1Of 2 Voters' Pamphlet Measures
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1of 2 Voters’ Pamphlet Measures Oregon General Election November 4, 2008 Bill Bradbury Oregon Secretary of State This Voters’ Pamphlet is provided for assistance in casting your vote by mail ballot. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE ELECTIONS DIVISION BILL BRADBURY JOHN LINDBACK DIRECTOR SECRETARY OF STATE 255 CAPITOL ST NE, SUITE 501 JEAN STRAIGHT SALEM, OREGON 97310 DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE (503) 986-1518 My Fellow Oregonians: It’s time once again for Oregon voters to step up and do our part for democracy. It’s time to vote. We honor the Americans who have died over the years to keep us free and preserve this cherished right to vote. But their sacrifice is even more heartening when we see repressed people from around the world waiting in line for hours, even days, to exercise this right we sometimes take for granted. And here in Oregon, we have work to do. Once again, the ballot will ask us to consider statewide measures dealing with taxes, property, education and other matters. There are 12 of them, four placed on the ballot by the Legislature and eight by citizen initiative. In the pages that follow, you will see arguments for and against these measures as written by their supporters and opponents. Please read them and think carefully. What we decide as voters will have a huge impact on the state and our pocketbooks. Voting offers power, the power to have a say in the policies and priorities that will govern your city, your county, your state and your nation in the years ahead. Let me thank those who are already registered and encourage those who aren’t to do so by the October 14 registration deadline. Remember, you must re-register if your address has changed, if your name has changed or if your signature has changed. If you have questions about registration, filling out your ballot or about getting a replacement ballot if you make a mistake, please call our toll-free hot-line, 1-866-ORE-VOTE, or 1-866-673-8683. Your ballot must be in the hands of election workers or in an official drop-off location no later than 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4. Postmarks don’t count. You can always call your county elections office to make sure they’ve received your ballot. Being an active participant in our democracy is good for America, good for your community and best of all, good for you. Best Wishes, Bill Bradbury Oregon Secretary of State Oregon General Election November 4, 2008 Voters’ Pamphlet Table of Contents General Information Voters’ Pamphlet Information 4 Guide to State Measures 5 Voter Registration Information 150 Voters with Disabilities 152 Measures Additional Information Measure 54 6 Measure Argument Disclaimer 8 Measure 55 9 Election Results 13 Measure 56 14 ORESTAR 71 Measure 57 26 Returning Your Voted Ballot 84 Measure 58 43 Vote! 149 Measure 59 58 Measure 60 72 Measure 61 85 Measure 62 97 Measure 63 105 Measure 64 117 Measure 65 132 Voting Information County Elections Officials 154 General Information / 4 Voters’ Pamphlet Information Voters’ Pamphlet The explanatory statement is an impartial statement explaining the measure. Each measure’s explanatory statement is written Your official 2008 General Election Voters’ Pamphlet is divided by a committee of five members, including two proponents of into two separate volumes. This is Volume 1 and contains the measure, two opponents of the measure and a fifth mem- information on the 12 statewide ballot measures, as well as ber appointed by the first four committee members, or, if they information on registering to vote. fail to agree on a fifth member, appointed by the Secretary of Volume 2 will include a listing of state candidates, statements State. Explanatory statements can be appealed and may be submitted by candidates and political parties, and information changed by the Oregon Supreme Court. about voting your ballot. It will also include your county voters’ Citizens or organizations may file arguments in favor of, or pamphlet if your county chooses to produce a voters’ pamphlet in opposition to, measures by purchasing space for $500 or by in combination with the state. Volume 2 will be delivered submitting a petition signed by 1,000 voters. Arguments in October 15-17. favor of a measure appear first, followed by arguments in Measure arguments are printed as submitted. The state opposition to the measure, and are printed in the order in does not correct punctuation, grammar, syntax errors which they are filed with the Secretary of State’s office. or inaccurate information. The only changes made are attempts to correct spelling errors if the word as originally submitted is not in the dictionary. Website The voters’ pamphlet has been compiled by the Secretary of Most of the information contained in this voters’ pamphlet is State since 1903, when Oregon became one of the first states to also available in the Online Voters’ Guide at provide for the printing and distribution of such a publication. www.oregonvotes.org. One copy of the voters’ pamphlet is mailed to every household in the state. Additional copies are available at the Secretary of State’s office, local post offices, courthouses and all county Español elections offices. Una versión en español de algunas partes de la Guía del Elector está a su disposición en el portal del Internet cuya dirección Measures aparece arriba. Conscientes de que este material en línea podría no llegar adecuadamente a todos los electores que For each of the twelve statewide ballot measures in this voters’ necesitan este servicio, se invita a toda persona a imprimir la pamphlet you will find the following information: versión en línea y circularla a aquellos electores que no tengan acceso a una computadora. (1)the ballot title; (2)the estimate of financial impact; (3)an explanation of the estimate of financial impact, if Important! determined to be necessary by the committee; If your ballot is lost, destroyed, damaged or you make a (4)the complete text of the proposed measure; mistake in marking your ballot, you may call your county elections office and request a replacement ballot. One will be (5)an impartial statement explaining the measure (explanatory mailed to you as long as you request it by October 30. After statement); that, you may pick it up at the elections office. If you have (6)for a legislative referral, a legislative argument in support of already mailed your original ballot before you realize you made the measure; and a mistake, you have cast your vote and will not be eligible for a replacement ballot. (7)any arguments filed by proponents and opponents of the measure. Your voted ballot must be returned to your county elections office by 8pm election day, Tuesday, November 4, 2008. The ballot title is generally drafted by the Attorney General’s office. It is then distributed to a list of interested parties for Postmarks do not count! public comment. After review of any comments submitted, the County elections offices are open on election day from 7am to ballot title is certified by the Attorney General’s office. The 8pm. certified ballot title can be appealed and may be changed by the Oregon Supreme Court. The estimate of financial impact for each measure is generally Voter Information prepared by a committee of state officials including the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, the Director of the For questions about voter registration, ballot delivery and Department of Administrative Services, the Director of the return, marking the ballot, requesting a replacement ballot, Department of Revenue, and a local government representa- absentee ballots, signature requirements, the voters' tive selected by the committee members. The committee pamphlet, when and where to vote, and other questions about estimates only the direct impact on state and local govern- elections and voting, call the toll-free voter information line at ments, based on information presented to the committee. In 1-866-ORE-VOTE (1-866-673-8683). addition, the committee may choose to provide an explanation Voter information line representatives can provide services in of the estimate of financial impact statement. both English and Spanish. TTY services for the hearing impaired are also available at 1-800-735-2900. General Information / Official 2008 General Election Voters’ Pamphlet Guide to State Measures 5 Measure Amends Constitution: Standardizes voting eligibility for school board elections 6 54 with other state and local elections. Measure Amends Constitution: Changes operative date of redistricting plans; allows 9 55 affected legislators to finish term in original district. Measure Amends Constitution: Provides that May and November property tax elections 14 56 are decided by majority of voters voting. Measure Increases sentences for drug trafficking, theft against elderly and specified repeat 26 57 property and identity theft crimes; requires addiction treatment for certain offenders. Measure Prohibits teaching public school student in language other than English for more 43 58 than two years Measure Creates an unlimited deduction for federal income taxes on individual taxpayers’ 58 59 Oregon income-tax returns Measure Teacher “classroom performance,” not seniority, determines pay raises; 72 60 “most qualified” teachers retained, regardless of seniority Measure Creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain theft, identity theft, 85 61 forgery, drug, and burglary crimes Measure Amends Constitution: Allocates 15% of lottery proceeds to public safety fund 97 62 for crime prevention, investigation, prosecution Measure Exempts specified property owners from building permit requirements for 105 63 improvements valued at/under 35,000 dollars Measure Penalizes person, entity for using funds collected with “public resource” (defined) 117 64 for “political purpose” (defined) Measure Changes general election nomination processes for major/minor party, 132 65 independent candidates for most partisan offices Measures / 6 Measure 54 House Joint Resolution 4—Referred to the Electorate of Oregon by the 2007 Legislative Assembly to be voted on at the 54 General Election, November 4, 2008.