Measures 49, 50 Draw More Than $18 Million in Cash for Hotly Contested Legislative Referrals

Publication Date: October 2007

Publisher: Democracy Reform Oregon

Author(s): Sarah Wetherson

Research Area: Environment; Politics

Type: Newsletter

Coverage: Oregon

Abstract:

With three weeks left until Election Day, two contentious measures have attracted more than $18 million in campaign cash -- more than 2006 fundraising for campaigns for and against 10 measures. As of the end of the day Monday, October 15, 2007, campaigners for and against measures 49 and 50 had raised $18,118,012, or about $15,000 more than the $17,961,616 total raised by campaigns for and against 10 measures on the 2006 ballot.

One legislative referral, Measure 49, asks voters to approve a land-use law to address concerns about Measure 37. Measure 37, which passed in 2004, requires local and state governments to compensate landowners for any loss in value caused by land-use regulations, or to waive those regulations. The Measure 49 referral, according to its supporters, restores fairness to the land-use system by allowing landowners to build a limited number of houses on their land while stopping unfettered commercial development. Detractors say that the referral guts Measure 37, taking away important property rights granted by the measure and ignoring the will of the voters.