Measures on the November 8 ballot

The ballots you’ll be receiving in the mail soon have a number of statewide issues, along with some city and district measures. Since Cedar Mill isn’t a city, the closest local measure is the Tualatin Soil & Water Conservation District levy proposal.

The deadline to register to vote for the November election is October 18. To register or update your registration information, visit sos.oregon.gov/voting-elections/Pages/my-vote.aspx.

Measure 34-269: Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District Permanent Tax Rate Limit

Washington County is a special place to live, work, and play. The Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District serves a critical role by protecting our water and soil. However, limited resources restrict what we can do. That’s why our Board of Directors voted to seek funding through a tax base this fall. We are seeking a permanent rate limit of up to 9 cents per $1,000 assessed value.

Why did we decide to do this? The Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District serves all residents of Washington County. We make sure our water is clean, fish and wildlife habitat is protected, and our soil produces safe and healthy food. The District provides expert advice, project planning, and education on conservation practices to individual private landowners on a voluntary, non-regulatory basis.

Every five years, we create a plan for how to protect natural resources in the county. We also ask the public and our partners where we ought to focus our efforts. The result of the latest multi-year planning process was a request from you to increase conservation work on rural lands and to develop programs for forestry, and for urban properties.

Currently, the District relies on grants and partnerships for all funding. Most of these funds are restricted to specific projects, and are passed through to pay contractors and complete projects on the ground. Unlike East and West Multnomah districts, our District has no independent, flexible source of funding with which to respond to growing or pressing needs.

All spending would be subject to independent, annual audits. Learn more about our work and the potential levy proposal at: www.swcd.net/levy

Measure 94: Amends Constitution: Eliminates mandatory retirement age for state judges

“Yes” vote amends constitution, state judges not required to retire from judicial office after turning 75 years old. Statutes cannot establish mandatory retirement age.

“No” vote retains constitutional provisions requiring state judges to retire from judicial office after turning 75 years old, authorizing statutes establishing lesser mandatory retirement age.

Article VII (Amended), section 1a, of the Oregon Constitution, requires state judges to “retire from judicial office at the end of the calendar year” in which they turn 75 years old. Section 1a(1) authorizes laws that establish a lesser age—not younger than 70 years—for mandatory retirement. Measure amends constitution to remove provision requiring mandatory retirement at age 75, as well as provision authorizing statutes requiring mandatory retirement at age 70 or older. Measure retains constitutional provision that authorizes statutes permitting retired judges to be recalled to temporary active service. Measure retains constitutional provision that authorizes laws permitting or requiring judges to retire due to a physical or mental disability or any other cause that renders them incapable of performing their judicial duties.

Measure 95:Amends Constitution: Allows investments in equities by public universities to reduce financial risk and increase investments to benefit students.

“Yes” vote allows public universities to invest in equities to reduce financial risk and increase funds available to help students.

“No” vote prevents public universities from investing in equities.

This measure allows investments in equities by public universities to reduce financial risk and increase investments to benefit students. Additional investment income could benefit students by minimizing tuition increases and enhancing student programs.

Measure 96: Amends Constitution: Dedicates 1.5% of state lottery net proceeds to funding support services for Oregon veterans

“Yes” vote dedicates 1.5% of state lottery net proceeds to fund veterans’ services, including assistance with employment, education, housing, and physical/mental health care.

“No” vote retains current list of authorized purposes for spending state lottery net proceeds; 1.5% dedication to fund veterans’ services not required.

Amends Constitution, dedicates lottery funding for veterans’ support services. Currently, constitution requires that state lottery proceeds be used to create jobs, further economic development, and finance public education; dedicates some net lottery proceeds as follows: 18% to finance education stability fund, 15% to finance state parks, restoration and protection of native fish and wildlife, watersheds, water quality and wildlife habitats, 15% to finance school capital matching fund. Measure dedicates 1.5% of lottery net proceeds to fund services for Oregon veterans. Veterans’ services include assistance with employment, education, housing, physical/mental health care, addiction treatment, reintegration, access to government benefits, and other services for veterans, spouses and dependents. Other provisions.

Measure 97: Increases corporate minimum tax when sales exceed $25 million; funds education, healthcare, senior services

“Yes” vote increases corporate minimum tax when sales exceed $25 million; removes tax limit; exempts “benefit companies”; increased revenue funds education, healthcare, senior services.

“No” vote retains existing corporate minimum tax rates based on Oregon sales; tax limited to $100,000; revenue not dedicated to education, healthcare, senior services.

Current law requires each corporation or affiliated group of corporations filing a federal tax return to pay annual minimum tax; amount of tax is determined by tax bracket corresponding to amount of corporation’s Oregon sales; corporations with sales of $100 million or more pay $100,000. Measure increases annual minimum tax on corporations with Oregon sales of more than $25 million; imposes minimum tax of $30,001 plus 2.5% of amount of sales above $25 million; eliminates tax cap; benefit companies (business entities that create public benefit) taxed under current law. Applies to tax years beginning on/after January 1, 2017. Revenue from tax increase goes to: public education (early childhood through grade 12); healthcare; services for senior citizens.

Measure 98: Requires state funding for dropout-prevention, career and college readiness programs in Oregon high schools

“Yes” vote requires state legislature to fund dropout-prevention, career and college readiness programs through grants to Oregon high schools; state monitors programs.

“No” vote retains current law: legislature not required to commit funds to career-technical/college-level education/dropout-prevention programs, retains discretion to allocate funds.

Currently, the Oregon legislature provides General Fund revenues to the State School Fund based on constitutionally required quality goals; those funds are distributed directly to school districts under a specified formula. Measure requires legislature to separately provide at least $800 per high school student—adjusted upward annually for inflation/population—to a Department of Education (ODE) administered account. ODE distributes those funds to school districts to establish or expand high school programs providing career-technical education, college-level courses, and dropout-prevention strategies. School districts must apply for grants, meet specified requirements. Districts may use limited portion of fund for administration costs but not unrelated activities. ODE monitors school district performance, ensures compliance, facilitates programs; Secretary of State audits biannually. Other provisions.

Measure 99: Creates "Outdoor School Education Fund," continuously funded through Lottery, to provide outdoor school programs statewide

“Yes” vote creates separate fund, financed through Oregon Lottery Economic Development Fund and administered by Oregon State University (OSU), to provide outdoor school programs statewide.

“No” vote rejects creation of fund to provide outdoor school programs statewide; retains current law under which OSU administers outdoor school grants if funding available.

Presently, Oregon does not fund outdoor school programs statewide, but, under current law, OSU assists school districts by awarding grants according to specified criteria and providing program maintenance, conditioned on funding. Measure creates separate “Outdoor School Education Fund” (Fund) that is financed by Oregon State Lottery money distributed for economic development. Caps annual distributions of Lottery revenues to Fund. Specifies Fund’s purpose to provide every Oregon fifth- or sixth-grade student week-long outdoor school program or equivalent. Continuously appropriates Fund to OSU to administer and fund outdoor school programs statewide consistent with current law’s grant program criteria; may require Fund dispersal outside of grant program. Allocations to Fund shall not reduce lottery proceeds dedicated under Oregon Constitution to education, parks, beaches, watersheds, fish, wildlife.

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