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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 19, 2018)
Page 14 2018 ELECTIONS Street Roots • Oct. 19-25, 2018 League of Women Voters weighs in on ballot measures involved in any aspect of producing, transporting or selling foods and beverages. The League believes there should be a high bar for amending Oregon’s Constitution, because new provisions are difficult to change once passed. In addition, the League believes that any tax proposal should be equitable and evaluated with regard to its effect on the entire tax structure. This broad constitutional amendment would give tax exemptions to many businesses, but not others, so it is not equitable, and it would make enacting needed reforms to Oregon’s tax system more difficult in the future. BY DEBBIE AIO N A A ND MARGARET NOEL C O N T R IB U T IN G C O L U M N IS T S here are a lot of important issues on the ballot for the November 6 election - affordable housing, taxes, clean energy, jobs, abortion, the influence of money in politics and how we treat immigrants. Your vote can make a difference. The League of Women Voters helps voters with two kinds of election information. • First, we produce, Debbie Aiona is the neutral, unbiased Action Chair and information in our Margaret Noel the printed and online Communications Chair for League o f voters’ guides. We also Women Voters o f produce nonpartisan Portland. This videos of election column includes forums and candidate recommendations interviews. You can from the League o f learn where to find Women Voters o f this information with Oregon. our ad in this issue of Street Roots or on our websites: lwvpdx.org and vote411.org. • Second, although we never support of oppose any candidate; we make recommendations on ballot measures, when we believe the election’s outcome would harm or help Oregonians. The League bases its ballot measure S recommendations on studies of the measures and of the general issues. League members study issues carefully from all viewpoints. Then they discuss the study’s results and diust come to an agreement on an official position. We have used LWV advocacy positions adopted at the local, state and national levels to decide on how we think people should vote on the ballot measures in this fall’s election. (You can read the full text of all the League’s local, state and national positions under “Advocate” from the top menu on the lwvpdx.org website.) LWV Recommendations on Metro and City of Portland Measures M easure 26-199: This bond measure would fund affordable housing in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. The money from the $652.8 million bond measure would be used to build housing for low-income households, preserve affordability of existing low-income housing, and buy land for developing future affordable housing. More than half the units would be affordable to very low-income households. A bond oversight committee and independent audits would provide accountability. The Portland, Clackamas County, and Washington County Leagues recommend a Yes vote. The League of Women Voters believes that persons in need have the right to an income and/or services sufficient to meet their basic needs for food, shelter and access to health care and that the government bears primary responsibility for financing programs designed to address those needs. limit campaign contributions and expenditures, and would require financial disclosures in campaign communications to voters. It allows candidates to accept funds from Portland’s publicly funded campaign finance system. LWV Portland Board recommends a Yes vote. The LWV “Money in Politics” position calls for public financing of campaigns, in race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or disability. Statewide Ballot Measures M easure 102: This referral from the legislature would allow using local bonds in partnership with nongovernmental entities for financing affordable which candidates must housing. Currently, abide by reasonable local governments can spending limits. The pass bonds for League also supports The league believes that el* affordable housing with the public’s right to f lelent government depends voter approval, but the know who is using Oregon Constitution money to influence on adequate financing« prohibits local elections. lim itin g the government's governments from a b ility to raise money Is a combining bond funds problem If it interferes w ith with other resources M easure 26-201: providing services? disrupts from nongovernmental This measure would entities, such as non government functioning? impose a surcharge on large retailers, with in hib its progress? or results profit housing developers. This limits proceeds dedicated to a in loss of local c o n tro l access to resources Clean Energy like federal low-income Community Benefits tax credits, which may Fund and spent on only be used by renewable energy developers. This projects, weatherization, measure would remove the current job training and employment for prohibition by making an exception for disadvantaged workers. A committee made affordable housing development. up of community members would make The LWV of Oregon Board recommends a recommendations to the Portland Mayor on distribution of funds, based on requirements Yes vote. The League believes that government at all levels must make available outlined in the measure. Accountability sufficient funds for housing assistance would be provided by means similar to programs. those for the Portland Children’s Levy, with an oversight board appointed by the Mayor and annual financial audits. M easure 103: This measure would LWV Portland Board recommends a Yes amend the state Constitution and prohibit vote. The LWV Climate Change position taxes and fees on “groceries” as defined by supports aggressive efforts to restore the measure and enacted or amended after balance to the planet’s climate systems by September 2017. reducing the carbon dioxide in our The LWV of Oregon Board recommends a atmosphere to 350 parts per million, the No vote. This is a very broad and confusing upper safe limit LWV supports gradually measure. It would apply to all types of food changing from fossil fuels to alternative and beverage products intended for human forms of energy and making sure the consumption, but not to other basic grocery transition is fair to all Americans. We items. Passing this measure would result in believe that all levels of government bear the loss of tax revenue from businesses the responsibility to provide equality of M easure 104: This measure would amend the state Constitution and require that a three-fifths legislative majority approve bills raising revenue. The LWV of Oregon Board recommends a No vote. The League believes that efficient government depends on adequate financing. Limiting the government’s ability to raise money is a problem if it interferes with providing services, disrupts government functioning, inhibits progress or results in loss of local control. This constitutional amendment would apply not only to bills raising revenue through new or increased taxes, but also to fees such as fees for hunting licenses and to the elimination or reduction of tax breaks. M easure 105: This measure would repeal the law limiting the use of state and local law enforcement resources to enforce federal immigration laws. This law was enacted nearly unanimously in 1987 to help prevent racial profiling. The LWV of Oregon Board recommends a No vote. The League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal and right to humane treatment. All persons should receive fair treatment under the law. In addition, law enforcement officials who oppose this measure express concern that undocumented individuals who are crime victims or witnesses may be unwilling to come forward because they would fear being turned over to federal immigration authorities. This would undermine law enforcement and crime prevention in our communities. M easure 106: This measure would prohibit spending public funds directly or indirectly for abortion. If passed, this measure would reduce access to abortion services, including services to women on the Oregon Health Plan and State of Oregon employees. The LWV of Oregon Board recommends a No vote. The League believes every U.S. resident should have access to affordable, quality health care, including birth control and the privacy to make reproductive choices. Decisions about abortion services should be left to the woman and her health care provider. Our democracy and our future depend on active voters. Please vote!
