Endorsements

Community members

…and leaders from all walks of life have supported Measure 20-182 for Strong Schools and a Strong Eugene. Thank you!

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Some of our local leaders voting yes for schools on May 17:

Kitty Piercy, Mayor, Eugene
Lee Beyer, State Senator
Chris Edwards, State Senator
Phil Barnhart, State Representative
Val Hoyle, State Representative
Nancy Nathanson, State Representative
George R. Brown, Eugene City Council
Chris Pryor, Eugene City Council
Betty Taylor, Eugene City Council
Alan Zelenka, Eugene City Council
Craig Smith, 4J School Board
Jennifer Geller, 4J School Board
Beth Gerot, 4J School Board
Alicia Hays, 4J School Board
Jim Torrey, 4J School Board
Mary Walston, 4J School Board
Jean Tate, Eugene business leader
Steve Gilbert, Bethel business leader
Bev Smith, Exec. Director, Kidsports*
Community Alliance of Lane County (CALC)
Eugene Coalition for Better School Food
Eugene Education Association
Democratic Party of Lane Co.
Service Employees Int’l Union, Local 503
South Univ. Neighborhood Assoc.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Eugene
Willamette Farm & Food Coalition: Farm to School Program

* Organization listed for informational purposes only Share

Complete List of Endorsers

Jules Abbot
Rick Abeene
Jennifer Ablow and Jeff Measelle
David Atkin
Laurie Aley
Lisa Albrich
Jody Allard
Colleen Alexander
Lori Allen
Eric & Brena Anderson
Mija Andrade
Bahati Ansari
Buck Arbuckle
Lisa Arkin, Exec. Director, Oregon Toxics Alliance*
Brittney Arlint
Sandra Arsenault
Mel Bankoff, founder, Partners for Sustainable Schools
Susan Barnhart
Geoffrey Barrett
Tom & Sarah Bascom
Lisa Bateman
Nadine Batya
Peter & Michelle Bauer
Tim Baxter
Carmen Bayley
Helen Beardsworth
Tara Bedney
Barb Bellamy
Joyce Berman
Randy Bernstein
Janet Bertucci
Alysha Best
Tony Biglan
Stacy Black
Steve Blixseth
Buzz & Cecile Blumm
Paul Bodin
Bary Bokn
Joseph Boland
Sheila & David Bong
Adrienne Borg
Marilyn Bounds
Tom Bowerman
Sarah Bowman
Betsy Boyd
Allison Bradshaw
Pam Brandt
Samantha & Mark Brauner
Amy Brickell & Travis Misfel
Anne Bridgman & Keith Eddins
Mary Bromley
Susanne & Jarrett Bryant, Owners, Devote 30
Barbara Bryson
Bob Bussel
Fran Calciano
Karrin & Ted Calhoun
Helen Moses Cannon
Maggie Carlson
Dan Carol
Roscoe Caron & Katherine Gorham
Michael Carrigan, Community Alliance of Lane Co. (CALC)
Kristin Carter
Mary Cary
Sarah Case & Bob Pelz
Bob & Rose Marie Cassidy
Sherrie Linn Castaneda
Liska Chan
Nicholas William Chase
Ron Chase, Exec. Director, Sponsors*
Mandel Chinburg
Amy Chinitz
Brenda Clarke
George Clarke
Valerie & Dan Close
Steve Coatsworth
Lynn Coody & Jeffrey Bennett
Justin Cox
Matt Cox
Thomas Cramer
Fred Crisman
Jeff Croissant & Charis McGaughy
Kevin Cronin
Susan Cundiff
Rich Cunningham
Rich Dambrov
Susan Daniell
Rob Daugherty & Jill Baxter
Kari Davidson
Donna DeForest
Christine Desermeaux
David Deutch
Pam Dilehay
Angie Donahue
Deb Dotters & Vern Katz
Carla Drath
Ruth Duemler
Barbara Dumesnil
Jennifer Duncan
Mark Dwyer
Jeff Dzubay
Leita Dzubay
Peter Edberg & Bryna Goodman
Marjie Enseki & David Frank
Deborah Ettel
Dee Etzwiler & Rob Thallon
Dr. Tom Ewing, Medical Director for PeaceHealth Internet Services,* & Lisette Ewing
Martin Falk
Arthur Farley
Michael & Sherilyn Farris
Lynn Feekin, Labor & Research Center, UO*
Trisha & Doug Ferguson
Ann Fidanque
Brian Flick
Rebecca Flynn
Caroline Forell
Kathy Forrester
Lisa Foster
Joshua Frankel
Sharon Franklin
Carrie & Doug Frazier
Jennifer Frenzer-Knowlton
David Funk, Owner, bell & funk
Ellen Gabeheart
Katharine Gallagher
Dennis Galvan, Assoc. Professor of Political Science & Int’l Studies, UO
Jane Ganter
Dennis Gerl
Jennifer Getty
Amy & Frank Gibson
Janet Gillman & Tom Keating
Mago Gilson
Annemieke Golly
Christy & Jonathan Gonenne
Margaret & Peter Gontrum
Geoff & Marci Gordon
Jane Gordon
Kevin & Sabrina Gordon
Linda Gordon
Andrew Grenville & Jennifer Howard-Grenville
Sarah Grew
Marty Greydan
Laurie Swanson Gribskov
Melinda Grier
Darcy Guhl
Gwen Gwilym
Helena Hafdahl
Herb & Kathy Hahn
Jeanne Hall
Margaret Hallock, Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics, UO*
Allen Hancock
Rob Handy, Lane County Commissioner*
Rebekah Hanley
Dody Hansen
Herb & Kathy Hahn
Stacey & Jerry Harris
Amy Harter
Kirsten Haugen
Allison Heaman
Donna Heath
Sloan Heermance
Morley Hegstrom
Ted & Andrea Heid
Janet Heinonen
Bonnie Henderson
Natasha Hennings
Lauren J. Herbert, MD
Ellen Herman & Lynn Stephen
Duane & Carol Hildebrand
Jim Hill & Cary Hancock, Owners, Sporthill
Peggy Hinsman
Mike Hodgert
Hank & Betsy Hoell
Chris Hohenemser
Katya Hokanson
Connie Hollingsworth
Linda Honn
Christie Hoogendorn
David Hulbert
Julie Hulme
Laura Illig
Howard Ingber
Jeff Jackson & Sandy Moses
Brett Jacobs
James Jacobson
Polly H. Jamison, PhD
Dr. Michael James-Long
May-Britt Jeremiah
Denise Jessup & Rick Varnum
Art & Anita Johnson
Bern & Hillary Johnson
Dawnja Johnson
Derek Johnson & Lynette Williams
Deb Johnson-Shelton
Lea Jones
Brenda Kameenui
Tony Kaperick
Annie Karpinski
Munir & Gail Katul
Matt Keating
Gerald Keener
Mike & Janice Kelly
Megan Kemple
Sydney Kissinger
Hilary & Charles Kittleson
Rebecca & Peter Kovach
Holly Knight
Jean Kozlowski
Sally Krueger
Karen Krumrey-Fulks
Kelly LaBounty
Alan Laisure
Erin Landauer
Virginia Landgreen
Rick Larson & Barb Cowan
Peter Laufer & Sheila Swann
Camille & Artie Leider
Alan Leiman
Courtney Leonard & Dan Olmstead
Kim Leval
Debbie Levy
Larry & Linda Lewin
Tracy Lomax
Hilary Lord & Charles Wright
Wendy Loren
Anne Lowe & Tom Wheeler
Kathy Lynn & Joshua Skov
Anna Lyons-Roost
Colin Lyons
Melanie MacKinnon
Ellen Macomson
Dr. James MacPherson, P.E.
Annie Maguire
Michelle Maher
Scott Maier & Judy Shaw
Deborah Mailander
Marion Malcom
David Mandelblatt
Darnel Mandelblatt
Karen & Borzi Marashi
Rich & Sonya Margerum
Jackie Marlette
Laura Marriott, Owner, Marriott & Associates Realty
Joy Marshall, Stand for Children
Andria Martin
Jennifer Martin
Karol Massey
Robert & Joan Mazo
JoAnn Mazzarella & Richard Freund
Denis & Kate McCarthy
Deb McCarty
Tony McCown
Jeannine McIntyre
Lucy McIver
Lisa & Bill McMaster
Ian McNeely, Assistant Professor, UO
Holly McRae
Denise Meinardus
Robert Melnick
David & Betsy Meredith
Laurie Meyer
Valerie Michalenko
Joanne Miksis
Dana Miller
Steve Miller
Tracy Miller, Freelance Writer
Zanne Miller
Dayna Mitchell
Matthew Mixer & Jennifer Gleason
Polly Moak
Sean MonDragon
J.P. Monroe
Christy Monson
Beth Moore & Lorne Bigley
Brian Moore
Sandra Morgen
Vicki Morgan & Michael Duran
Peggy Morris
Kristy Morrow
Eleanor Baskett Mulder
Jean Murphy
Karen Murphy
Charity Murray
Cheryle Myers
Jeanne & Gordon Nagayama Hall
Lisa Namyet
Lise Nelson & Andy Schulz
Jeff & Kelly Ness
Ken Neubeck
Judy Newman
Erin Newton
Eileen Nittler
Elizabeth Nordling
Bonnie Nussbaum
Tamara Nyberg
Joan Obie
Rev. Melanie & Anil Oommen
Chris Orsinger
Ginny Osteen
Kristi & Jeff Oster
Mary Otten
Margie Paris
Tara Parillo
Sabrina Parsons, CEO, Palo Alto Software
Sari Pascoe
Kim Pash-Bell
Robin Patterson
Cynthia Paterson
Alexander Payne
Andy Peara
Art Peck & Mary DeMocker
Sarah & Kialing Perez-Swofford
Barbara Ann Perry
Marshall Peter
J. Linda Peterson
Kathleen Petty
David Piercy
Jeremy Piger
Lynn Pinckney
Allan Pinkerton
John Pinney
Steve Poizat-Newcomb
Julia Pommert
Daniel & Barbara Pope
Shannon & Michael Posner
Tina Powell
Lois Pribble
Sue & Hugh Prichard
Jared Pruch
Kathy Raines
Judith Raiskin
Nancy Raymond
Lisa Redford
Pat & Carleen Reilly
Rachel Reynolds
Rachel Rhoads
Joe & Marian Richard
Amy Riepma
Ry Robinson
Steve Robinson
Victoria Robinson
Catrin Rode
Cindy Roe
Felecia Rollins
Ken Rosenwein
Robert & Peggy Rubinstein
Bonnie Ruder
Dee Ryley
Paul Safar & Nancy Wood
Penny Salus
Eric & Nadia Sampson
Kevin Sanders
Greta Sangder
Diana Santamaria
Carol Scherer
Mindy Schlossberg
Eliza Schmidkunz
Matthew Schmidt, Warehouse Coordinator, Hummingbird Natural Foods Wholesaler
Anne Schrenk
Honore Scribner
Arla Seligmann
Ron & Mary Sherriffs
Sydney Shook
Kamala Shugar
M. Siegel
Jennifer Silberstein
Jason Simpson
Dev Sinha
Brian Slatsky
Tara & John Sloan
Roz & Paul Slovic
Becky Smith
Beth Smith
Jackie Smith
Jerry & Jane Smith
Kevin Smith
Michele Smith
Joel & Suzanne Sneed
Jennifer Snelling
Olof & McKay Sohlberg
Dave & Dorothy Soper
Pete Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner*
Quinn Souther
Anthony Soza
Susan & Kevin Spence
Denise Sprengelmeyer, Owner, MODERN
Beth Stein
Tom Stevens
Matt Stiffler
Heather Stillinger, Licensed Massage Therapist
Crystal Strege
Kim Strohman
Athena Sullivan
Charlie Swanson
Melissa Takush
John Tamulonis & Deborah Basler
Jean Tate
Fred Tepfer & Kate Bollons
Ericka Thessen
Jen & Steve Thoennes
Eileen Thomas
Cary Thompson
Joe Thornton, Professor of Biology, UO & Howard Hughes Medical Institute, & Margie Kelly
Mark Thornton
Tamara Torrence
Rebecca & Matthew
Denise Trumbull
Beth & Henry Tucker
Marshaun Tucker
Jim & Tamara Underwood, Owners, Bagel Sphere
Jimmy Unger, Physician
Carmen Urbina
Greg Van Vlack
Tracy Van Vlack, Owner, Lulu’s Smoothies
Jayme Vasconcellos, 4J Parent, Investor
Susan Ventura
Zall Villanueva
Julie Voelker-Morris
Judy & Tim Volem
Jane Wagner
Jennifer Walter
James Warmels
Sally Webber
Elizabeth Weber
Bruce Weinberg
Ruth Weinberg
Dana Weinstein
Leslie Weinstein
Robert L. Weiss
Joshua Welch
Jason Wellman
Barbara West, Broker, Windermere Real Estate*
Tim Whitley
Julie Whitmore
Craig & Catherine Wiebe
Sue Miller Wielesek
Jim Wilcox, Executive Director, BikeLane Coalition*
Melanie Williams & Fred Fauquembergue
Bryan & Susan Wilson
Katherine Tippens Wiper
Ken & Mary Wong
Connie Wonham
Stephen Wooten
Jan Wostmann
Jennifer Wyld
Kyle Yamada
Priscilla Yamin & Joe Lowndes
Kathy Yates
Regina Yates
Colleen Young
Tammy Young
Vanessa Youngblood
Tasha Zahn
Linda Zimmerman
Heidi Zola
Nicole Zwink

* Organization listed for informational purposes only

In Eugene we deeply value strong public schools that educate our kids and help build a robust local economy. This is a crucial moment to step forward and support them.

– Kitty Piercy, Mayor of Eugene

In my Real Estate profession I see a direct connection between strong neighborhood schools and property values. I also see that the quality of schools is a major factor for professionals deciding whether to relocate to Eugene. Without strong schools, our whole community and local economy suffer. It is imperative we pass this tax measure. We need to do it for our community’s children and for our future economic well-being as a city.

– Barbara West, Broker, Windermere Real Estate

To make sure Eugene remains a great place to live, we need to invest in our schools and our kids. I am happy to support the school funding tax measure.

– Bern Johnson, Executive Director, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide*

We believe the proposed income tax measure could help us avert some of the drastic cuts in state school funding that we are facing for the next few years and allow us to avoid or minimize some of the reductions directly affecting classroom instruction, including cutting school days and increasing class sizes. We are gratified that supporters in the community are motivated to help maintain the quality of education for students in Eugene.

– George Russell, 4J Superintendent, and Colt Gill, Bethel Superintendent, in a letter to Mayor Piercy and the City Council, February 11, 2011

Supporting public schools is the most important investment we can make at this time. We owe it to ourselves as well as the next generation.

– Margaret Hallock, Concerned Resident

My husband Jarrett and I endorse the temporary city tax to help our schools here in Eugene. We all know that our schools are in danger and we need to do whatever it takes to assist our children, our schools and our teachers. At this point we do not have the time to come up with several other options that may or may not solve the financial deficit that is crippling our school district. The temporary city tax appears to be the only viable option. We need to do this! …This is not only a crisis for school aged children and their parents, but a city, state and Nationwide problem that can only be remedied by the actions of its concerned citizens.”

– Suzanne Bryant, Co-owner, Devote 30

As a Pediatrician, I see, on a daily basis, the impact of underfunded schools. Thankfully, Eugene has the opportunity to try to undo some of the harm done to kids over the last couple of decades.

– Jimmy Unger, Pediatrician

For the parents of Eugene, this is an emergency. For the citizens of Eugene, it’s a scandal. For the thousands of professional educators who live here, it’s simply an embarrassment. I am one of nearly 1,800 faculty members at the University of Oregon. Many of us have children in Eugene’s schools. Even those of us who don’t, have chosen to live here because education is our life’s work. The economy of this city—and its identity—depend on education. Fortunately, Eugene has the means, and the will, to sustain our schools through this crisis. My family is voting yes in May.

– Ian F. McNeely, Associate Professor of History, University of Oregon

Our kids have had a fantastic education in Eugene. We want this for all other kids.

– Amy & Frank Gibson

Our mid-size business employs almost 50 people in Eugene. One of the reasons we can hire great employees is because they want to live in a city with good public schools. Eugene businesses need good public schools to be able to hire and recruit top employees. I know that a new tax may not be easy on anyone, but having poor education for our kids is much, much worse. Bad public schools will make it very hard for my business to hire new employees and grow in Eugene, and it is possible we think about relocating the business to a place where schools are better. There are many things we need to do to make our public schools better, but in the immediate term, this temporary tax will go a long way.

– Sabrina Parsons, CEO, Palo Alto Software, Eugene

We are retired, but we continue our support of the students of our community.

– Larry and Linda Lewin

As an educator at a public college and the parent of two children in public schools, I stand firmly behind public education and support this measure providing some relief from drastic cuts. Teachers need strong community support and realistic funding, not larger classes, more management tasks, longer hours, fewer resources and dwindling support services. Our children are inheriting huge environmental, social and economic challenges. Education is one of the greatest tools we can offer to help them shape a healthy future.

– Art Peck, Math Instructor, LCC

When our son moved from private school, his new 4j school exceeded our expectations and we wished we’d switched sooner. Now we’re dismayed by relentless cuts. Every high school program my freshman daughter looks forward to is threatened. I support this tax—imperfect though it is—because it’s the last option for avoiding cuts we can’t live with. We’re shaping not only the way kids value their own educations, but how they will, in turn, prioritize education for the next generation. I know my kids are hoping we will collectively do the right thing.

– Mary DeMocker, former private school parent with children in public schools

Vote yes for schools. Don’t punish the kids!

– Leslie Weinstein

Our kids deserve the best chance for a great future. Investing in the schools now will create the community we want tomorrow. Many of the educators I see, are super dedicated. Let’s help them do their best job by giving them the resources and funding that is so needed.

– Stacey & Jerry Harris

There is evidence that shows when tax revenue is used to fund improved public services the favorable impact on location and production decisions provided by the enhanced services may more than counterbalance the disincentive effects of the associated taxes.

– 2/9/11 memo from Anne Fifield, Senior Economist ECONorthwest to Sue Cutsogeorge, Finance Director, City of Eugene

After months of pleas from hundreds of parents and citizens concerned that budget cuts could leave many classrooms packed with up to 50 children, schools cut to four days a week and make it difficult for the city to attract employers, the City Council referred a small income tax to voters last week.

– Eugene Weekly, 2/24/11

As a local physician, we are often interviewing and recruiting new doctors to our community. We want Eugene to continue to attract the best doctors. In all my years of recruiting, I have never been asked what our tax rates are, but I am usually asked how our public schools are. Vote Yes for Strong Schools in May.

– Bob Pelz, PeaceHealth Physician

By investing now in our schools, we are setting young people up for success. Without our care and investment, we invite a host of individual, social and community setbacks from which it will take years to recover.

– Kim Leval

Who will teach the next generation? My child is graduating this year from NEHS. She has always wanted to become a teacher. She has been unwaivering in her dedication, until now. Now she sees the difficulties teachers are having. She sees that jobs are at stake and class sizes are too large. She is reconsidering her life long dream. The consequences of the lack of funding may be larger than we see on the surface. We are losing quality in our school system, but we may also be losing the next generation of teachers.

– Christy Desermeaux, Producer, On Air Media