It's that time again where I openly ponder my ballot.
| US REPRESENTATIVE, 3RD DISTRICT |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Earl Blumenauer DEMOCRAT | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, PLANNED PARENTHOOD |
| [_] | Woodrow Broadnax PACIFIC GREEN / PROGRESSIVE | |
| [_] | Michael Cline LIBERTARIAN | |
| [_] | Ronald Green REPUBLICAN | |
| Obviously, there is little reason not to support our long-time congressman Earl Blumenauer. |
| STATE OF OREGON |
| OR SECRETARY OF STATE |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Seth Woolley PACIFIC GREEN | |
| [_] | Robert Wolfe PROGRESSIVE | |
| [_] | Bruce Alexander Knight LIBERTARIAN | |
| [X] | Kate Brown DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES | THE PORTLAND MERCURY, OUR OREGON, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND, PLANNED PARENTHOOD |
| [_] | Knute Buehler REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN, JACK BOGDANSKI |
"Kate Brown is a fairly unexciting career politico, who's made some high-profile stumbles and now faces the awful prospect of becoming the rare Democrat who actually manages to blow a race for statewide office... ....But [Buehler]'s also made some troubling comments about voter fraud and ID requirements, repeating the same dark tone as his GOP peers across the country." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY
Buehler is this election's token Republican endorsement some newspapers have anointed to maintain some appearance of being bipartisan. While incumbent Kate Brown may have made some mistakes, I'm not convinced Buehler is a better choice. Buehler has never previously held elected office which is especially concerning considering the Secretary of State is first in line of succession to the Governor. And while Buehler claims to be bipartisan, he hasn't made any effort to differentiate himself from typical Republican rhetoric. |
| OR STATE TREASURER |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Ted Wheeler DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| [_] | Cameron Whitten PROGRESSIVE | |
| [_] | John F. Mahler LIBERTARIAN | |
| [_] | Michael Paul Marsh LIBERTARIAN | |
| [_] | Tom Cox REPUBLICAN | |
| "Ted Wheeler! He's a stand-up guy! Hopefully he'll do what he says he will and punch the bloated state retirement system into some sort of manageable order! As for challenger Cameron Whitten—well, he's a good kid, makes a mean vegan smoothie, and definitely shouldn't be in charge of a state office just yet." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY |
| OR ATTORNEY GENERAL |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Chris Henry PROGRESSIVE | |
| [_] | James L. Buchal REPUBLICAN | |
| [_] | James E Leuenberger CONSTITUTION, LIBERTARIAN | |
| [X] | Ellen Rosenblum DEMOCRAT | THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, JACK BOGDANSKI |
"...yeah. We liked Rosenblum in the primary. We still do. Even if her husband co-owns the Willamette Week." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY
I voted for Rosenblum in the primary and she has since been appointed to the office. None of the other candidates are serious contenders.
James Buchal won the Republican primary as a write-in because the GOP was unable to recruit a suitable candidate for their primary. I couldn't find that he had any experience as a prosecutor or that he ever practiced criminal law. |
| OR STATE SENATOR, 21ST DISTRICT |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Cliff Hutchison REPUBLICAN | |
| [X] | Diane Rosenbaum DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD |
| "...[Rosenbaum] has proven to be an effective legislator, even when given the thankless job of serving as Senate majority leader and trying to keep her fractious Democratic caucus in line. She led the fight to extend unemployment benefits and institute protections for Oregonians facing foreclosure..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK |
| OR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, 42ND DISTRICT |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Jules Kopel Bailey DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES, REPUBLICAN | BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD |
| COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Bruce Starr | |
| [X] | Brad Avakian | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, OUR OREGON, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE OREGONIAN, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| JUDGE OF THE SUPREME COURT, POSITION 3 |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Richard C Baldwin | WILLAMETTE WEEK, OUR OREGON, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| [X] | Nena Cook | GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND, THE OREGONIAN |
| JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, POSITION 6 |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | James C Egan | JACK BOGDANSKI |
| [X] | Tim Volpert | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN |
| Apparently I voted for Volpert in the primary. |
| CITY OF PORTLAND |
| MAYOR |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Jefferson Smith | BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT |
| [X] | Charlie Hales | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT |
Neither of these candidates are very inspiring. I am bothered that Hales chose to evade Oregon taxes while still claiming Oregon residency for political purposes. I like Jefferson Smith's politics, but I'm not convinced he can manage a large government, which includes traffic police, if he can't keep his own drivers license valid. As a former commissioner, Hales is the more experienced option. I voted for Hales in the primary and see no reason to change my vote.
UPDATE: I feel a little vindicated that Jefferson Smith's candidacy is imploding in light of a messy criminal arrest 20 years ago uncovered by Willamette Week. While he argues that he is not the same person he was back then, his poor handling of this revelation (not disclosing it earlier, showing-up at his victim's house, etc.) further shows that his political ambition is premature. It's also disturbing that Smith seems to have a pattern of making impulsively aggression. While aggressive enthusiasm is great (and often lacking in Portland's homogeneous political culture), potential government leaders still should have some maturity and experience. |
| COMMISSIONER, POSITION 1 |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Mary Nolan | BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT, PLANNED PARENTHOOD |
| [X] | Amanda Fritz | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, JACK BOGDANSKI, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT |
| "...In the May primary, we endorsed Rep. Mary Nolan (D-Portland) over Amanda Fritz, the incumbent in this race. We’ve changed our minds...[Fritz]’s taken a firm stand alongside Adams to draw the line on the police bureau and joined Commissioner Dan Saltzman in scrutinizing the fire bureau. Her penny-pinching appears more admirable as Portland’s budget gets closer to being swallowed by urban renewal areas and fire and police pensions...Fritz made a compelling case that her background as a psychiatric nurse is an important tool in helping cops change their approach to public safety....[Nolan] has also demonstrated during this campaign that she marches in lockstep with the public employee unions—especially fire and police—who are backing her...Nolan offered few specifics about how she’d rein in an inefficient fire bureau, while Fritz offered clear and innovative ideas. Nolan was unpersuasive in claims she would be an independent thinker when it comes to reforms...-WILLAMETTE WEEK |
| EAST MULTNOMAH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT |
| DIRECTOR, AT LARGE 1 |
| ME | CANDIDATE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | John Sweeney | |
| [X] | Rick Till INCUMBENT | EMSWCD DIRECTORS BOB SALLINGER, DIANNA L. POPE, JILL KUEHLER |
| [_] | Eric Mader | |
| [_] | Justin Bauer | |
| [_] | Kelly Caldwell | |
I initially assumed some candidates for this little-known office would be a bit flaky. However, all five candidates seem serious. They all provided statements to voters guide (PDF) and responded to the League of Women's Voters' (PDF) questionnaire. Kelly Caldwell stands-out, in a bad way, as an activist for an anti-GMO group. It seems she would seek to use the conservation agency to advocate her pet issue.
I'll vote for Rick Till who earned the endorsements of three of the four other EMSWCD directors. I'm inclined to support any incumbent who seeks to return to a thankless, unpaid position -- especially considering the EMSWCD doesn't have regulatory authority clout. Also, none of Till's challengers explained why he should be tossed-out of office. |
| OREGON STATE MEASURES |
| REFERRED TO THE PEOPLE BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY |
| 77: Amends Constitution: Governor may declare “catastrophic disaster” (defined); requires legislative session; authorizes suspending specified constitutional spending restrictions. |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, OUR OREGON |
| [_] | No | OFFICIAL VOTERS' GUIDE: NO ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION WERE FILED., JACK BOGDANSKI |
| "...the measure would enable the governor to make initial decisions...without legislative approval...Planning for the future has not been a legislative strength...So, it's encouraging to see a practical, forward-looking piece of legislation such as Measure 77, which the Legislature approved by a combined 87-3 vote in the House and Senate." -THE OREGONIAN |
| 78: Amends Constitution: Changes constitutional language describing governmental system of separation of powers; makes grammatical and spelling changes |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, OUR OREGON |
| [_] | No | OFFICIAL VOTERS' GUIDE: NO ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION WERE FILED, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| "makes language changes to a section of the constitution on separation of powers....though desirable for clarity, is of little consequence." -THE OREGONIAN |
| PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION |
| 79: Amends Constitution: Prohibits real estate transfer taxes, fees, other assessments, except those operative on December 31, 2009 |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Yes | |
| [X] | No | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), OUR OREGON, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
"...This measure is one of the most cynical and unnecessary initiatives we’ve seen in years. Real estate agents—middlemen—want to amend the constitution to ban a real estate transfer tax that’s already been illegal under state law since 1989...But in the past two decades, no one has even gotten close to enacting a tax on the sale of property..."WILLAMETTE WEEK
"This anti-tax initiative, sponsored by the Oregon Association of Realtors, is a solution in search of a problem. ....state law already prohibits local governments from establishing real estate transfer fees..." -THE OREGONIAN |
| 80: Allows personal marijuana, hemp cultivation/use without license; commission to regulate commercial marijuana cultivation/sale |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, FMR SOS BILL BRADBURY, PTLD COMMISSIONER RANDY LEONARD, STREET ROOTS |
| [_] | No | THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), JACK BOGDANSKI |
"...The measure is flawed—lawmakers will have to fix provisions, and it may not survive a test in court because of the way it could conflict with federal drug laws. It would also create an Oregon Cannabis Commission stacked with marijuana growers—not a great idea....But passage will force lawmakers to confront reality. No one benefits—least of all the state coffers—from the prosecution of otherwise law-abiding citizens who use a drug that is already in wide circulation...."-WILLAMETTE WEEK
I support the decriminalize of marijuana -- not because I specifically support marijuana use -- but because criminalization is pointless, ineffective, and costly. Admittedly, this measure is extreme and written like, well, like a bunch potheads got together a wrote a meandering law while in a fuzzy haze. However, I believe the legislature and governor will fix this measure after it is passed. |
| 81: Prohibits commercial non-tribal fishing with gillnets in Oregon "inland waters," allows use of seine nets |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Yes | (INITIATIVE SPONSOR CEASED ITS CAMPAIGN) |
| [X] | No | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), OUR OREGON, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| "...The real issue here is that fancy folks who fish for sport want a bigger catch of the annual salmon haul—banning gillnetting would squeeze commercial fishers out of the yearly harvest while still killing the same number of fish per year in the state. But measure-backers have pretty much dropped their campaign after Governor John Kitzhaber said he would bring a compromise bill to the legislature this year..." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY |
| 82: Amends Constitution: Authorizes establishment of privately-owned casinos; mandates percentage of revenues payable to dedicated state fund |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Yes | |
| [X] | No | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| 83: Authorizes privately owned Wood Village casino; mandates percentage of revenues payable to dedicated state fund |
| [_] | Yes | |
| [X] | No | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| "...The developers say that will add up to $100 million a year for the state—but that's assuming the casino will make $400 million annually, which is insane because Oregon's nine other casinos combined make $470 million a year. What will happen is that a private company will be allowed to move into the state and eat up a large chunk of the money that goes to the Oregon Lottery and native tribes, under agreements that the state struck that barely begin to address the historical fact that we screwed the tribes out of their traditional ways of supporting themselves....let's not rewrite our constitution to cut out tribes just so 3,000 people can construct a monstrosity of regret and addiction that will allow a Canadian private equity firm to profit off Portlanders." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY |
| 84: Phases out existing inheritance taxes on large estates, and all taxes on intra-family property transfers |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Yes | |
| [X] | No | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), PLANNED PARENTHOOD, OUR OREGON, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
"...Measure 84 does ask a good question: Is it beneficial for Oregon to...tax the estates of dead people? Perhaps not. But answering that question is best left to the Legislature... ...both the sweep and the financial impact of the provision are unclear. Even its creator, Kevin Mannix, concedes the Legislature will probably have to step in and clarify this. As a rule, it's best to oppose ballot measures that even supporters concede are flawed..." -THE OREGONIAN
"...But there's a darker secret hiding in the fine print: Wealth transfers between relatives would also become tax-exempt—opening a gaping capital gains loophole. Let's say someone's been sitting on a pantsload of Apple stock since the late 1980s. Cashing it out, after years of appreciation, would mean forking over big bucks to the government. But if that stock were 'gifted' to a relative, who then sold it? That relative would pay taxes only on the stock's gains since the transfer—not the original amount of appreciation. Another 'gift' could then see all that money sent back to the stock's owner. The state revenue office says that loophole will add hundreds of millions more to the cost of this measure..." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY |
| 85: Amends Constitution: Allocates corporate income/excise tax "kicker" refund to additionally fund K through 12 public education |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), OUR OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| [_] | No | THE OREGONIAN |
|
| MULTNOMAH COUNTY MEASURE |
26-143: Form Library District with permanent rate to fund library services
Question: Shall dedicated library district fund Multnomah county library hours, services; rate limited to $1.24 per $1000 assessed value beginning 2013? |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| [_] | No | THE OREGONIAN |
| "...The Multnomah County Library system really is one of the finest in the nation. Its popularity is earned by circulating twice as many materials per resident as the average library...here is the rare case of a public entity striving for excellence, not racing to the bottom...." -WILLAMETTE WEEK |
| CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURES |
26-145: Amends Charter: Changes Provisions of Fire Police Disability Retirement System.
Question: Shall limited provisions of the retirement and disability system for police and fire be changed? |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI |
| [_] | No | OFFICIAL VOTERS' GUIDE (PDF): NO ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION WERE FILED. |
"This measure ends a loophole that has allowed police and firefighters to juice their lifetime pensions by retiring when there’s an extra pay period in the calendar year, inflating the final pay used to calculate retirement benefits. This change and other needed fixes will save taxpayers $46.6 million over the next 25 years..." WILLAMETTE WEEK
"...The Fire and Police Disability and Retirement Fund is a $110 million-a-year, pay-as-you-go relic that snags 26 cents of every property tax dollar raised from Portland residents. Yet the fund continues to pay out some bloated pensions and be overexposed to disability claims...Measure 26-145 is both effective at saving taxpayers money while honoring the best intentions and core provisions of FPDR." - THE OREGONIAN |
26-146: Restore School Arts, Music Education; Fund Arts through Limited Tax.
Question: Shall Portland restore arts, music for schools and fund arts through income tax of 35 dollars per year? |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [_] | Yes | THE PORTLAND MERCURY, STREET ROOTS |
| [X] | No | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, JACK BOGDANSKI |
"This measure is tricky to support, both because its campaign has been misleading and the tax itself is regressive..." THE PORTLAND MERCURY
"...This measure is being sold as a solution for schools, when the original (and as far as we can tell, primary) motivation was to provide a new subsidy for nonprofit arts groups that already enjoy tax breaks and have other ways to raise money...Many arts organizations are small and deserve help; we suggest you write them a check right now. But should we tax low-income Portlanders to help support a night at the opera? Horsefeathers." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
This is a bizarre and suspicious-looking tax scheme that is faulty in many way:- Creates a slush fund for politically-connected artists. The most despicable aspect of this law is that it exploits sympathy for school kids while as much as half of the funds will not even go to schools. Much of the funds will be distributed to the unelected Regional Arts & Culture Council. Arts is a completely subjective and it's likely only those artists that favored by council members will receive funding.
- It creates a whole new tax filing burden for all Portlanders. Even the simplest tax return form can be a burden -- especially when added to the federal and state income tax filings. Setting-up a whole new tax system for a relatively minor tax is unneeded.
- This is a regressive tax that will be a burden on many low income Portlanders. This is NOT an income tax. It's a flat fee that is imposed on nearly everyone regardless of income. Portlanders that only make minimum wage will probably have to pay this tax. Only the lowest of the low-income are exempt and they will be required to pay for copies of their federal returns to get out of paying the tax.
- The new tax is unenforceable. To my knowledge, employers are not required to file W-2s to the city. The city has no way of knowing who is dodging the tax and is unlikely to provoke a backlash through enforcement. This new tax will be based on the honor system similar to last decade's county ITAX. Anyone paying this silly tax will feel like a chump knowing many new residents, former residents, and tenants will never pay it.
- The City of Portland is not an education district and should not micromanage education. Why not a tax to fund for physical education, science, math, and other important curriculum? Portland overlaps several school districts, so it's unclear how the City will implement this program in districts not exclusive to Portland. While the City has major challenges such as unpaved streets, chronic homelessness, unaffordable housing, high unemployment, and many other issues, it's bizarre the City is micromanage public school education.
I can't help but suspect this is merely outgoing Mayor Sam Adams' thank you to his clique of supporters. |
| PORTLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT #1JT MEASURE |
26-144: Portland Public School District Bonds to Improve Schools
Question: Is the Portland Public School District authorized to issue up to $482 million of general obligation bonds to improve schools? If the bonds are approved, they will be payable from taxes on property or property ownership that are not subject to the limits of sections 11 and 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution. |
| ME | MEASURE | ENDORSEMENTS |
| [X] | Yes | WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, LEAGUE OF WOMEN OF VOTERS, STREET ROOTS |
| [_] | No | JACK BOGDANSKI |
- "...At $482 million, the bond measure still constitutes a bold request. The school district, however, will spread the life of the bond across a greater number of years than was proposed for the $548 million measure narrowly defeated last year. That change...lowers the cost to a maximum of $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For the owner of a home assessed at $150,000, that translates to $165 per year — less than $14 per month." -PORTLAND TRIBUNE
I'm still pondering this tax. I voted for the failed $500 M measure last year, so I'm leaning toward voting for this one. However, I still have some concerns. This tax is not comprehensive and only a few of the district's schools targeted.
UPDATE: I've decided to support this bond. Although raising our taxes ~$14 per month (via mortgage escrow) isn't ideal, the fact is that Oregon property taxes are substantially lower than when I attended public school. I also remember the difference in attending an old elementary school building versus a remodeled middle school building in the 1980s. Although anti-tax activists have a point that remodeling buildings will not solve the challenges public schools face, environment does matter to both students and staff. |
