The INDEPENDENT, June 18,1997
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INDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published twice
monthly, on the first and third Wednesdays of each
month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 725 Bridge
Street, Vernonia, OR 97064, as a free newspaper.
Editors and Publishers, Dirk & Noni Andersen (503)
429-9410.
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Vote by Mail update
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— A Guest Editorial —
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a n d C E O ^ e e r 'r 0
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William H. Williams, President
" d CEO of Bear Creek Corpora!,on, Medford; a n d John Byrne Presi-
dent Emeritus o f Oregon State University.
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Let's review two key numbers:
1. Estimated number of Oregonians who support
Vote-by-hlail for all elections: Nearly 2 million (70 per
cent of voters).
2. Estimated taxpayer savings, per year, of Vote-
by-Mail: Up to $2 million.
The Vote-by-Mail Citizens’ Commission, twelve Ore
gonians from all areas and affiliations in the state,
spent six months gathering information and listening
to testimony about Vote-by-Mail. The commission
overwhelmingly supported its adoption for all elec
tions.
For 15 years, Oregonians have voted by mail. It’s in
creased turnout. It’s met the highest standards of in
tegrity. It’s saved millions of our tax dollars.
Last year, as the nation watched, Oregon held the
country’s first Vote-by-Mail election for a federal office,
electing a new U.S. Senator. Not a shred of evidence
suggested any problems — and turnout shattered all
previous records for a special election.
There will always be Oregonians who dislike Vote-
by-Mail, and we respect their sentiments. But even
many of them recognize the folly of maximizing voter
confusion and wasting millions of dollars.
Many Oregonians tell us they used to oppose Vote-
by-Mail, but now like it. As one recently explained, “I
can sit at my kitchen table, on my time, and go through
all those ballot measures and candidates so that I’m
as knowledgeable as possible. No more surprises at
the polling place.”
Other Oregonians tell us they’ll never like Vote-by-
Mail, but they recognize that most Oregonians do.
“Let’s just do it, and get on with things,” said a La
Grande man.
The only place in Oregon where we see people who
used to support Vote-by-Mail...even champion it...but
who now are diehard opponents is in the Oregon Leg
islature.
The Legislature now has a chance to decide on a
Vote-by-Mail bill, HB 3086. What does the bill do? It
simply lets Oregonians decide the issue for them
selves in May 1998 - at the next polling place election.
Senator Randy Miller used to be Vote by Mail cham
pion. He now opposes it and, as chair of the Senate
Rules and Elections Committee, he holds the fate of
HB 3086 in his hands.
The Oregon Senate has 30 members. Nearly two-
thirds have indicated they will support this bill...if they
get the chance.
Senate Pres. Brady Adams could use his authority
to allow a vote on HB 3086, but will he?
Call and find out. Sen. Miller can be reached at 503-
986-1713. Sen Adams’ number is 503-986-1600.
Remember: The money it costs to run elections is
our money. Tell them they’re entitled to their opinions,
but the choice shouldn’t be theirs...it should be ours.
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• •
The Josa Report
By Rep. Tim Josi
Oregon Representative, D is i 2
After the 1995 legislative session, I was ap
pointed to an interim Transportation Commit
tee charged with the task of analyzing ODOTs
efficiency. We were also asked to determine
the need, if any, for an increase in taxes used
to fund Oregon's highway system. When this
legislative session started in January I was
also appointed to the Transportation Commit
tee.
Rep. Bob Montgomery, one of the most
conservative Republicans in the legislature,
chaired both committees. I remember him
stating at the beginning of the interim commit
tee that he was against any increase in gas
taxes unless it was demonstrated to him that
ODOT was operating efficiently. And he was
not sold on the need for raising gas taxes
even if ODOT had turned itself around. What
Rep. Montgomery and the rest of the commit
tee found was an agency in the process of be
coming leaner and more efficient. We also
found that Oregon’s highway system was in
the process of falling apart because our gas
tax had not been raised since 1991. Com
pared with our neighboring states we don’t
measure up when it comes to investing in our
highway system. Here is how we rank in total
equivalent cents per gallon; Oregon - 27.2
cents, Washington - 91.7 cents, California -
88.6 cents, Idaho - 51 cents, Nevada - 77.3
cents, Arizona - 67.1 cents and Montana - 56
cents.
As a result of our findings, the Transporta
tion and Revenue Committee developed HB
3163 which is a funding proposal designed to
reverse the deterioration of Oregon’s roads,
bridges and transit systems. It includes a 3-
cent increase in the gasoline tax in each of the
next three years, with an equivalent increase
in the weight-mile tax paid by trucks. The plan
would increase the current $15-a-year vehicle
registration fee to $35. And it would impose a
new monthly “access fee” of $1.20 per month
on subscribers of telephone service.
The access fee is a controversial aspect of
the proposal. Because of a constitutional
amendment approved by voters in 1980, in
come from gas taxes and vehicle registration
•,íí
fees is dedicated to roads. Revenue from the
access fee could be used for other transporta
tion-related purposes. HB 3163 would dedi
cate these funds to pay for 100 additional
state troopers, high-speed rail planning in the
Willamette Valley, and transit programs for the
elderly and disabled.
The trucking industry would like to scrap
the weight-mile tax system and replace it with
a flat per-gallon tax on diesel fuel. They argue
that Oregon’s truck taxes are already among
the highest in the nation and that the weight-
mile system is inefficient and vulnerable to
evasion. They are correct. However, the
Transportation Committee voted 4-3 against
their proposal. The advantage of the weight-
mile system is that the tax each truck pays
corresponds closely to the damage it does to
Oregon roads. Any system for taxing trucks
should preserve that principle.
Nationally recognized estimates of damage
to our roads is allocated on the following split:
60-percent for cars and 40-percent for trucks.
Currently, Oregon’s truckers are the closest in
the nation in paying for their share of the dam
age to our highways; through the weight-mile
tax system they are paying for 38-percent of
the damage caused to our roads. I voted
against their proposal because it would have
shifted the cost of maintaining our roads onto
the backs of the motoring public.
Now the trucking industry is lobbying hard
to kill the entire bill. I am receiving postcards
from trucking businesses throughout my leg
islative district. The postcards state in bold let
ters that They are opposed to any increases in
Oregon’s Truck Tax, Oregon’s trucking indus
try will not stand fpr being the highest taxed in
the country any longer.” Legislators are faced
with a dilemma: Is it right to align Oregon with
the other states in having the motoring public
pay a disproportionate share of the damage
caused to our highways?
Rop. Tim Josi may be reached at
H-491 State Capitol
Salem, OR 97310
Phone: (503)986-1402
FAX: (503)986-1575
E-Mail: Repjosi@oregoncoast.com