Register Guard
The Eugene City Council passed an ordinance Monday night which would take effect in September that would create a three month exclusion zone which covers 20 square blocks in downtown Eugene. To be excluded from the area, a person would have to be cited for a crime like a harassment, possession of drugs, or public urination. If convicted, a person could be banned for year.It will certainly be a tool that will help officers to control the crime problem that is right now just about out of control,” said Capt. Pete Kerns of the Eugene Police Department.
A person who commits a crime that is on the exclusion list, will be given a form and must appear before judge within 3 to 5 days of the date of issue.
The American Civil Liberties Union Of Oregon objects to the ordinance because the bans would be imposed through a civil procedure." the advantage (of the ordnance) is the upfront enforcement ability to exclude people who are committing crimes," said City Prosecutor Dan Barkovic.
OK now… Last take a quick look at this.
Oh, here's a good example that the article cites,Last year there were 2,413 reported crimes in the 32-square-block area that composes the heart of downtown, or about 10 percent of all crimes reported in the city.
It is no wonder why there are problems in downtown.
So even with this new "tool" for the police to work with… What are they going to do once charges are pressed?
The district Atty. for years has publicly announced which crimes that he will not prosecute. So with that being said, it is realistic to think that someone charged with violating the exclusion zone that anything is going to happen to them more than a fine? A fine that will likely not be paid anyways.
I don't think so.
While I applaud the efforts of the Eugene City Council for at least trying to make an effort, I do not think that they are really addressing the big picture.
Statesman journalIf lawmakers approve additional money, Governor Ted "tax and gouge me" Kulongoski along with five other elected officials statewide could be in line for their first increase in more than seven years as a result of a new citizen review process.
Currently, Kulongoski receives $93,600 a year which ranks 45th in the nation. The pay increase would raise the governor's salary up to $130,000 dollars per year.
"We are still going to get beat up on this one way or another," said Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli of John Day, who spoke to the commission last week. "We have gotten beat up recently on other matters."
In a 2006 survey that the Council Of State Governments releasing 2007, only five other states payee governors less than Oregon. Those states include Arkansas, Tennessee, Colorado and North Dakota. California pays the most at $206,500 which Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger refuses to accept.
Well the governor should get a rise… He has done so much for the state that he should receive more money… And of course our state is thriving economically…
Oh wait… I'm sorry, I was thinking of someone else.
What has Kulongoski done for us?
… Give me a minute…
… I'm still thinking…
…Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The Portland Tribune
After Ted (tax-and-gouge-me) Kulongoski had issued an executive order in November , which is due to take effect February 4, the number of people taking the test in Spanish fell over 80% versus that of English, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese or Japanese.
Kulongoski argued that Senate Bill 1080, which required applicants to present more documents to prove their identity and their legal presence in order to obtain a driver's license in Oregon was needed to help prevent identity theft and other public safety problems.
Before the law, Oregon had been one of a handful of states that did not require drivers license applicants to prove that they were here legally. Also, Oregon grants licenses for eight years which is longer than many other states.
Immigrant rights advocates said that the law will harm Oregon economy by making it more difficult for undocumented workers to get jobs.
I believe that was the whole point. "That means that little by little, they're not going to do their work," said Marco Mejia, Portland area director of the American Friends Service Committee Immigration Program. That will have a dramatic impact on organ farms, hotels, restaurants and other businesses that rely on immigrant [illegal slave] labor.
Ultimately, the law will drive up the cost of food for Oregonians. The effect is going to be totally negative to the overall community."
The "American Friends Service Committee Immigration Program"?!?
whatever... it is obviously just another group advocating that subwage labor should be allowed and tolerated, oh yes, there is also that little issued that these people are not supposed to be here in the first place and really do not have any right to work in the United States.
Yes I know, another technicality.
While it is more of a pain in the butt to have to show multiple pieces of identification to get a drivers license, I will have to applaud Kulongoski for waking up long enough to take a stand on this issue. While in my opinion, he claims that it is to help prevent identity theft, personally I think it has something more to do with the fact that Homeland security was not going to accept an Oregon drivers license as valid identification, however I digress.
The Oregonian
This is what may be happening for bike riders in the Portland area. Senator Floyd Prozanski's has a plan for Portland to be the nation's first mandatory bicycle helmet law for all riders.
"All I'm saying is that I think it's time for the state, when we want to promote more use of bicycles, to ensure better safety for everyone."
Currently Oregon law only requires riders younger than 17 years of age to wear a helmet.
bike riders in both Eugene and Portland have been making such a stink for so long, and trying to "convince us" to get out of our cars, that the "overkill, we are not smart enough to think for ourselves and government should do it for us," idiots are jumping on this bandwagon. Of course, these are the same people that would like to wrap our kids in bubble wrap and have them live in a sterilized world.
And why stop at bike helmets? how many injuries have occurred in last year from people simply going down a staircase? Should we start requiring them to wear helmets or safety harnesses to prevent injury?
In my opinion, wearing a helmet either on a bicycle or a motorcycle should be of one's choice.
