As we move into the last month of 2009 we are faced with the reality that the trend lines indicate that the City of Eugene will once again set a new record for criminal activity in Eugene. Since EugeneAdvocates started our discussions in September including pointing out the problems and offering solutions there has been no visible identification or implementation of any solutions that would turn the trend lines or even slow them down. Listed on our web site are up to 22 solutions and while there is some redundancy that is intentional for emphasis. If you have others please let us add them to the web site.
The City through the taxpayers hire and vote for administrators to be decision makers and enforcers of our laws to safe guard our City. It is a delegation of those duties from those that pay the bills and vote to those that are hired to do the job. Lack of doing that by those hired to protect and safeguard our City is a failure of the fiduciary responsibility granted to those individuals. Shifting the decision making and enforcement review to citizen groups is not what the true decision makers who were hired and received a wage are suppose to do.
This does not appear to be responsible government. Now the council is advised not to micro-manage those folks who have failed in their performance of their duties. Now the council has decided to wait for further reports from the citizen volunteer decision makers who in most cases lack appropriate qualifications in the field and who have replaced the qualified paid decision makers. In the mean time crime continues to grow and be levied against our businesses, our investors, and our downtown patrons as witnessed by the following quotes found in the Register Guard.
One lady reports:
"...I went downtown just to browse and see what was going on. I was literally accosted five times! Men begging for money. I was pushed twice, was sworn at many times, and one man actually urinated in front of me."
Another gentlemen reports:
"Eugene's going belly up, and the taxpayers are fronting the bill for sightseeing trips"(Betty Taylor's trip to San Antonio). "It needs to stop, and stop now!" (prompts the question would these funds be better aimed at public safety)
A Police Officer reports to the Register Guard:
"Honestly, I'd say in all my 18 years as a police officer here, the amount of people this year out and about drinking in public and displaying disorderly behavior is the worst I've ever seen."
Mayor, when will we start to see some visible means of solving our many downtown problems? Please do not let us move into 2010 on a trend line of crime that will exceed what is expected for 2009.
EugeneAdvocates for a Clean City
