IN REPLY TO "RESIDENT FILES LAWSUIT SEEKING TO PREVENT ELECTION OF CASEY ROATS TO BEND CITY COUNCIL"
Good! Living in Bend is the most basic requirement we should have for a city councilor. If you've lived outside of the city for a year, it shouldn't be much to ask, that you wait until you've been in the city again for a year to run for office. The fact that Roats thinks he's entitled to serve on City Council right now despite his extended sojourn outside the city, and despite his longstanding problems regarding conflict of interest concerning his family's ownership of a city utility, and despite his repeated inability to understand/follow the basic instructions on various state election documents, all points to the concept that Casey needs a few more years under his belt before he's ready (and/or qualified) to take on the responsibility of governing the city
—Anonymous
Well stated. To me, his reaction to all of this also demonstrates a lack of maturity. It almost seems like rich kid arrogance. You would think he'd be smart enough to know that these are valid concerns. What part of within city limits is he not understanding? Then there's the other issue. I would sure like to hear a good reason why he decided to receive his mail at the house under construction instead of the house where he was living. I'm not saying there isn't a good explanation. I just haven't heard one. Without that, you have to assume the obvious—he did that to say he was living in Bend. If that's the case, he absolutely lied when completing the forms and he may have more trouble than possibly losing his seat on city council. I hate to say it, but with his knack for not getting this, his lawyer might advise him to start taking the 5th amendment. I hate to say that because, to me, living a couple of miles outside of Bend isn't a big deal. He should be able to run and hold office if he wins. But, with the way he's handled this, we suddenly need to be concerned about the mistakes he might make that affect all of us. I don't think the law disqualifies him as much as he disqualifies himself.
—todaysvoter
Editor's Note: To clarify, Casey Roats told the Source he did not receive mail at the new house address and that he has used and will continue to use his Bend post office box. He did, however, list the then-unfinished home as his residence on both voter registration and candidacy filing homes.
If Lisa Seales would have won, would the Political Action Committee have sued her since she has only actually lived in Bend for about six months? This is hypocrisy and double standards on the part of Charlie Ringo, Foster Fell, Barb Campbell and Michael Funke. Here are the facts...Casey Roats is a forth generation resident of Bend. Casey Roats owns a home and business in Bend. He lives and works in Bend and while he was working on his home in Bend he slept at his parents house. OMG, your guys are grasping at straws on this. Anybody with any common sense would see this is a gang mentality on the part of these people coming after Roats. I hope Neil Bryant spanks these little leftist cry babies backsides.
—JB
Editor's Note: To clarify, Lisa Seales has lived and worked in Bend since fall 2010, certainly longer than six months. Questions have been raised, however, about whether she maintained legal residency in Florida during the last 12 months in order to qualify for in-state tuition and receive a property tax exemption.
IN REPLY TO "LWV CANDIDATE FORUM SHORT-CHANGED AUDIENCE" (10/29)
I was at the all four of the League of Women Voters (LWV) sponsored forums in September and October. The forums are a great public service provided by the these energetic, volunteer women, who also provided great refreshments for all! The forums have a simple format in their hour of allocated time. The third forum went over by half an hour with only two candidates because most of the audience questions were addressed, though they often covered the same or similar material asked by the preset "house questions." They were quite informative and I never felt shortchanged.
Simple math can answer why little to no time was spent on audience questions at the last forum. The forums have 60 minutes to work with. Opening and closing statements from three candidates will last just under 15 minutes. Each question for three candidates will take about five minutes; that leaves approximately eight to nine questions (both house and audience). The last forum was for two seats on City Council (No. 6 and No. 7), which fielded seven candidates. This picture is dramatically different now. Opening and closing statements now take over 30 min, each round of questions takes just over 12 minutes. That leaves about four questions for house and audience in this hour.
The LWV ran a tight and efficient ship during the forums. They're courteous and respectful to all candidates and indeed provide a valuable resource for our community. If there's an important question Mr. Williams wanted asked, then the floor was open to talk with any candidate after the forum, though he wants to shame the LWV because time didn't allow your specific question?! That's how democracy works sometimes Mr. Williams. The LWV brought these candidates to you, the public, through their hard work and dedication. Kudos to the LWV!
—Paul Arebalo
VOTE WITH YOUR $
In the wake of GMO labeling not passing, I am even more motivated to vote with my dollar. It is simple to do a little homework to find out where your dollar is really going. For example, many of the organic brands have been bought up by big food companies who are lobbying every day to lower organic standards. I loved Annie's brand too, but after hearing they are being bough by General Mills I had to say goodbye. That also applies to local business that "sell out." There is one that comes to mind that just sold out, but fortunately there are plenty of other breweries I can support that are producing far better brews and keeping it local! Do we want 'Merica to be a country where the corporations own and control everything and everything is franchised? Doesn't sound very "crafty" to me...
—Anonymous
IN REPLY TO "A QUESTION OF SEMANTICS" (11/5)
I love Doug Knight's qualifier: "Where you live is where you unload your groceries." Otherwise you could say, "I intend to live within the Bend city limits because I'm eyeing a really nice apartment near St. Charles Medical Center! The apartment is already built and I've got an application in at the rental office!"
—Dave Morgan
To ring or not to Ringo, that is the question. The answer is blowing in the wind. Let's get this faux-controversy behind us as a zephyr deals with the autumn leaves. Quickly, efficiently and conclusively. Casey, I didn't vote for you for the Council. Welcome to the Council. Good luck.
—Ray Duray
