Pubdate: Sun, 8 Jun 2008
Source: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
Copyright: 2008 The Oregonian
Contact:  http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324
Author: Edward Walsh, The Oregonian
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

SEVEN MEASURES ON OREGON'S FALL BALLOT

Anti-Crime and Property Tax Issues Will Be Decided by Voters

Three citizen initiatives and four measures referred by the 
Legislature have already qualified for the Nov. 4 general election 
ballot, and state officials expect more to come.

One of the initiatives, sponsored by Republican activist Kevin 
Mannix, would impose mandatory prison sentences for certain drug 
offenses, car theft and burglary. That will compete with a measure 
referred to voters by the Legislature that would impose less 
stringent minimum sentences and beef up treatment programs for drug offenders.

If voters approve both measures, the one that receives the most votes 
will go into effect.

The state Elections Division has approved 38 initiatives for 
circulation to gather voter signatures, but 10 of those have been 
withdrawn by their sponsors. The deadline for submitting enough valid 
signatures to place an initiative on the ballot is July 3. 
Initiatives that would change state law require 82,769 valid 
signatures; constitutional amendments require 110,358 signatures.

Measures referred to the ballot by the Legislature don't require 
voter signatures to qualify.

In addition to the Mannix anti-crime measure, the two other 
initiatives that have qualified for the ballot are sponsored by Bill 
Sizemore, the veteran tax activist. One would exempt property owners 
from state and local building permit requirements for improvements 
valued at $35,000 or less.

The other Sizemore initiative would prohibit the use of money for a 
"political purpose" if it was collected with a "public resource" such 
as the work time of public employees. The measure is part of 
Sizemore's continuing campaign against the state's public employees unions.

Much attention during the fall is expected to be focused on the 
competing anti-crime measures. But another referral by the 
Legislature also could set off a heated debate. It would effectively 
make it easier for local governments such as school districts to 
raise property taxes by exempting tax measures voted on in May or 
November elections of any year from the "double majority" requirement 
of the Oregon Constitution.

Under that provision, a proposal such as a bond issue that would 
raise property taxes requires not only a majority vote but a turnout 
of at least 50 percent of registered voters to be approved, unless 
it's a general election in an even-numbered year.

Another legislative referral to voters would remove obsolete language 
from the constitution that sets minimum standards for voting in 
school elections. The final referral would change the operative date 
for implementing a legislative redistricting plan and allow lawmakers 
to serve out their terms representing their old districts following 
redistricting. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake