Oregon Ballot Measure 64 (2008)
Encyclopedia
Oregon Ballot Measure 64 (IRR 25) was an initiated state statute ballot measure on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot in Oregon
.
This measure would have prohibited money collected with the use of public resources from being used for political purposes, except elections, official voter pamphlets and most lobbying. "Political purpose" is defined as: candidates, political committee or party, initiative or referendum committee, and supporting/opposing candidates or ballot measures (including signature gathering for petitions).
in 2006. In December 2007, Sizemore turned in 139,000 signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2008 ballot.
Sizemore put similar measures on the Oregon ballot in 1998 and 2000; all of them were defeated by a coalition of unions, charities, and non-profit organizations. Measure 59 was defeated 51–49; two years later, Measure 92 was defeated by a wider margin: 55–45. Also in 2000, another similar measure, Measure 98, was defeated 53–47.
Sizemore has filed nearly identical initiatives every two years since, although none qualified for the ballot until 2008. For 2010, he's filed Initiative Petition 25, which would make political contributions from unions "bribery."
No Oregon newspapers have endorsed a yes vote on Measure 64.
The Oregonian
reported in September 2007 that Nevada
-based millionaire Loren Parks
was the leading contributor to put Measure 64 on the ballot. According to the newspaper, Parks gave money directly to the signature gathering firm, rather than to Sizemore directly.
Don't Silence Our Voice describes itself as "a broad coalition of community advocates, charities, and labor organizations committed to protecting the voices of all Oregonians."
The official Oregon voter's pamphlet has arguments in opposition from the United Way, the Muscular Dystrophy Association
, the Oregon PTA, the Oregon Education Association
, the League of Women Voters
, and the Oregon State Council of Fire Fighters, among others.
Defend Oregon, as a committee, is fighting seven different ballot measures, and supporting two others. As a result, it is not possible to discern how much of its campaign warchest is going specifically to defeat Measure 59. Altogether, the group has raised over $6 million in 2008.
Major donations to the Defend Oregon group as of October 8 include:
announced that according to an unofficial verification conducted by their office, supporters of the measure had turned in 87,348 valid signature
s, slightly more than the 82,769 required. This represented a validity rate of 66% of the 132,347 signatures turned in. Democracy Direct was hired to collect signatures for the measure,
A union-funded watchdog group asked the Oregon Secretary of State
to conduct an investigation into how some of the signatures on the measure were collected. Secretary of State Bill Bradbury
said, "…most all of the initiatives Oregon voters will decide this fall got there through practices that are now illegal. But those practices were legal at the time most of the signatures were submitted." A lawsuit has been filed in federal court challenging the constitutionality of the new laws governing the initiative process in Oregon.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
This measure would have prohibited money collected with the use of public resources from being used for political purposes, except elections, official voter pamphlets and most lobbying. "Political purpose" is defined as: candidates, political committee or party, initiative or referendum committee, and supporting/opposing candidates or ballot measures (including signature gathering for petitions).
Background
The measure was initially filed as a potential initiative by chief petitioner Bill SizemoreBill Sizemore
Bill Sizemore is a political activist in Redmond, Oregon, United States. Sizemore has never held elected office, but has nonetheless been a major political figure in Oregon since the 1990s. He is considered one of the main proponents of the Oregon tax revolt, a movement that seeks to reduce taxes...
in 2006. In December 2007, Sizemore turned in 139,000 signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2008 ballot.
Sizemore put similar measures on the Oregon ballot in 1998 and 2000; all of them were defeated by a coalition of unions, charities, and non-profit organizations. Measure 59 was defeated 51–49; two years later, Measure 92 was defeated by a wider margin: 55–45. Also in 2000, another similar measure, Measure 98, was defeated 53–47.
Sizemore has filed nearly identical initiatives every two years since, although none qualified for the ballot until 2008. For 2010, he's filed Initiative Petition 25, which would make political contributions from unions "bribery."
Newspaper Endorsements
Here is how Oregon's major newspapers have endorsed on Measure 64:| Newspapers | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| The Oregonian | No | |
| Medford Mail-Tribune | No | |
| Statesman Journal | No | |
| Bend Bulletin | No | |
| Portland Tribune | No | |
| Eugene Register-Guard | No | |
| Daily Astorian | No | |
| East Oregonian | No | |
| Corvallis Gazette Times | No | |
| Coos Bay The World | No | |
| Willamette Week | No | |
| Yamhill Valley News Register | No | |
| Gresham Outlook | No |
No Oregon newspapers have endorsed a yes vote on Measure 64.
Supporters
The official name of the initiative petition committee to put Measure 64 on the ballot was "Ban Public Money for Politics".The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
reported in September 2007 that Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
-based millionaire Loren Parks
Loren Parks
Loren Parks is a businessman from the U.S. state of Nevada. He previously lived in Oregon , and is the biggest political contributor in the history of that state. He has financed numerous ballot measure initiative petitions and campaigns since the mid-1990s...
was the leading contributor to put Measure 64 on the ballot. According to the newspaper, Parks gave money directly to the signature gathering firm, rather than to Sizemore directly.
Opponents
Measure 64 is opposed by the Don't Silence Our Voice committee. It is also opposed by the Defend Oregon Coalition, which opposed all of Bill Sizemore's 2008 ballot initiatives.Don't Silence Our Voice describes itself as "a broad coalition of community advocates, charities, and labor organizations committed to protecting the voices of all Oregonians."
The official Oregon voter's pamphlet has arguments in opposition from the United Way, the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
, the Oregon PTA, the Oregon Education Association
Oregon Education Association
The Oregon Education Association is the largest public education employees' union in the U.S. state of Oregon, representing more than 46,000 teachers and classified personnel. It has local affiliates in each of the state's 199 public school districts, and 8 community colleges...
, the League of Women Voters
League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
, and the Oregon State Council of Fire Fighters, among others.
Arguments against Measure 64
- Measure 64 would limit the ability of working people to participate in politics, but would still allow out-of-state corporations and millionaires to spend money freely, giving them even more political influence in Oregon. (Steve Novick, Blue Oregon, October 24)
- From the Oregonian's No on 64 endorsement: "Of course, this would have the effect of giving Oregon firefighters and nurses less voice in Oregon politics than Loren Parks, which is not most Oregonians' view of how things should work. But the measure also runs the risk of badly hurting Oregon charitable organizations, which is why so many of them have raised their voices loudly in the campaign. Oregon public employees contribute to many state charities through payroll deductions, and the charities are concerned, after reading the measure's language and consulting attorneys, that they will be banned from speaking on behalf of their clients."
- The measure would have damaging effects, including restricting public employee unions' ability to collect dues from members.
- The Yamhill News Register says, "Though seemingly sensible on its surface, in practice, both these measures prohibit political free speech by public employees.\
- It was authored by Bill SizemoreBill SizemoreBill Sizemore is a political activist in Redmond, Oregon, United States. Sizemore has never held elected office, but has nonetheless been a major political figure in Oregon since the 1990s. He is considered one of the main proponents of the Oregon tax revolt, a movement that seeks to reduce taxes...
Donors opposing Measure 64
The Oregon Nurses Association donated $500,000 to the campaign against the proposal.Defend Oregon, as a committee, is fighting seven different ballot measures, and supporting two others. As a result, it is not possible to discern how much of its campaign warchest is going specifically to defeat Measure 59. Altogether, the group has raised over $6 million in 2008.
Major donations to the Defend Oregon group as of October 8 include:
- $4.1 million from the Oregon Education AssociationOregon Education AssociationThe Oregon Education Association is the largest public education employees' union in the U.S. state of Oregon, representing more than 46,000 teachers and classified personnel. It has local affiliates in each of the state's 199 public school districts, and 8 community colleges...
., - $100,000 from School Employees Exercising Democracy (SEED)
- $100,000 from the AFL-CIOAFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
. - $50,000 from Oregon AFSCME Council 75.
Petition drive history
On May 13, 2008, the Oregon Secretary of StateOregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
announced that according to an unofficial verification conducted by their office, supporters of the measure had turned in 87,348 valid signature
Signature
A signature is a handwritten depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a signature is a signatory. Similar to a handwritten signature, a signature work describes the work as readily identifying...
s, slightly more than the 82,769 required. This represented a validity rate of 66% of the 132,347 signatures turned in. Democracy Direct was hired to collect signatures for the measure,
A union-funded watchdog group asked the Oregon Secretary of State
Oregon Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the Governor. The duties of office are: auditor of public accounts, chief elections officer, and administrator of public...
to conduct an investigation into how some of the signatures on the measure were collected. Secretary of State Bill Bradbury
Bill Bradbury
Bill Bradbury is an American politician from the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of Illinois, he grew up in Chicago and Pennsylvania before moving to the West Coast where he worked in broadcast journalism before running for public office. Democrat, he served as Oregon Secretary of State from 1999...
said, "…most all of the initiatives Oregon voters will decide this fall got there through practices that are now illegal. But those practices were legal at the time most of the signatures were submitted." A lawsuit has been filed in federal court challenging the constitutionality of the new laws governing the initiative process in Oregon.
Basic information
Note:: This article was taken from Ballotpedia's article about Oregon Ballot Measure 64- Oregon Voters' Pamphlet for Measure 64
- 2008 General Election Measures: Voter Guide
- Statement of organization for the pro-initiative committee
- Full text of the initiative
- Certified ballot title letter from the Oregon Attorney General
- Letters received from Oregon residents during the ballot title designation period