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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW SOU professor joins Oregon Humanities board of directors ... Rogue Valley Symphony showcases Christopher Theofanidis ... Ashland police reports, Jan. 13 ... SOU professor joins Oregon Humanities board of directors ... Rogue Valley Symphony showcases Christopher Theofanidis ... Ashland police reports, Jan. 13 ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, Jan. 12 Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Not a compromise The City Council, on Jan. 5, approved Pam Marsh's motion to ask Susan Zoccola, the selected artist for the Gateway Project, for a second proposal. The council will choose which of the two proposals will be used. Marsh said that her motion would serve as a "compromise," since there has been so much dissension surrounding the Zoccola proposal. Framing the motion as a "compromise" is very misleading. Based on artist Zoccola's past public art sculptures, her second proposal will not resolve the issues about which Ashland has been in conflict. Zoccola's second proposal will not be historic, it will be made of metal, it will be abstract and it will not be by a local artist, it will not be any less expensive. In fact, it will cost the city an extra $3,500, as specified by Marsh. With one swoop, the council deviated from established policy; to what end? The motion will cost more in time and money and will not address or change any of the issues, concerns and complaints that have been raised by the community. I applaud Councilors Mike Morris and Rich Rosenthal for voting against this motion, presumably because they want to honor codified process. I am concerned that the legally questionable motion was made on a basis of satisfying personal taste rather than working within established and well-thought-out procedure; this at the expense of time, energy and money. Laurel Merchant Ashland What's the worst? Climate change deniers would have us keep burning fossil fuel for most of our energy needs. If we follow the deniers and make no changes, the worst that could happen is: • Devastating floods, drowning tens of thousands and displacing millions of people. • Droughts will become more severe, creating massive famines. • Sea level will flood coastal areas, driving hundreds of millions from their homes. • The world economy will be in shambles, wars will break out over diminishing food and water supplies, diseases will run rampant and up to 90 percent of all plant and animal species could disappear. Climate change realists would have us make rapid changes to how we create and use energy. If we follow the realists, the worst that could happen is: • Climate changes will eventually return to a more normal and predictable pattern. • Many jobs in the fossil fuel industries will be lost, but even more clean energy jobs will be created. • Energy costs will decrease. • We will have cleaner air and water with resultant better health. We cannot afford to make the wrong decision — the future of the planet is at stake! Locally, support Oregon's Healthy Climate Bill. David Lane Ashland Hypocrisy without end If you ever wondered why people are so angry at the government, it is because the hypocrisy of the government is without end. The U.S. attorney in Oregon has been jumping out of his shoes to shut down dispensaries. Now an armed group occupies federal buildings and the U.S. attorney does nothing! So now you know! R. Tokareff Ashland DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 12, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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