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TEN The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, August 3, 1978
Salem Scene
BY Jack Zimmeran
Anyone who figures Oregon
ians won't turn out to vote
during this fall's General
Electon may be in for a
surprise.
Despite statistics indicating
declining voter activity in
recent elections, more than a
few observers look for the
trend to be reversed on Nov. 7.
And their reasons include
such diverse subjects as
abortion, capital punishment,
property taxes, utility bills,
land use planning, license
plates and false teeth.
That's right. Oregon voters
this November will be presen
ted with a ballot box opportu
nity to influence a variety of
issues ranging literally from
the cradle to the grave with
particular emphasis perhaps
on those two proverbial hu
man certainties, death and
taxes.
In addition to the every-other-year
opportunity to elect
a variety of state officials,
delegates to Congress and
State Legislators, voters will
find a total of 10 statewide
measures on their ballots.
Two were placed there by the
Legislature during the 1977
regular session, one was a
legislative act referred by
petition signers and the re
maining seven achieved ballot
status by garnering sufficient
signatures of registered vo
ters on initiative petitions.
With eight of the ten
measures winning spots on the
ballot by virtue of petition
campaigns, one would suspect
those issues face the ballot
test with built-in voter inter
est. And one. Ballot Measure
no. 6 that would limit propety
taxes in a manner similar to
California's Proposition 13,
attracted more than 200,000
petition signers three times
the number required and
perhaps nearly one-fourth of
all ballots that will be cast for
measures in the upcoming
election.
But while the property tax
limitation measure has at
tracted the most public atten
tionand still must survive at
least one legal challenge the
remaining seven that made
the ballot via the petition route
seem likely to generate addi
tional voter appeal as election
time nears.
Ballot Measure 1 and 2 re
ferred by lawmakers deal
with the system used to elect
appellate judges and legisla
tive affirmation of Executive
appointments, respectively.
They are issues that gener
ated lots of interest among
lawmakers during the 1977
session but are not sexy
enough to overly excite your
run-of-the-mill voter.
Measure No. 3 referred by
petition would double motor
vehicle license and registra
tion fees. A considerable
number of voters upset by
rising gasoline prices likely
will hop in their cars and drive
to their polling places to have
a say on this one.
Measure No. 4 is designed to
make it easier to form
People's Utility Districts. It
and Measure No. 9 that
would limit utility rate bases
byeliminating costs of gener
ating facilities until they are
in use will also attract voters
concerned about utility bills.
Measure No 5 would permit
denturists to fit false teeth in
healthy mouths. Probably the
hottest issue for senior citi
zens during the last legislative
session, this one is guaranteed
to boost the turnout of both
dentists and their older pati
ents. Measure No. 7 would rein
state the death penalty for
persons convicted of certain
types of murder. Given the
temper of the times and public
outrage in response to bloody
escapades by two convicted
felons recently, this one is
bound to swell the total vote
count.
Measure No. 8 would prohi
bit the state from paying for
abortions. It alone is enough to
attract a sizeable number of
otherwise complacent voters.
And Measure No. 10 de
signed to return goal-making
authority for land use plan
ning to the Legislature is
expected to generate votes
among those concerned with
the long-controversial Land
Conservation and Develop
ment Commission.
By themselves, each mea
sure would attract a certain
amount of interest. Together,
they could create a turnout
that would indeed reverse the
alarming trend toward voter
apathy.
Sec. of State Norma Paulus,
Oregon's chief elections offi
cial, notes the May 1977
special election that defeated
the so-called Safety Net plan
for school finance only drew
27.7 per cent of the state's
voters. A November special
election the same year dealing
with water development loan
funds and development of
non-nuclear energy sources
only attracted 18.5 per cent.
This year's Primary Elec
tion had a 42 per cent turnout,
lowest in three decades. And
Mrs. I'aulus is quic k to report
local elections in which out
comes were determined by
absentee voters and a school
budget ballot that drew only
two voles. She notes one
recent special district election
at which no voters showed and
the issue was decided by a
bloc of absentees all voting the
same way.
Just what motivates voters
to exercise their right to
influence those who govern
them has long perplexed
social scientists. That perplex
ity will increase if there's a
small turnout at Oregon polls
in November.
But at this stage of the
game, the smart money just
has to be influencing odds
favoring a demonstration sus
taining faith in participatory
government at the ballot box.
Gazette-Times Classifieds
Bring Quick Results
Phone 676-9228
O Lexington news
Delpha Jones 989-8189
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Yocom
have received word from their
son Jack that he is now
stationed at Fort Leonarwood,
Mo., where he is receiving his
basic training with the U.S.
Army. Jack is a 1978 graduate
of Heppner High School.
The triple-wide trailer home
of Mr. and Mrs Charles
Buchanan has arrived in
Lexington and construction
work is being done at their lot
on the Lexington-Buttercreek
Highway near the airport.
Guests of Mr. and Mrs. Pete
Klinger this week have been
their grandsons, Mike and
Mark Klinger of Beaverton.
Vernon Munkers is here
from his home in Salem,
helping with the harvesting
operatons at the Leonard
, Munkers ranch.
Frank B. Robinson is home
from Pioneer Memorial Hos
pital. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Robin
son, Mrs. Frank B. Robinson
and family and Mr. and Mrs.
Marion Way and family spent
three days in The Dalles
attending the Little League
baseball tournament.
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W 111 TOP SIRLOIN FRESH FORK
4111 STEAK FRYERS SPARERIBS
Vrp USDA CHOICE BEEF WHOLE, WASH. GROWN COUNTRY STYLE
J&W BEEF T-B0NE STEAK iVSiSLc Bee, 2.98 LUNCH MEATS 82NSL. Pkg ea 1 .09
mM fcfiF SHORT RIBS ISobq .1.19 ARMOUR'S HALF HAMSSi....,,1. 89
"Wimlllim' ?5 BEEF CHUCK ROAST Boneless. USDA Choice lb $1.69 CURE 81 HALF HAMSaTbTverage .0 '2.49
J jjjp BONELESS PORK BUTT ROAST M.39 SLICED BACON western Family. Mb. Pk9 ...M.59
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PRICES EFFECTIVE
7 FULL DAYS
AUGUST 2 THRU
AUGUST 8, 1978
WE RESERVE THE RIGHTTO LIMIT QUANTITIES
we welcome
FOOD STAMP
SHOPPERS
BALL PARK
FRANKS
REG. OR BEEF, 1-LB. PKG.
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BEEF
TENDERLOIN
STEAK
USDA CHOICE BEEF
LB.
LOBSTER
TAILS
6-8 OZ. AVERAGE
LJ O lb
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oixirri rcHiMui dui i tnsuP
41 m
jper Chunk. 18 oz I l7
BIG H HAMBURGER SAUCE He,tman. , 2o, 69
FUDGE BROWNIE MIXo-HcnM,,....-...,. $1.29
PANCAKE SYRUP Golden Griddle, 36 oz Size $1.79
RALSTON BRAN CHEX CEREAL .. 79
FOLGER'S INSTANT COFFEE 10oz 4.39
SHAKE &BAKEc hicken or Pork. Twin Pack, 4.75-oz. Size. . . . 79
FRISKIES CANNED CAT FOODS:.dron 4,0,1
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IVORY LIQUID For Dishes. 22-oz. Size . . . 85
CHEER DETERGENTpo o, Mi9
COAST BATH SOAPisr " 1.29
ZEST BATH SOAPitxr $1.19
WESTERN FAMILY, DOZ.
WESTERN FAMILY COTTAGE CHEESES !:as1 83
TILLAMOOK CHEDDAR CHEESESS M.15
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IB! I I k.
TOOTHPASTE
REGULAR OR
MINT, 5-OZ.SIZE
SECRET
ROLL-ON
0FFEE FSLT
REGULAR OR
UNSCENTED
1.5-OZ.SIZE
100-Count
79
Hermiston
305 S.W. 11th Ave.
MEAD'S THRIFTWAY
Umatilla
711 II. Street
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