Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Yes Please, Good Measures In Oregon


Read the always exciting voters pamphlet information on the state ballot measures and was pleased with most of them for a change. I always know they are good ideas when there is one or two arguments in favor, and then 3 or 4 pages of opposition commentary from every union, organization, and bureaucracy in the state. If some of these get passed our courts will be busy overriding the voters again this year.

There are 8 of them so here is my synopsis and my vote, would love to read your comments.

54 - voter eligibility for school board elections, simply YES PLEASE
55 - legislators finish term in same district after redistricting..YES PLEASE
56 - Tax Elections! Omits requirement of over 50% turnout.. NO! Sneaky guys, trying to make it easier to raise taxes... not so fast. VOTE NO, unless you want 51% of a fractional mid-term May election turn out to result in your property taxes to get a surprise hike.
57 - Sounds good, increase sentences, but read the fine print, also prescribes treatment programs, and riskes a conflict with Measure 61 - Vote NO on 57
58 - English Teaching Non English Students - YES - English Always
59 - Deduct federal taxes on state return - YES PLEASE! Lower my taxes!
60 - Merit pay and Merit retention for teachers - OH, YES, look at all the union opposition to this one. This is how you get around the political palm greasing of the unions, put it on the ballot! VOTE YES, YES, YES, Who wouldn't want to give a good teacher a raise? HELLO?
61 - VOTE NO on 57, YES on 61 - This is the peoples lock-em-up measure. Do it!
62 - Allocation of lottery - The lottery is corrupt, so I don't want public safety counting on a voluntary tax system. I'm voting NO
63 - Exempts building permits for small improvements, Hell Yeah! Build me a shanty in the back yard, let farmer john build a pole barn. Why not, permits smermits, VOTE YES. Seriously, stop the permit racket from killing our freedoms.
64 - Penalty for public resources fundraising for political purpose, YES, I think so.
65 - Election process in nominations, NAH, Voting no, Other states have done this, it leads to fraud voting in some cases, and limits our choices in the general election. This is a good way to end up with a one party system. Vote NO.

1 comment:

M Lewis Skiles said...

I am in Washington, but I agree with what you have there. Lots of issues. We get to decide whether or not to kill our old people like you Oregonians get to. I will vote NO!
Remember...vote early and vote often.