The Opposition's Campaign to Discredit FoNP

The image at left and below is an excerpt from a flier being distributed by Citizens for Responsible Growth that contains lies about Friends of North Plains members.  View the whole flier.

The Citizens for Responsible Growth (CFRG) claim that Friends of North Plains (FoNP) is a "mysterious ... extreme anti-growth group".  There's nothing mysterious about us-- we've been here since 1996.  Find out more about FoNP.

Apparently, CFRG believes that anything they don't want voters to know is "mis-information," such as:

1. These developments would double the population in seven years.

2. They would build out the state-required 20-year land supply in seven years,  At that point the City would need to find more land, and the process will repeat itself.

3. The money paid by new residents will not pay the entire cost of the downtown revitalization project.  A $1.5 million bond measure will be required to complete the project.  This cost will be carried by all residents.

4. The promised increase in police and fire resources will need to serve more residents, which will be spread out over a larger area.  Will you really have better service?

5. Most importantly, voters do NOT have to accept this "deal."  You can be sure that the developers will be back with a better offer if this measure fails.

Friends of North Plains is not an "extreme anti-growth group."  FoNP believes that citizens should be informed about the land-use decisions that affect them, and that they should be allowed to participate effectively in those decisions.  Read our mission statement.

Apparently, North Plains' citizens agree with that.  By a margin of 3 to 1, they've voted -- not once, but TWICE -- to give themselves the power to vote on annexations that come before the city.  Friends of North Plains took a leadership role in helping pass that initiative.

So if increasing citizen participation is "extreme,"
then we wear that label proudly!

A Case of Mistaken Identity

So what about that lawsuit in Lebanon?  Well, it seems that CFRG did some sloppy research and mixed up James Just, who is on our steering committee, with Jim Just, a member of Friends of Linn County, who does indeed live in Lebanon.  So, "in fact," we think the CFRG owes us an apology.

Read CFRG's apology to Friends of North Plains.

Painting with a Broad Brush

And finally, suggesting that an entire organization reflects the beliefs and values of one of its members is just plain silly.  If that were true, then we suggest that CFRG doesn't have much room to talk.

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