Monday, October 24, 2016

2016 General Election

ENDORSEMENTS

ME WWEEK MERCURY TRIBUNE THE ORE SKANNER B.R.O. PP LWV
US PREZ CLINTON CLINTON CLINTON CLINTON CLINTON
US SEN WYDEN WYDEN WYDEN WYDEN WYDEN
US REP BLUME- BLUME- BLUME- BLUME- BLUME-
OR GOV BROWN BROWN BROWN PIERCE BROWN BROWN BROWN BROWN
OR SOS AVAKIAN RICHARD- AVAKIAN RICHARD- RICHARD- AVAKIAN AVAKIAN AVAKIAN
OR TREAS READ READ READ TELFER READ READ READ
OR AG ROSEN- ROSEN- ROSEN- ROSEN- ROSEN- ROSEN-
OR SEN21 TAYLOR TAYLOR TAYLOR TAYLOR TAYLOR
OR REP42 NOSSE NOSSE NOSSE NOSSE
MULT COMM1 ZIMMER- MEIERAN MEIERAN ZIMMER- ZIMMER- MEIERAN ZIMMER-
PTLD COMM1 NOVICK EUDALY EUDALY NOVICK NOVICK EUDALY
EUD-NOV-
OR94:JUDGES YES YES YES YES NO YES
OR95:UNIV YES YES YES YES NO YES
OR96:VETS YES YES YES NO NO
OR97:CORP YES NO YES NO NO YES YES YES
OR98:HS YES NO YES YES YES
OR99:OUTDOOR YES YES YES NO YES
OR100:IVORY YES YES YES NO YES
MC-181:TERMS YES YES YES NO NO
MC-182:CHAIR YES YES YES YES NO
MC-183:SHERIFF YES NO NO NO NO
MC-184:CAMPAIGN YES YES YES NO YES
MC-185:CHARTER YES YES YES YES
P-179:HOUSING YES NO YES YES YES YES
P-180:POT NO YES YES YES YES YES
M-178:LEVY YES YES YES YES NO YES

MY BALLOT

US President
[_] Donald J. Trump / Mike Pence
[_] REPUBLICAN
[X] Hillary Clinton / Tim Kaine
[X] DEMOCRAT
[_] Jill Stein / Ajamu Baraka
[_] PACIFIC GREEN/PROGRESSIVE
[_] Gary Johnson / Bill Weld
[_] LIBERTARIAN

US Senator
[_] Steven C Reynolds INDEPENDENT
[X] Ron Wyden DEMOCRAT
[_] Mark Callahan REPUBLICAN
[_] Eric Navickas PACIFIC GREEN/PROGRESSIVE
[_] Jim Lindsay LIBERTARIAN
[_] Shanti S Lewallen WORKING FAMILIES

US Representative, District 3
[_] David Delk PROGRESSIVE
[_] David W Walker INDEPENDENT/REPUBLICAN
[X] Earl Blumenauer DEMOCRAT

OR Governor
[_] James Foster LIBERTARIAN
[X] Kate Brown DEMOCRAT/WORKING FAMILIES
[_] Cliff Thomason INDEPENDENT
[_] Aaron Donald Auer CONSTITUTION
[_] Bud Pierce REPUBLICAN

OR Secretary of State
[_] Sharon L Durbin LIBERTARIAN
[_] Dennis Richardson REPUBLICAN
[_] Paul Damian Wells INDEPENDENT
[X] Brad Avakian DEM./WORK. FAM./PROG.
[_] Alan Zundel PACIFIC GREEN
[_] Michael Marsh CONSTITUTION

OR State Treasurer
[_] Chris Henry PROGRESSIVE/PACIFIC GREEN
[X] Tobias Read DEM./IND./WORK. FAM.
[_] Jeff Gudman REPUBLICAN
[_] Chris Telfer INDEPENDENT

OR Attorney General
[_] Lars D H Hedbor LIBERTARIAN
[X] Ellen Rosenblum DEM./IND./WORK. FAM.
[_] Daniel Zene Crowe REPUBLICAN

OR State Senator, 21st District
[_] Josh Howard LIBERTARIAN
[X] Kathleen Taylor DEM./WORK. FAM./IND.
[_] James Ofsink PROGRESSIVE/PACIFIC GREEN

OR State Representative, 42nd District
[_] Jeremy Wilson LIBERTARIAN
[X] Rob Nosse DEMOCRAT/WORKING FAMILIES
[_] James E. Stubbs INDEPENDENT

MultCo Commissioner Dist #1
[X] Eric Zimmerman
[_] Sharon Meieran
I'm still pondering this race. Although I voted for Meieran in the primary, I'm switching to Zimmerman. Meieran has an impressive resume, but her campaign website only lists her endorsements and refuses to specify her position on the issues.
  Zimmerman cleverly got attention when he called on the county to open the vacant Wapato jail property for the homeless. It's a controversial proposal, but it's at least a realistic and tangible plan.

MultCo Sheriff
[X] Mike Reese
Although I'm not aware of any current issues regarding the incumbent, it's still unbelievable that voters have no alternatives for a public office with such a long history of scandal. I'm voting for 26-183 to make the position an appointment. The county commissioners should be accountable for selecting the best professional for the job.

Portland Commissioner, Pos 4
[_] Chloe Eudaly
[X] Steve Novick
I'm still pondering this race. I'm reluctantly voting for Novick. I've supported him since he first proposed unseating Oregon Republican senator, but haven't been happy with his attempt to bypass voters with a street "fee".
  I considered Eudaly, but am concerned about the positions she supports on her website such as
opposing efforts to 'warehouse' the homeless and supporting publicly-funded campaigns which Portland voters previously repealed due to fraud.

OR 94: Eliminates mandatory 75-year-old retirement age for state judges. AMENDS CONSTITUTION.
[X]Yes DEM PARTY, CITY CLUB OF PTLD
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

OR 95: Allows public universities to invest in equities to reduce financial risk and increase investments to benefit students. AMENDS CONSTITUTION.
[X] Yes DEM PARTY
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

OR 96: Dedicates 1.5% of state lottery net proceeds to fund employment assistance, education, housing, and physical/mental health care for veterans. AMENDS CONSTITUTION.
[X] Yes CITY CLUB OF PTLD?, DEM PARTY
[_] No
CITY CLUB OF PTLD?

OR 97: Increases corporate minimum tax when sales exceed $25 million to funds education, healthcare, senior services.
[X] Yes DEM PARTY|GREEN PARTY, LWV|GOV BROWN|US SEN SANDERS (VT)|LABOR COMM AVAKIAN|MESD CHAIR MARC BEAUDOIN|FMR GOV KULONGOSKI|FMR GOV ROBERTS|VOODOO DOUGHNUTS|MUSIC MILLENNIUM
[_] No
INTEL|COMCAST|CENTURYLINK|AMAZON.COM|POWELL'S BOOKSTORE|THE STANDARD|MESD CHAIR MARC BEAUDOIN(REVERSED)|DENNIS RICHARDSON

It seems arbitrary to target businesses who happen to sell more than $25 million in Oregon. The state's funding problems have more to do with property tax limits and the state employees' pension fund than with business taxes. I'm also concerned about whether this will dissuade business investment; however, this is essentially a sales tax that businesses will pass on to consumers.

OR 98: Requires state funding for high school dropout-prevention, career and college readiness programs.
[X] Yes DEM PARTY|CITY CLUB OF PTLD?|FMR GOV KULONGOSKI
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

OR 99: Creates "Outdoor School Education Fund" through lottery.
[X] Yes DEM PARTY|AUDUBON SOCIETY|NATURE CONSERVANCY|FRIENDS OF TREES|NEXT ADVENTURE|NIKE|NEW SEASONS MARKET|REI|RERACK
[_] No
SEN BETSY JOHNSON

OR 100: Prohibits purchase or sale of parts or products from certain wildlife species.
[X] Yes OR HUMANE SOCIETY|HUMANE SOCIETY (US)|AUDUBON SOCIETY (PTLD)|OR ZOO FOUNDATION|OR COAST AQUARIUM|AUDUBON SOCIETY (PTLD)|GOV KATE BROWN|DEM PARTY|US REP EARL BLUMENAUER|METRO PREZ TOM HUGHES|FMR OR SEN BRUCE STARR|PAUL G. ALLEN
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

MULTCO 26-181: Extends term limits to three consecutive four-year terms in any one office in 16 years. AMENDS CHARTER
[X] Yes (NO SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS FILED.)
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)
My only regret is that this doesn't go far enough in repealing term limits completely. Term limits only promote short-term goals and prevent experienced leaders from following-through. Little noticed offices like county commissioner need experienced leaders.

MULTCO 26-182: Allow commissioners to run for Chair mid-term without resigning their current elected office. AMENDS CHARTER.
[X] Yes MULTCO DEMS
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)
Experienced commissioners shouldn't be penalized for running for chair.

MULTCO 26-183: Changes elected sheriff to appointed department head. AMENDS CHARTER.
[X] Yes MULTCO DEMS
[_] No
SHERIFF MIKE REESE|DA ROD HILL|FMR SHERIFF BOB SKIPPER|FMR SHERIFF FRED PEARCE
In an era of police oversight, it's counter-intuitive to take the sheriff position out of voters' hands; however, voters rarely have an opportunity to change the sheriff. Even in this election, an appointed sheriff is running unopposed.
  Having an elected sheriff doesn't make sense for Multnomah County where running the huge jail system is secondary to policing. Multnomah sheriffs need administrative skills more than patrol experience. The numerous scandals have been due sheriffs who feel they are exempt from county board oversight. The board needs the authority to hire the most qualified professional to run the sheriff's office.


MULTCO 26-184: Limits contributions, expenditures, requires disclosure in Multnomah County candidate elections.
[X] Yes MULTCO DEMS|GREEN PARTY|OR LABOR COMM. BRAD AVAKIAN
[_] No
(NO REAL OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

MULTCO 26-185: Amends charter review committee appointment process, sets appointment, convening timelines.
[X] Yes (NO SUPPORTING ARGUMENTS FILED.)
[_] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

PORTLAND 26-179: Bonds to fund affordable housing for low income families, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities.
[X] Yes CENTRAL CITY CONCERN|HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PORTLAND/METRO EAST|NORTHWEST PILOT PROJECT|LWV|CITY CLUB OF PTLD|PORTLAND BUSINESS ALLIANCE|CITY CLUB OF PTLD|MULTCO DEMS|MAYOR-ELECT TED WHEELER|MAYOR CHARLIE HALES|CITY COMM NICK FISH|CITY COMM AMANDA FRITZ|CITY COMM STEVE NOVICK|CITY COMM DAN SALTZMAN|PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
[_] No

PORTLAND 26-180: Establish 3% tax on recreational marijuana sales for drug, alcohol treatment; public safety; support neighborhood small businesses.
[_] Yes MULTCO DEMS|COMM AMANDA FRITZ
[X] No
(NO OPPOSING ARGUMENTS FILED.)

METRO 26-178: Renews 5-year operating levy, 9.6¢ per $1,000 assessed value, beginning 2018; protects natural areas, water quality, fish.
[X] Yes MULTCO DEMS
[_] No