Oregon Ballot Measures 2008 Measures 54 and 55 are relatively
inconsequential... they probably deserve a yes vote Measure 56 is a
constitutional amendment which makes our elections a bit
more egalitarian. A yes vote seems prudent.
Measure 57 is a mixed bag. It provides
treatment options for first-time drug
"offenders," but takes away some judicial discretion for drug
traffickers. It suffers
from the same weaknesses of other laws which generalize penalties
regardless
of pharmacological realities. Public employees
union recommends yes, AFT
takes no position, and Defend Oregon says yes.
Measures 58-65are not useful measures. No Votes are
highly recommended. 58 takes teaching
professionals out of the decision-making process in our schools. 59blows a hole in
the state budget to benefit the rich at the expense of working
Americans. 60takes teacher
evaluation out of the schools and puts it in the legislature.
61 unjustly
cripples judicial discretion
62 unnecessary
amendment takes $200 million dollars away from our schools 63costs millions
of dollars and may undermine public safety 64
denies public employee union members the right to voice their
collective opinion
65 This measure
would shut out minor parties & could leave a major party without a
candidate.
Measure 54 (C):
Summary: This
corrects a bizarre flaw in the state constitution that prohibits
citizens under 21 from voting in school board elections (a provision
which is, of course, not in effect but should be removed anyways).
Known Opposition: None.
Progress-O-Meter: N/A, technical measure.
Campaign Impact: 1, no impact.
Outlook: Safe Yes.
Measure 54
— Allows (in the Oregon Constitution) for 18-year-olds to vote in
school-related elections. In fact, they do already, but there's some
quirky old language in the constitution that needs to be cleaned up.
AFT-Oregon
takes no position
takes no position
Measure 55 (C):
Summary:
Minor fixes to the state's redistricting process. Known
Opposition: None. Progress-O-Meter: N/A, technical measure.
Campaign Impact: 1, no impact.
Outlook: Safe Yes.
Measure 55
— Would allow a state legislator to fill out the remainder of his/her
term if legislative redistricting moves them out of their district in
mid-term AFT-Oregon
takes no position takes no position
M56
Amends Constitution so that May and November Property Tax
Elections must be decided by a majority of those voting
Measure 56 (S): Summary: Partially repeals the
Double Majority law requiring that 50% of registered voters cast ballots
in an election for a bond measure to pass for May and November votes.
Known Opposition: Taxpayer Association of Oregon (Far Right),
Bill Sizemore (Sponsor of all things extremely libertarian).
Measure 56
— Removes the "double majority" requirement from any May (primary) or
November (general) election; leaves the double majority intact for other
elections as per current law. ASCME votes yes. AFT-Oregon
recommends a Yes vote says vote yes
M57
Increases Sentences for Drug Trafficking, Theft Against
Elderly, and Specified Repeat Property and Identity Theft Crimes:|
Requires addiction treatment Measure
57 (S): Summary: Proposes an alternative to Kevin Mannix's (R-Of Course)
property crime sentence minimum initiative. Focuses state
policy on treatment rather than prison for low level drug and
property crimes. Known Opposition: Kevin Mannix and his crew.
Some contradictions...
Measure 57
— Legislative referral measure that counters the Kevin Mannix "tough on
crime" initiative (now Measure 61, below) with proposals that are less
severe and include treatment options for first-time offenders.Prevents judicial discretion.
ASCME votes yes. AFT-Oregon
takes no position on this measure says vote yes
M58 Prohibits Teaching Public School Students in Language Other than
English for More than Two Years Measure 58 (S): Chief Sponsor:
Bill Sizemore. Summary: This measure would require English
immersion rather than ESL for children for whom English is not their
primary language. Known Opposition: A lot of progressive
groups will mobilize against this one, JWJ, AFT, and Defend Oregon all
oppose and say let teachers do the teaching.
Measure 58
— A Bill Sizemore measure aimed primarily at the Oregon Education
Association that would prohibit teaching students in Oregon schools
in any language other than English for more than two years.
Jobs with Justice Opposes AFT-Oregon
opposes this measure says vote NO!
M59 Creates an
Unlimited Deduction for Federal Income Taxes On Individual
Taxpayers' Oregon Income-Tax Returns
Measure 59 (S): Chief Sponsor: Bill Sizemore Summary:
This is at least the third time that Sizemore and his gang have proposed
this measure, which makes federal income taxes fully deductible on state
returns. This measure largely benefits high wage earners
and would blow a huge hole in the state's budget. Known
Opposition: A coalition of progressive groups will mobilize
against this one.
Measure 59
— A Bill Sizemore re-run measure that would create an unlimited
deduction for federal income taxes on individual Oregon tax returns,
resulting in millions lost to the Oregon General Fund and
subsequent cutbacks in services. AFT-Oregon
opposes this measure says vote NO!
M60 Teacher
"Classroom Performance," Not Seniority, Determines Pay Raises; "Most
Qualified" Teachers Retained Regardless of Seniority
Measure 60 (S): Chief Sponsor: Bill Sizemore Summary: This would
require "merit-pay" for teachers in public schools. Known
Opposition: The Oregon Education Association will doubtless go all out
against this measure. JWJ, AFT, and Defend Oregon also oppose this
measure. Evaluations of teacher performance should be driven by
educators, not legislators...
Measure 60
— A Bill Sizemore re-run measure aimed primarily at the Oregon Education
Association that would eliminate seniority as the basis for pay
increases and tenure, changing the benchmarks to ill-defined
(undefined) "classroom performance." Jobs with Justice Opposes
this Amendment AFT-Oregon
opposes this measure says vote NO!
The merits of merit pay The Oregonian -
OregonLive.com - Portland,OR,USA
Detailing the flaws in the merit pay concept is Jim
Buck of the Oregon School Personnel Association. By Randall
Pozdena We all want to find ways to ...
See all stories on this topicLet's
face it, Measure 60 is intended more as a reprisal against the
Oregon Education Association than as a constructive measure for
Oregon education. It's a measure that would reward spite, not
effective teachers.
M61Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Measure 61 (S):
Chief Sponsor: Kevin Mannix Summary: This is Kevin Mannix's draconian
sentencing measure for property and low-level drug crimes. Known
Opposition: Most of the Legislature for one
(See Measure 57) as well as most of the moderate and
progressive groups in the state. Teachers and unions both oppose
this measure. The legislature should not try to make decisions
for the judiciary. Mandatory sentencing can often be unjust.
Measure 61
— The aforementioned Mannix initiative that creates strict sentencing
guidelines for property crime, drug and ID theft offenders. As usual, it
does not address how to pay for its impact, which would include
construction and staffing of three new state prisons and up to 6,000 new
Oregon prison inmates. AFT-Oregon
opposes this measure says vote NO!
M62Constitutional Amendment regarding distribution of lottery
proceeds
Measure 62 (C): Chief Sponsor: Kevin Mannix.
Summary: Dedicates 15% of Oregon Lottery proceeds to crime
fighting/prevention efforts. Known Opposition: The current groups
that receive lottery funds, schools and parks, have opposed this.
Our schools are already struggling to get their jobs done. AFT and
Defend Oregon feel this Amendment is counterproductive.
Rather than pitting schools against police services, the legislature
should provide adequate funding for both. Measure takes $200
million out of the State School Fund: Fewer teachers/lower pay.
Measure 62 — Would allocate 15 percent of
the state lottery proceeds to a new state "Public Safety Fund."
Proponents of Measure 61 will argue this is the Measure 61 funding
mechanism. There are two problems right off the cuff. One, there's no
guarantee Measure 62 will pass even if Measure 61 does. Two, the 15
percent would come out of the state's over-burdened General Fund,
which leads to cuts in social, health and senior services. AFT-Oregon
opposes this measure says vote NO!
M63 Exemption
of Specified Property Owners
from Building Permit Requirements
Measure 63 (S): Chief Sponsor; Bill Sizemore
Summary: This measure would allow minor building changes without a
permit.
Known Opposition: None right off the bat, but anything Sizemore proposes
won't stay without opposition for long. AFT Oregon and Defend
Oregon already oppose this measure because it undermines public
safety and undercuts our communities.
Measure 63
— A new Bill Sizemore measure that would exempt property owners from
taking out building permits for any home improvement jobs valued at
$35,000 or under. While this measure would cost cities and counties
millions in property tax collections from undervalued homes — assessors
use building permits to aid in properly assessing home values — consumer
safety groups are already jumping to take the lead in condemning this
measure as resulting in unsafe dwellings. AFT-Oregon
opposes this measure says vote NO!
SEE JWJ Position
M64
Penalizes Person or Entity for Using Funds Collected with "Public
Resource" for "Political Purpose"
Measure 64 (S): Chief Sponsor: Bill Sizemore
Summary: Sizemore brings back an old and twice-failed idea to ban
public-employee unions from using dues for political purposes.
Known Opposition: The progressive movement in this state has already
begin to mobilize to kill this one.
Measure 64
— A tired Bill Sizemore re-run of "paycheck deception." It's his
umpteenth attempt to deny public employee union members the right to
voice their collective opinion through the political process. AFT-Oregon
opposes says vote NO!
(S): Chief Sponsor:
Former SOS Phil Keisling (D)
Summary: Creates a Top-Two Open Primary in which all parties run their
candidates on the same ballot and the top two, regardless of party
affiliation, advance to the general election. There are mixed opinions
on this measure. If it were not so restrictive, (in references to
"only" two parties), it might be better received. As written, it
would shut out minor parties, eliminate party endorsements, and could
leave a major party without a candidate.
Measure 65
— This measure would change the process for General Election
nominations, essentially leading to "open" primaries and changes in
run-off elections. Spearheaded by former Secretaries of State Phil
Keisling (a Democrat) and Norma Paulus (a Republican).
AFT-Oregon opposes this
measure
takes no position
Defend Oregon 503-288-5918 /
2027 Lloyd Center / Portland, OR 97232 the Oregon School Employees
Association is donating $100,000 to Defend Oregon,
a coalition supported primarily by Oregon labor unions and built mostly
to defeat measures funded by wealthy Nevada businessman Loren
Parks. info@defendoregon.org
"The spread of evil is the symptom of a
vacuum. whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the
moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be
no compromise on basic principles."
Ayn Rand
Activism
Issues
takes no position
Defend Oregon 503-288-5918 /
2027 Lloyd Center / Portland, OR 97232 
