COMMUNITY
Measure 5 passage will change school funding
By Brian Bloch
Emerald Reporter
Lane County Commissioners
voted unanimously Wednesdav
to oppose state Hal lot Measure
5, which asks voters to limit
property taxes over the next
five years.
The measure rails for an
amendment to the state consti
tution limiting the govern
ment’s ability to impose taxes
and charges based on a proper
tv's real market value.
In addition. Measure f> would
limit the amount of state tax
revenue directed to schools on
all levels and would require the
state legislature to fund lost
property tax revenue to the
school system.
Proponents of the measure
want to limit property taxes on
private homes, cut corporate
tax exemptions and transfer the
school funding burden away
Commissioners vote unanimously to oppose
from property tax revenue and
onto the state legislature
Don M< Inlire chief petition
er for the Protect Oregon Prop
erty Society, said the measure
is a prudent, necessary step to
removing the state school sys
tem's total reliance on property
ta\ revenues to cover operating
costs.
He said that by redut ing
school's reliance on property
tax revenue from $ 1 "> per
St .000 of assessed property val
ue to $5 over the next five
years, the state school system
will benefit from more stable,
predictable funding from the
states' general fund
In addition. Mi Intire said
long standing funding and levy
problems stemming from in
consistent property values in
different districts will be elimi
nated because all schools will
!»' funded from an established
general timd
••There in sjiecific informa
tion in ihr measure that pro
twits and even enham es si hool
funding." Mi Intire saiil
He also said that any loses in
revenue due to lav redui lions
during the measure's proposed
i m p I e m entail o n peri o d
(through fiscal vear luovuti)
would he made up and even
surpassed as the state s revenue
increases eai h vear
That, he said, will remove
the ever-im reasmg tax burden
off homeowners, fund si hoals
more sei urely and utilize se
cured funding for other stale
programs with little or no re
ductions
"We have all these people
whose power emanates from
government saving their pro
grams will suffer." Mclnlire
said "That's itist not true The
numliers don't support them
The i ommissioners and rep
resenlalives frnnt three countv
idiot's disagreed. however,
i ontending the measure would
create drastu cuts in si hoots,
law enforcement, mental health
and other health and human
servites if lame dounts voters
pass the measure Nov t>
"That's the attraction of Hal
lot Measure 5. to pa\ less prop
ert\ taxes." said l.ene dounts
I) i s | r u t A11 o r n e > Doug
llarcleroad "I’d love to pay
less property taxes, hut the
measure doesn't provide anv
alternative funding sources to
pax for other needed services
Jim dangle. Director of the
lame ('mints Department of As
sessment and Taxation, said
the measure would require real
tor alum ol state hinds to si liool
districts to cover tin i<t< K of
property lax revenue and dius
detract from other stall1 pro
grams and services
"It takes money away and
doesn't provide a clear means
to replai e it." dangle said
County Commissioner lack
Roberts, himself .1 former tax
lawyer, ei hoed the sentiments
ol the entire < onunission.
I just don't see am way in
good conscience that the peo
ple ot dine CounU or the stale
of Oregon can support this he
said
"These people are much too
concerned with ..ffect of
taxes on government." Mein
tire said "It s atmiil time we
consider the effei t of taxes on
1 ilizens "
"The growth of the govern
ment has far ext ended the
growth of the 1 iti/ens it's sup
posed to serve That's just not
right. ' he said
Portland to get new police chief
PORTLAND (API Portland Mayor
Hud (!lark on Wednesday named police
Cap!. Tom Potter to replace retiring
chief Richard I) Walker.
In a televised news conference. Walk
er said he and Potter will work together
during the next month to ensure a
smooth transition of leadership.
"1 see my job as a transition chief,"
Potter said "I'm here to help prepare
the organization and the people tor
change.”
Walker. li:t, plans to retire Nov Itt
I le made the annoum ement Tuesdav
Potter. 50. joined the Portland Police
Bureau in the summer of 1 •»(>«> lie now
commands the Community Polu my Di
vision. which has developed a 5-vear
plan for the bureau's future
Clark said he hoped Potter would i on
vert the entire bureau to communitv
policing a strategy lh.it presumes that
the citizen often has the best solution to
neighborhood crime
Judge suspended for polygamy
l*OKTI.A\i) (AI'J A judge who a.l
milled lieing married to two women
at the same time was suspended
Wednesday In the Oregon Supreme
(lourl
Multnomah (aiuntv District fudge
Robert kirk man will lie suspended
w ith pav effei five Monday pending .1
final decision In the court
The Supreme (amrt at lion came at
tor llic Ori'Ktxi Itulii i.il Fitness (!om
mission unanimousls rei nmmcnded
hi* Im* removed from office for "pre
mi'ilit.iti'd .mil < .lit iil.iliiiK i niiiiii.il
mist undue!."
Till' Stipn*mi* < !nurl siiiil .1 hearing
to (In.tdr llic matter probably will he
i onihii led in (anuarv Possible sam
lions range Iroin reprim.mil In remov
<il from office
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