I encourage west Lane County voters to examine the statements in county Commissioner Ryan Ceniga’s election materials. To my mind, they don’t jibe with his voting record or even with other of his own statements. He states, “I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty to protect our rural families.”

Yet he — along with fellow commissioners Pat Farr and David Loveall — voted against the people of Oakridge by backing the reopening of an unnecessary rock quarry that would seriously impact the health, the quality of life and the hard-won tourism economic base of Oakridge residents.

These commissioners voted against the recommendations of their own staff members. Perhaps they should have recused themselves from this vote entirely, based on possible conflicts of interest.

Confusingly, Ceniga states “our rural way of life is under attack from urban politicians.” Most of Lane County’s population lives in urban Eugene/Springfield, so presumably he represents all of us. Is he then an “urban politician?”

He states that his highest priority is “creating more housing” and even favors an expansion of Eugene’s Urban Growth Boundary to achieve this. His campaign presence is built on being a small-town guy who doesn’t want the rural way of life harmed. Yet he states that he favors extending the urban growth boundary to find more land for housing. To me it seems that he simply makes declarations without considering if they have any logical reasoning or consistency. 

County commissioners hold a great deal of power and much responsibility for decisions that affect land use, health, water and so much more. Please, voters, take the time to examine candidates’ backgrounds, statements and voting records. 

Barbara Butzer
Eugene