Page 4
October 26, 2016
Teressa Raiford,
founder of Don’t
Shoot Portland,
speaking last
September about
the fear and
reality of being a
person of color in
Multnomah County.
Photo is from the
Multnomah County
website.
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Write-in Campaign for Sheriff
C ontinued from p age 2
of department money among other
things.
Reese’s tenure as chief was per-
vaded by a Department of Justice
investigation into his bureau’s exces-
sive force against the mentally ill.
Though late in the game, Rai-
Voting Begins
C ontinued from f ront
Of the more than 10 measures
facing voters, much of the media
attention has been given to Mea-
sure 97 – a testy corporate tax that
would be placed on about 1,000
of Oregon’s biggest businesses or
“C Corporations.” If it passes, the
state’s rocky track record with rev-
enue could be set back on track, as
the 2.5 percent tax on sales over
$25 million has potential to rack
in $3 billion for the state, easily
surpassing a projected $1 billion
shortfall in the state’s 2017-2019
budget.
A less contentious proposal
comes as Measure 26-180, which
is a three percent sales tax on rec-
reational marijuana for the city
of Portland, expected to bring in
an additional $3 million annual-
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ford’s write-in campaign an-
nouncement has already sparked
support from other activists. With
just two weeks left until Election
Day, Raiford is ambitious in be-
coming the voice of Portland’s
minority, displaced and mistreated
communities.
“We need a sheriff who doesn’t
lie and protect killer cops. We need
a sheriff who can provide this
county with real leadership and
change,” says Raiford. “We need
somebody who can change the tox-
ic culture in our law enforcement
system, somebody who under-
stands that brown and black lives
matter in Multnomah County.”
ly. Proposed by Commissioner
Fritz, the measure requires that
all of the revenue generated from
the tax be put towards drug and
alcohol treatment education and
programs, focusing support for
local women and minority owned
businesses, and training for para-
medics and cops, while dropping a
current recreational marijuana tax
by five percent.
What seems to address a more
poignant issue for Portlanders
specifically is Measure 26-179,
which could help the city’s current
housing crisis. If passed, the mea-
sure would allocate $258 million
in obligated bonds to go towards
affordable housing for low income
households.
These bonds would be reviewed
by an independent oversight
committee and used to purchase
and renovate existing homes to
maintain affordability, build new
affordable homes and prevent
displacement by helping fami-
lies stay in their homes. A mix of
housing units would be built and
featured, helping senior citizens as
well as those with disabilities.
“The families who have been
on our affordable housing waiting
list will be the first to tell you there
are not enough homes in Portland
that are affordable to low-income
families, working parents, and se-
niors,” says Travis Phillips, the di-
rector of housing and development
at Portland Community Reinvest-
ment Initiatives, Inc. (PCRI). “We
support the affordable housing
bond measure because it helps ad-
dress this critical shortage.”
PCRI has a long record of help-
ing Portland’s vulnerable popula-
tions, and according to Phillips,
the housing measure would direct-
ly serve the community.
“The bond is an investment in
people and their ability to break
the cycle of poverty,” says Phil-
lips. “We see it every day in the
residents who live in PCRI homes,
but we know our city needs more
homes to give people this oppor-
tunity.”
A controversial measure fac-
ing voters in Multnomah County
is Measure 26-183. If passed, it
would amend the county charter
that allows for the sheriff position
to be elected, giving the County
Commission the power to hire a
police chief much the way it works
in Portland city government and
for many department head posi-
tions at the city and county level.
County Measure 26-184 would
place a $500 political contribution
cap from any individual or polit-
ical action committee. The mea-
sure would also limit independent
campaign expenditures to $5,000
per individual or $10,000 per po-
litical committee, as to shift focus
from rich donors looking to sway
public policy and place it on small
donors.
Two state measures facing
voters will impact students and
education. Measure 95 addresses
investments, with the passing of
it allowing for public universities
and schools to invest in equities.
Money raised through the invest-
ments would go towards increas-
ing funds used to help students
and reducing financial institution
risks.
Measure 98, if passed, would
require Oregon Legislature to put
money into dropout-prevention
plans as well as college, vocation-
al and career readiness programs,
which have high chances of rais-
ing high school graduation rates.
Oregon currently has the third
worst high school graduation rates
in the country according to recent
reports from the U.S. Department
of Education.