Street roots., October 21, 2016, Page 5, Image 5

Street Roots • Oct. 21-27, 2016
Election 2016
ENDORSEM ENTS, from page 4
few and far between, we would probably argue otherwise, but this is
an urban county with multiple law enforcement agencies working our
streets.
It’s time we stop letting special interests within the sheriff s
department choose their boss, and disconnect political ambition from
the job of law enforcement Accountability comes with the oversight of
the county chair who is responsible to citizens, rather than sheriffs
union interests.
MEJtSUBE 26-184
Limits contributions, expenditures; requires disclosure
in Multnomah County candidate elections
Page 5
• Seniors suffer with medical conditions worsened by stress,
lack of sleep, inconsistent diets, prolonged standing and limited
access to medication.
• While Portlanders with disabilities wait, many have nowhere to
turn for help except emergency rooms.
• Those of us on the front lines of poverty know the only
solution to homelessness is more affordable homes for Portlanders
with very low incomes.
• Homelessness on our streets will only increase without
prioritizing affordable housing in our city.
Voting yes on Measure 26-179 will create urgently needed
permanent and affordable homes for 3,000 Portlanders, and tens of
thousands of Portlanders over the lives of these new apartment
buildings. This is the right and necessary step for Portland to take
now to ensure our city is safe and accessible for all.
YES
his county charter amendment was written with the intent of
challenging an Oregon Supreme Court ruling that bans caps on
campaign contributions and the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruhng on
Citizens United, which opened the floodgates to allow for
unprecedented amounts of dark money to flow into our elections
nationwide.
We endorse this measure, not only because we support those
challenges, but also because it would amplify the voices of small
donors in future Multnomah County elections by allowing an exception
to contribution caps for political committees that accept no more than
$100 per donor. It would also require political committees to report
their sources of funding.
While there were notable concerns brought forth by Multnomah
County Commissioner Loretta Smith around the ability of women and
people of color to get elected without large contributions, we feel the
potential of this measure to get dark money out of politics and help
the U.S. reclaim its democracy warrants a “yes” vote.
MEBSOBE 26-180
T
MEBSUBE 26-18$
Amends charter review committee appointment process,
sets appointment, convening timelines
YES
his is a basic housecleaning measure; we see no reason to vote no.
City of Portland measures
MEASURE 26-179
Bonds to fund affordable housing
YES
treet Roots is a proud founding member of the Welcome
Home Coalition, made up of more than 140 organizations,
which has worked for the past two years to help support
bringing this ballot measure to voters.
Measure 26-179 is a Portland bond measure that will pay
for 1,300 deeply affordable housing units in Portland that
will house an estimated 3,000 people. Funding provided by
the measure will also be used to acquire existing market-.
rate housing to keep Portlanders from being displaced.
The affordable housing units built will go to support
vulnerable people on the streets, including hundreds of
two-bedroom units to support struggling families. The
average cost to Portland homeowners is an estimated
$6.25 a month. That’s two cups of coffee every month to
help provide adequate housing for thousands of Portlanders.
Street Roots sees firsthand the harsh reality of
homelessness. We know the only solution to ending
homelessness is by increasing the stock of deeply affordable
housing units in our community. The housing crisis in our
community is real, and this measure is one tool Portland can use
to help give individuals and families a safe place to call home.
Here are a few examples of why this measure is critical for our
community:
• While families wait for shelter and permanent homes, their kids
don’t get the sleep they need and can’t get to school on time or
regularly.
• Parents struggle to keep the employment necessary to get back
into housing - difficult while also trying to keep their families safe.
S
Establish tax on recreational marijuana sales;
dedicate purposes for funds
YES
he Oregon Legislature voted to reduce the tax on recreational
marijuana from 25 to 17 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2017. With
the addition of this 3 percent tax on the sales of recreational - not
medical - marijuana, the total sales tax amount in Portland would
be 20 percent. That’s less than it is today, and a lower tax rate than
Washington and Colorado have placed on recreational marijuana.
It’s projected to net $3 million annually that will go to programs for
those affected most by the war on drugs.
This superhero tax is slated for a slew of admittedly noble
causes, including investments in firefighters, paramedics and police
to reduce the impact of drug abuse; alcohol and drug treatment
accessibility; employment readiness and support for neighborhood
and small businesses; providing economic opportunities to
communities disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition;
and even street infrastructure projects. We urge City Council not to
T
spread it too thin.
S tre e t R oots know s, th ro u g h o u r re p o rtin g , advocacy and
experience with people on the street struggling with addiction,
that drug and alcohol treatment services in Portland are seriously
lacking. We’d like to see a substantial amount of this tax go to
making sure that treatment is available to the
people who need it most, within
~
the often-narrow window
that they are ready to
quit