Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 2014)
A COLLEGE FUND FOR STUDENTS R / Oregon Opportunity Initiative, Measure 86 F The goal o f Measure 86 is to cover O regon’s post-sec-; ondary needs gap by creating, a permanent fund to finance student assisted needs. The Senate joint resolution claims that y it will maintain a highly skilled workforce for Oregon, raise per capita income and lower public services cost. . The proposal says that the opportunity initiative creates a constitu tionally-dedicated permanent fund that will be invested to generate income. The income from the investment returns will increase stu dent assistance short term for students at community colleges, public universities and private universities while also putting Oregon on the path to permanent solution. The fund’s investment returns will generate revenue that will be dedi cated to student assistance. To maximize the impact o f the grants, the administrators o f the program would include incentives for: • Critical degree programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields (STEM). • Vocational training and other workforce development programs. • On-time graduation (measured by credits), thereby reducing facility needs for institutions as well as reducing student debt. This particular ballot hits close to home with college students across the state. The result o f a yes vote would require Legislature to establish funds for Oregonians pursuing post-secondary education and career training. Josh Clark said, “I ’m all for a cheaper education, but where is the money coming from?” He wasn’t the only one to wonder. According to the government website Oregon’s bonding authority borrows rtion- ey for certain purposes and then repays the money with the general fund appropriations. And sinte the funds returns will be invested, it creates a long term solution. k Oregon Equal Rights for Women Initiative, W Measure 89 J The ballot tide reads: “Amends Constitution: State/political subdivi sion shall not deny or abridge equality o f rights on account o f sex.” Voting yes on Measure 89 would amend the state constitution that prohibits any political division Ï and state from denying equality o f rights under L the account o f sex. R Students around Clackamas Community Col- lege have been vocal with how they feel about ^R the issue. Kyla Precourt said, “Well it shouldn’t ^R matter what junk you’re packing!” A yes vote would n ot allow current prohibitions on state laws that have the ability to grant or deny privileges/immunities on account o f sex. Article 1, Section 20 in the O regon constitution that says, “N o law shall be passed granting to any citizen or class o f citizens privileges, or immunities, which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all citizens.”, ' When student Tim Berry was asked what he thought o f those who will oppose Measure 89 sim ply because a section in the constitution implies what supporters seek, he said, “I don’t see what harm it could do to be m ore specific. It’s not as if women weren’t once denied things in history.” BEWARE THE FRAN KEN-FOOD Oregon Mandatory Labeling of GMOs Initiative, Measure' 92 A LICENSE FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED? Oregon Alternative Driver Licenses Referendum, Measure 88 O regon will be voting on whether to give undocumented residents alternative drivers licenses, o r ‘driver cards’, which would allow them to drive legally for four years at a time after satisfying state requirements. Ten other states have similar laws. T he measure would not allow the I.D. to be used “for air travel, to enter a federal building, to I register to vote or obtain any L y^RRBI ® k B 2 n g ;^ H R H j f- governm ent bene- fit” according to the drafters of the law. However the Trans- hnh __________ portation Security Administration (TSA) recently released an official statement that it would accept “driver privilege” cards for air travel. PolitiFact O regon verified that to.be true. For students on campus, opinions vary on Measure 88. Clackamas student Kylee Fancher is a yes vote for Measure 88, stating, “This is an equal opportunity country and our state should be.” However some are more skeptical. Cassidy Boen feels that “T he only way I ’d support it is i f they were in the process o f getting a green card.” Courtney Miller was concerned that illegal immigrants that fail the driver’s test “are going to drive anyway.” In a recent poll by N W Market Research 67 percent o f registered voters opposed the measure; TOP© BALLOT MEASURES Measure 92 requires food manufacturers and retailers to label genetically engineered ^^R^v foods. It establishes the consum er’s ^^R^^ right-to-know by mandating that ge- fc netically modified organism (GMO) i ■ E A ^^k j p c a ~ . food products be conspicuously lad led with the words “geneti- l l y engineered.” This measure attempts " to bring O regon law m ^ne with 64 other .. A>-'. nations that require G M O labeling, in- SMOKE ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM Oregon Legalized Marijuana'Initiative, Measure 91 T he measure would legalize the production and use o f marijuana for citizens 21 and over under jurisdiction o f the O regon Liquor Control Commission, with restrictions similar to those in place for alcohol. In addition to prohibiting sale to minors, the law permits citizens to grow no more than four plants and restricts the quantities that may be possessed in various situations. Measure 91 also establishes taxes to be levied upon cannabis prod ucts: $35 for one ounce o f flowers, $10 for one ounce o f leaves and $5 for an immature plant. T he taxes are to be distributed as follows: 40 percent to Com mon School Fund, 20 percent to Mental Health Alcoholism and Drug Services, 15 percent to State Police, 10 percent to various municipal ities’ police departments, 10 percent to various counties and 5 percent to Oregon Health Authority for alcohol and drug abuse prevention services. Arguments in favor focus on safeguarding minors, freeing law enforce ment resources, diverting revenue from the black market towards public services and reducing conviction penalties. Arguments against focus on safeguarding minors, testing inebriated drivers, and legal loopholes. “I will vote for it, but I have strong reservations on how it’ll be regulated and how they’ll administer field sobriety tests,” said student D an Paulosky. cluding Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, Russia, India and E.U. member states. Neither the Food and D rug Administration nor the United Nations mandate labeling o f GM O products. This measure stipulates , that mandatory labeling will help track the health impacts o f GMOs, protect the reputation o f U.S. imports to countries with GMO restrictions and reduce market demand for genetically engineered food products. “Some GMOs can be good and some GMOs can be bad, but I think it’s important to know exactly what I’m buying,” said Becca Phipps.
