OSCRC Supports and Opposes Likely Ballot Measure

On Friday I attended a meeting of the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens. There they discussed many issues having to do with seniors and persons with disabilities. They also voted to support and oppose some of the 16 likely ballot initiatives for the November election.

These are the current numbers for the bills that the OSCRC took action on and I will update them when they change following official qualification to the ballot.

IRR# 3 Creates an unlimited deduction for federal income taxes on individual taxpayers' Oregon income-tax returns.

Board opinon OPPOSE

This bill would unevenly benefit the wealthiest of Oregon Taxpayer to the tune of $15, 048 vs $1 for middle income tax payers. This would drain $1.2 billion from the 2009-2011 budget and $2.2 billion from the 2011-2013 budgets. This would to major cuts in all services in the state. Steve Novik wrote an op-ed article for the Oregonian on Thursday expressing his opposition as well.

IRR# 25 Penalizes person, entity for using funds collected with public resources for political purposes.

Board opinon OPPOSE

This bill is apart of Bill Sizemore's personal crusade against public service employees unions. This would prevent public employee unions from using dues for political purposes. They have used these dues to fight protect the public from the other noxious Sizemore initiatives in the past and he is looking for pay back.

IRR# 40 Creates mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain theft, identity theft, forgery, drug, and burglary offenses.

Board opinion OPPOSE

Mandatory minimums will cost massive ammounts of new dollars spent on prisons and do little to improve public safety. It would once again steel money from other services because it is an unfunded mandate. What generally happens in these cases since there is no extra money to spend on prisons, violent offenders are released early so that the mandatory minimum offeses can serve their terms.

IRR# 51 Limits amount of contingent fees that lawyers may charge clients for representation in civil cases
IRR# 53 Court must sanction, under special circumstances, attorneys who file frivolous pleadings or motions in lawsuits

Board opinion OPPOSE

What both of these bills are designed to do is limit the recourse that consumers and the public have legally against corporations. By limiting fees and threatening sanctions it scares or prevents some lawyers who can take cases for the public and consumers who have been injured or wronged by corporations.

IRR# 78 Amends Constitution: Requires 3/4th approval by legislature before it can declare emergency advancing law's effective date

Board opinion OPPOSE

Legislation generally has a 90 day waiting period before taking effect but an emergency clause in the legislation ignores the waiting period and puts the law into immediate affect. By requiring a super majority the bill would seriously slow down the process for things that needs immediate or emergency action.

IRR# 131 Modifies certain criminal sentencing laws; repeals medical marijuana act, replaces with subsidized cannabinoids prescription program.

Board Opinion OPPOSE

This initiative would end the voter approved Medical Marijuana laws and replace it for a government subsidized drug prescription program to the benefit of drug manufacturers. Seniors and persons with disabilities use Marijuana, like any other medication, for a variety of purposes.

IRR# 407 Amends constitution: Provides that May and November property tax elections are decided by a majority of voters.

Board opinion SUPPORT

Super majority passage of bond initiatives have caused most of them to fail leading to a tyranny of the minority. Local bonds are one of the best ways to finance public sector services such as public safety, education, and infrastructure projects. This bill would make it a vote of 50% +1 to get approval and help local municipalities to get the projects they need done.

IRR# 408 Increases sentences for drug trafficking, theft against elderly and specific repeat property and identity theft crimes; Requires addiction treatment for certain offenders.

Board opinion SUPPORT

"Unlike Mannix's one size fits all mandatory minimums, Ref. 408 targets increased prison time to large scale drug dealers and repeat property offenders. Includes drug treatment in sentencing of persons in custody and who are at risk of reoffending." OurOregon

This is only some of the Initiative likely for approval. The OSCRC only took action on the ones that would affect seniors and persons with disabilities.