In an article in today’s Salem Statesman-Journal, reporter Steve Law outlines some of the measures we might see on the 2008 ballot:

Conservatives lead initiative process:
Activists plan several measures for 2008 ballot

STEVE LAW
Statesman Journal
September 11, 2007

Conservative activists are dominating Oregon’s initiative process, thanks to backing from two multimillionaires.

Las Vegas businessman Loren Parks has given nearly $1.1 million to bankroll signature-gathering for 10 initiatives aimed at Oregon’s November 2008 ballot, according to finance reports filed Monday. And Dick Wendt, who made his fortune with Klamath Falls-based Jeld-Wen Inc., supplied $275,000 for two other campaigns.

Together, the two men supplied 84 percent of the money raised for 16 campaigns that have exceeded $2,500 in spending so far.

Backers of 11 of the campaigns already have spent at least $100,000 apiece.

Of the 16 initiative campaigns required to report finances Monday:

• Bill Sizemore, the Oregon Taxpayers Union leader, accounted for nine of them. He’s aiming to cut state income taxes; restrict bilingual education; crimp public employee unions’ political spending; bar seniority-based pay and hiring for teachers, and reduce the need for building permits.
• Kevin Mannix, the Salem attorney and former lawmaker, submitted three of the measures, and is teaming with Keizer activist Russ Walker on two others. Mannix wants stiffer sentences for drug dealers and other criminals, and to dedicate 15 percent of state lottery profits for crime-prevention-related spending. Mannix and Walker want to restrict lawsuits against businesses.
• All 16 measures are proposed by conservative activists or are backed by corporate money. None were proposed by people on the more liberal side of the political spectrum.
• Only two of the 16 measures rely on small donors. Those are the anti-strip club measure pushed by Mannix and a senior property tax reduction sponsored by Sizemore.

Campaigns don’t have to submit signatures until next July, but conservatives started months earlier than usual this cycle. That saves money on signature-gathering, enabling Sizemore and Mannix to complete signature-gathering on some measures for little more than $100,000.

They also hoped to qualify measures before House Bill 2082, passed this year, goes into effect. The new law, which takes effect in January, makes it tougher to collect signatures.

Sizemore and Mannix said the early submittal of signatures leaves them time to qualify more issues for the ballot. The men share the same signature-gathering firms, and rely heavily on money from Parks.

Sizemore said he could wind up with six to eight measures on the 2008 ballot. Mannix said he’s working on four more besides the two he’s already turned in signatures for.

“There’s going to be a lot of decision-making by our citizens next year,” Mannix said.

He reasoned that liberals aren’t doing any initiatives this time because they control the House, Senate and governor’s office.

Kevin Looper, executive director of the liberal Our Oregon, said progressives might put some land use measures on the ballot, but are awaiting the results of the Measure 49 property rights issue on the November 2007 ballot.

slaw@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6615

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