Ballot
Continued from Page 1
But the contract doesn’t guaran
tee admission to an Oregon col
lege. The benefits could be trans
ferred to another family member
if the student doesn’t get admitted
to the desired college, or the con
tract could be canceled.
A governing board would set up
guidelines for the tuition con
tracts, which would also include
time limits. If the student decides
not to go to college the contract
can be canceled within a specific
time limit. If the contract isn’t
used or canceled within the time
period, the buyer would forfeit all
ofhis money.
Measure 55 would amend the
state constitution and require vot
er approval for the state to guaran
tee the contracts. So if the state
falls short on its contract obliga
tions, the Legislature could im
pose a statewide property tax to
make up forthe loss.
Don Mclntire, the Measure 5 au
thor who opposes the ballot mea
sure, said that means taxpayers
could be liable for billions of dol
lars if the fund becomes bankrupt.
But Sen. Tom Hartung (R- Port
land) said if the account bank
rupts, the Legislature would dis
continue it but fulfill the contracts
that were already bought.
Courtney said he doesn’t think
Mclntire’s predication would
come true. He pointed out that the
state has never defaulted in any of
its financial obligations.
“What (Mclntire) has done is
simply try to create fear,” Court
ney said.
Senator Lenn Hannon (R-Ash
land) doesn’t agree with Mcln
tire’s arguments, but he too does
n’t support Measure 55. He feels
Oregon universities will lose
money in the long run because of
increasing inflation rates.
“I’ve seen too many of my Legis
lature friends talk about being a
strong advocate for higher educa
tion and been short on delivery,”
said Hannon, who was on the
committee who developed the
language for the ballot measure.
But Courtney said Oregon uni
versities would come out ahead
because the money will be man
aged by the Oregon Investment
Council and Treasury staff that
will invest the funds with the goal
of getting rates of return that sur
pass the rise in tuition.
He also said he doesn’t think
an overwhelming amount of
people will utilize the prepaid
tuition plan, which would cause
the financial scales to be unbal
anced.
Who would use the plan is
also an issue. Although Hartung
said the Legislature didn’t have
a target audience for the ballot
measure, Mclntire said he feels
people with a disposable in
come will be the only group who
can afford it.
“It’s the couple that can afford a
BMW that will put money into that
program,” he said. “Now we’ve got
another potential illustration of so
cialism for the upper class. ”
Still, proponents claim Mea
sure 55 is simply trying to make
higher education more affordable
and accessible for everyone. Har
tung envisions parents and grand
parents buying prepaid tuition
plans for students as birthday pre
sents to guarantee the child goes
to college.
“This is not a silver bullet that
will make a higher education
available, but I think it’s one thing
we can do to make it possible
for...those that want a higher edu
cation,” he said.
And while Mclntire said he has
nothing against higher education,
he calls Measure 55 a “govern
ment boondoggle. ”
“This thing has a warm fuzzy
feeling because it has to do with
higher education,” he said.
"...But the best of intentions can
go wrong when you have some
thing as irresponsibly drawn as
this.”
Laura Cadiz is the Emerald's man
aging editor She can he reached
via e-mail at Icadiz @gladstone.
uoregon.edu.
The Multicultural Center
PRESENTS
004691
With the support of: JSU, BSU, APASU, VSA, NASU, ISA, LGBTA, MEChA, and Women’s Center.
Tired
campaign
deals and
deceptive election,
practices?
Here's the solution:
Bf
BT
VOTE YES ON 62* Measure 62 will shine the light on the trail of big, out-of-state and special interest money to
election campaigns. It will also reveal who is behind paid signature gathering and expose the sponsors of negative campaigns in Oregon.
(Check out www.openandfairelections.com)
VOTE YES ON 63* Measure 63 will protect the principle of majority rule, a cornerstone of our elections, for
future generations of voters. (Check out www.majorityrules.com).
Ballot Measures 62 & 63 are endorsed by
Governor John Kitzhaber, Oregon Common Cause and OSPIRG.
For Open & Fair Elections, vote YES on 62 & 63.
Paid for and authorized by: Service Employees PAC