 21-177  authorizes  “direct action” if the County or courts fail to enforce the law.  Direct Action is your inherent right.   Ghandi  and Martin Luther King  used  direct action. The Woman’s  Sufferage  movement used direct action.  Many just causes use direct action.

The word violence is not in the measure.  Not intended or implied.  The concept of violence has been  injected  into the conversation to  scare you and our elected officials .  The opposition employs fear and uncertainty to confuse you.  So, be scared, by the real danger here   Be scared you might be poisoned by  the  aerial spraying of pesticides.

Before direct action would need to be taken, the ordinance would have to be violated.  The law broken.   A crime committed.  Attempting  to aerial  spray  a toxic pesticide on innocent  victims,  would be a vicious, violent  attempted assault.  You cannot undo the damage. This illegal act should demand action by local and state law enforcement to prevent it.  Local authorities enforcing the law and preventing the crime from happening,  would  eliminate any need for citizen direct action.  After  passage  of the  measure,  basic communication should prevent  any violation.   21-177 authorizes “ direct action” if the County or courts fail to enforce the law.

Direct action is the strategic use of nonviolent tactics and methods to bring an opponent or oppressive party into dialogue to resolve an unjust situation. It is used as a moral force to illustrate, document and counter injustices.

Vote Yes on 21-177. Ban aerial spraying of pesticides in Lincoln County

Robert Rubin

Waldport

 

 

 

 

LTD EMX *LETTERS Plus

Letters to the Eugene Weekly and Register Guard

I am astonished  Alan Pittman and the EW are still singing the praises of LTD’s W. Eugene EmX expansion plan.  I am offended  by the labeling of those in opposition as “self – appointed anti- transit extremists”  per  Pittman’s  Undercovered article EW 12/29/11. I challenge Alan Pittman to show us how many students actually voted on this resolution  This “huge support for Emx” comes from students who should learn more about what’s really happening.

Most of the people I have spoken to about W. Eugene Emx are intelligent critical thinkers, who wholeheartedly support public transportation.   As supporters of public transit, we fear for the sustainability of the entire transit district. LTD cannot afford to run the system they have in place now. This is about the money, and LTD doesn’t have enough.

In fiscal year 2009/10 LTD’s operating loss was more than 35 million dollars.

The employee pension fund  is  underfunded  by  almost 30 million dollars.

Ever since LTD started their quest for the “free Fed money”   they have lost sight of their mission.  LTD cut routes and services on W. 11th  in 2010, while simultaneously moving forward with their expansion plan.

A Bus Rapid Transit system can be a wonderful thing. However it must be in a city whose population warrants it.  LTD riders are 3-6% of the district population. The Franklin line is the only EmX line even partially appropriate for Eugene. Kitty touts  Bogota Columbia as having a successful  BRT. They have a population of 10 million people.

 

 

I completely agree with the first two sentences of the 6/5  RG editorial “It’s not a ‘throughway’ that states “We’re not judges. We’re not even lawyers.”
You are correct. You are neither.
Yet, you go on to hold court and render a poorly justified decision,  regarding the  “EmX?  Let’s vote on it” lawsuit.
I applaud the businesses who have taken it upon themselves to use the courts to allow the citizens of Eugene, the possibility of voting on the West Eugene EMX project.
It is regrettable that the RG would editorialize against the lawsuit. Also  regrettable  is that semantics, more than substance, will play a major part in the courts decision. The public deserves the right to vote.
The controversy surrounding the proposed project has rightfully provoked much thought. There are countless opinions, facts and falsehoods. Many glorious projections  are being tossed around to sway  public opinion. Remember,  LTD spent  $80,000. with   a PR firm to influence sentiment during the route selection process. That included letters to the editor.
The FTA is requesting more data on the project’s impact on businesses.
LTD has financial problems.
LTD’s Business Outreach Program, now in development, is nothing more than the compiling of  information.  LTD’s  concept is to  “leverage existing programs” (quote Andy Vobora.) now in effect. The LTD business assistance outreach program is a list of available resources administered by others, that LTD will share with affected businesses.
LTD and the RG should get on the right track. EmX  is  the  wrong bus.

 

EMX Collection

 

06/28/11

Public deserves to vote on EmX

 

I completely agree with the first two sentences of the June 5 editorial, “It’s not a ‘throughway’” that states, “We’re not judges. We’re not even lawyers.” The editors are correct. They are neither. Yet they go on to hold court and render a poorly justified decision regarding the “EmX, let’s vote on it” lawsuit.

I applaud the businesses that have taken it upon themselves to use the courts to try to allow the citizens of Eugene to vote on the west Eugene EmX project. It is regrettable that The Register-Guard editorialized against the lawsuit, and also regrettable that semantics, more than substance, will play a major part in the court’s decision. The public deserves the right to vote.

 

The controversy surrounding the proposed project has rightfully provoked much thought. There are countless opinions, facts and falsehoods. Many glorious projections are being tossed around to try to sway public opinion. Remember, Lane Transit District spent $80,000 with a public relations firm to try to influence public sentiment during the route-selection process, including letters to the editor. The Federal Transit Administration is requesting more data on the project’s impact on businesses.

 

LTD has financial problems and its Business Outreach Program, now in development, is nothing more than the compiling of information, a list of available resources administered by others that LTD will share with affected businesses. The agency’s concept is to “leverage existing programs” already in effect.

LTD and The Register-Guard should get on the right track. EmX is the wrong bus.

 

Robert Rubin

Waldport

 

 

 

 

Appeared in print: Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, page A8

 

Slow down EmX planning

 

How can Gerry Gaydos and Joshua Skov (guest column, Aug. 1) compare Lane Transit District’s attempts to devise plans for a West 11th Avenue EmX expansion to the decade-long weekly meetings conducted to develop Eugene’s bike path plans? The rush to secure federal funds has forced LTD off track. The federal funds come with many restrictions. The true problems of West 11th need to be identified and solutions developed.

 

Perhaps a few smaller, more fuel-efficient buses running more frequently would solve many of the problems. The federal funding won’t allow this option. Trying to grab the money before a well-thought-out plan is conceived isn’t the road to success. It’s a piece from a different puzzle that LTD and the city are trying to jam into the West 11th conundrum. It does not fit. They omit mentioning the 10 percent matching funds Eugene must contribute to construction.

 

Plans being considered call for the condemnation and seizure of private property from the West 11th businesses the payroll taxes from which presently fund LTD operations. Recently, bus service on West 11th was cut back, and right now the streets are being resurfaced.

 

Eugene’s citizens, voters and taxpayers need to contact their city councilors and respectfully and emphatically request they oppose any EmX West 11th expansion until the real problems are identified and the proper solutions are defined. They did not rush the bike path planning process. Let’s truly emulate those forward-thinking visionaries and develop a plan that’s actually worthwhile.

 

Robert Rubin

 

Waldport

 

BELOW is a letter to the Eugene Weakly they did not print.

 

OVER-HYPED BENEFITS

 

Regarding Mia Nelson’s letter [8/9]: Everyone please continue your education regarding the EmX issue. We are being sold a “bill of goods,” however, most don’t care because there’s earmarked federal funds. I was totally in that camp until I educated myself.

 

Bus rapid transit is not light rail. It is another larger, more road-damaging, gasoline-using, axles-overweight bus. It is not my idea of mass transit for the next 50 years. It shouldn’t be yours.

 

The over-hyped benefits of BRT are lost when there is not a dedicated lane. The exclusive lane is the key element for success. We are buying into an expensive, flawed second-rate plan.

 

Other keys are: population for support, and a destination that screams “everyone come here.” Is that Walget and Tarmart? Do we really need “densification” of housing and businesses along West 11th?

 

How will EmX “mitigate brewing traffic overload problems”? Please visit and count the cars at the Seneca Park and Ride. Enlightening yet sadly under-utilized. Imagine one less auto lane on 6th and 7th.

 

Is Envision Eugene a “do-nothing, head-in-the-sand approach to growth management planning”?

 

Are you adequately addressing the concerns of the affected business community? Employee payroll taxes fund the operations of our transit system. If businesses reduce employee hours due to construction, thereare less LTD operating funds.

 

We love Betty. Politicians change their minds. You can also. Keep learning.

 

Robert Rubin, Waldport

 

Byline: The Register-Guard

 

EmX extension will add congestion

 

I am astonished that the Oregon Department of Transportation is allowing the taking of an auto traffic lane on both West Sixth and Seventh avenues for Lane Transit District’s west Eugene EmX extension.

 

Transit officials still claim the extension will mitigate congestion, and I applaud the audacity of their logic: Take away a lane and that will solve traffic congestion. West 11th Avenue will have overweight, 60-foot, three-quarters-empty buses moving in and out of traffic every 10 minutes.

 

The main key to bus rapid transit success is a dedicated lane; another key is a population large enough to support it. We have neither. Plus, LTD can’t afford the operating costs of the extension.

 

I also must decry the alleged convenience of the proposed EmX bus stops. Take a look. They are very far apart. LTD could have run an experimental express bus anytime in the past 10 years to test the effectiveness of the routes.

 

So pack some water and food if you’ll be driving on West Sixth, Seventh or 11th avenues – congestion is coming.

 

But it’s not a done deal yet. The deadline is Wednesday for voicing opinions to the Federal Transit Administration regarding the EmX extension.

 

Visit ourmoneyourtransit.com for an easy link. And demand that the City Council vote to stop the extension.

 

ROBERT RUBIN

 

Waldport

 

Regarding LTD spokesman Andy Vobora’s comments  on misinformation in the RG article by Matt Cooper 9/11:

The  LTD plans have been decided for EmX expansion on W. 11 th Ave. Only the details still need to be worked out. Property owners are meeting with  LTD officials and being shown the plans. The mis information  is that there is still a decision to be made. The mis information is that the  “analysis of the route options is coming soon” will really have any bearing on any decision.

LTD has cancelled or postponed 3 meetings this summer. Public input has been limited to 3 minutes per citizen at the few meetings that have been held.
Fear, anxiety, and  angst over  potentially  2 or more years of construction, plus loss of parking spaces and property,  are true concerns of the W. 11th Ave business owners. This is not misinformation.  These are real nightmares. The true costs to the city and county have not been identified. LTD operates in the red each year. How can we afford the increased costs of w>11 EmX.

I suggest Mr. Vobora schedule an informational meeting to help clarify any

perceived mis information.

 

Maybe if LTD would clearly answer some questions there would be less alleged mis information

What are the actual project costs?

How does the city and LTD plan to come up with the matching funds, and other  expenses, not allocated in the FTA grant?

Why did LTD state originally cost estimates were 6 million dollars a mile, and now they are 15 million per mile?

Who is paying for the removal and replacement of the utilities?

How will the properties claimed by LTD for the project be valued?

Will the property owners be fairly compensated?

What essential services will be cut by the State or County to offset the funds for this project?

What actually is and is not part of the FTA grant?

What are the ridership occupancy and user statistics?

Why are the busses half empty?

How can the NO Build option cost 41 million dollars?

 

 

CREATIVE WRITING  This was used as an ad by the campaign.  aka FAKE NEWS

Future News Press Release

 

President Obama has joined with Rush Limbaugh,  other media pundits and elected officials from across the country, in praising  Mayor Kitty Piercy  and the  city council of Eugene, Oregon as they respectfully declined to pursue a Federal Transit Authority grant designed to improve public transportation.

“We have taken advantage of this program where and when appropriate”, said a spokesperson from the  Eugene mayor’s office    “However in regards to W. 11 Ave, the costs,  financial,  emotional, tangible and intangible, thoroughly   outweighed  the benefits. It puts this plan out of balance. The obvious displeasure, and solidarity of the property and business owners on W. 11th Ave   in opposition to the plan was a major consideration. These are vital members of our taxpaying business community. It is their payroll taxes that fund mass transit now.  These people are the backbone of Eugene. A lot of these folk have been in business on   West 11th Ave for more than 20 years. This just wasn’t fair.  Plus  Eugene  already has darned good bus service on W. 11 Ave., and it hasn’t nearly reached capacity”

An  LTD official agreed,  “ We already have excellent bus service on W. 11 Ave. We’ve spent too much time and money trying to figure out how to get and use these federal funds. We lost our vision of LTD’s primary mission. We will spend an equal amount of energy on identifying and solving any real problems that exist on W. 11 and through out the city. We will actively explore smaller more fuel-efficient vehicles and creative routing. We regret having to cut services this past year, however we cannot adequately fund the system we have now. Eugene’s population is too small for this  proposed type of mass transit on W. 11th Ave.

The Mayor’s  spokesperson  noted  “financing was also a  factor.  The offer of Federal funds was tempting, however when we looked at everything we realized the city couldn’t afford the matching funds, the state’s share would come from lottery dollars and that would probably divert funding from schools, or some other worthy program, plus the county would lose revenue as the property owners will file for property tax assessment adjustments since their lot sizes would be reduced and devalued. In addition LTD already runs in the red each year.  The disruption of business access during utility reconfiguration and construction could be tragic to some of the businesses. If one West 11th Ave job were lost this project would be a failure, the spokesperson  concluded.

There were also identified, potential for additional expenses and issues of contention, including replacement of utilities costs, condemnation proceedings, legal fees, and selective waiving of city mandated business-parking requirements.

 

The Eugene City Council unanimously rejected the EmX W.11th Ave project.  The plan was deemed not appropriate for W. 11th Ave. and in a best-case scenario the benefits would never offset the costs. The council announced rather than Eugene try to use the funds where not appropriate, the funds go to a larger municipality, or back to Washington to help bring  down part of the budget deficit. That is what caught President Obama and Rush Limbaugh’s appreciative attention.  The council also moved to research the LTD claim that the NO BUILD option had a price tag of $41 million dollars.

“ How can doing nothing cost $41 million dollars’ was asked by the councilors. “Maybe that is why LTD operates in the red each year” was the response.