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!