Ballot Measures

Ballot Measure Positions 2008

Measure Number	SEIU Position	Chief Petitioners	Ballot Title	Ballot Impact
64	NO	Bill Sizemore	Penalizes Person, Entity For Using Funds Collected With "Public Resource" (Defined) For "Political Purpose" (Defined)	Prohibits public employees from utilizing payroll deduction for defined political activities. Significantly limits public employee’s access to political process by prohibiting them from making their own decisions about payroll deductions. This measure would shut out small dollar contributions that employees freely make from their paychecks yet do nothing to curb large political contributions from corporation and business interests.
59	NO	Bill Sizemore, Tim Trickey, Russ Walker	Creates An Unlimited Deduction For Federal Income Taxes On Individual Taxpayers' Oregon Income-Tax Returns	Currently state taxpayers may deduct up to $5,500 in federal taxes. Making the deduction unlimited would reduce state budget by $1.2 billion in 2009-11 and $2.2 billion in 2011-13. Average tax cut for richest 1%= $15,048. Average tax cut formiddle 20% = $1.
61	NO	Duane Fletchall, Steve Beck, Kevin Mannix	Creates Mandatory Minimum Prison Sentences For Certain Theft, Identity Theft, Forgery, Drug, And Burglary Offenses	Requires mandatory sentencing for certain drug and property crimes; applies to first-time offenders. Would require massive budget outlays estimated between $256 -$400 million per biennium. Additional funds would be needed for prison construction. Does not fund, require or address drug treatment.
62	NO	Duane Fletchall, Steve Beck, Kevin Mannix	Amends Constitution: Allocates 15% Of Lottery Proceeds To Public Safety Fund For Crime Prevention, Investigation, Prosecution	Would shift $175 million away from the State School Fund. Nothing in this initiative applies directly to or covers the cost of Measure 61, the other Mannix mandatory minimum measure.
58	NO	Alan Grosso, Bill Sizemore, Russ Walker	Prohibits Teaching Public School Student In Language Other Than English For More Than Two Years	Restricts public school student's access to ESL programs, regardless of English proficiency. Removes local control and restricts teacher's ability to provide appropriate instruction. Does not allow for parental choice in choosing programs for their children. Requires learning within specific timetables but does not provide tools for achieving goals.
60	NO	Bill Sizemore, Russ Walker	Teacher Classroom Performance, Not Seniority, Determines Pay Raises; Most Qualified Teachers Retained, Regardless of Seniority	Ties teacher pay and job security to "classroom performance" yet fails to define or explain how that will be measured. Restricts local school districts authority to set standards for hiring and retaining teachers. Voters rejected this concept in 2000 when Ballot Measure 95 failed No Vote: 65%, Yes Vote: 35%.
63	NO	Alan Grosso, Bill Sizemore	Exempts Specified Property Owners From Building Permit Requirements For Improvements Valued At/Under 35,000 Dollars	Creates a loophole for certain home and farm construction projects allowing owners to subvert local and state safety inspections, environmental requirements or building codes. Exemption benchmark of $35,000 adjusted annually based on inflation.
65	NO	Phil Keisling, Norma Paulus	Would have the two candidates that received the most votes in the primary advance to the general election, regardless of party. Would allow all voters to vote for any candidate in the primary election.	This measure will make elections significantly more expensive and it will make it harder for working family candidates to advance to the general election, instead more moderate corporate back candidates will advance.
56	YES	Referred by State Legislature	Amends Constitution: Provides That May And November Property Tax Elections Are Decided By a Majority Of Voters Voting	Due to the double majority requirement, measures approved by the majority of participating voters are failing. Non-votes have become the determining factor in many local elections. This costs taxpayers time and money.
57	YES	Referred by State Legislature	Increases Sentences For Drug Trafficking, Theft Against Elderly And Specified Repeat Property and Identity Theft Crimes; Requires Addiction Treatment For Certain Offenders.	Unlike Mannix's one-size-fits-all mandatory minimums, Measure 57 targets increased prison time to large scale drug dealers and repeat property offenders. Includes drug treatment in sentencing of persons in custody and who are at risk of re-offending.