Eugene voters may have two auditor measures to choose from on the May ballot. The Eugene City Council this week agreed to consider a proposal that would be alternative to Measure 20-283.
Bonny Bettman McCornack is a former Eugene City Councilor with City Accountability which wrote measure 20-283 which is already on the ballot. The City Council could refer a rival measure as well.
“Political pundits would tell you when you have two measures on the ballot they’re both likely to fail.”
McCornack says her measure, a charter amendment, calls for an elected auditor who answers only to voters so that they’re completely independent.
“This is a real job with professional qualifications attached to it so the auditor needs to be on par with the department heads whose budgets they’re scrutinizing.”
The rival proposal, brought by Citizens for Sensible Oversight calls for an appointed auditor who answers to City Council. In answer to criticism from that group that Measure 20-283 didn’t have a public process, McCornack says campaign volunteers talked with thousands of people last summer while gathering signatures.
