The Secretary of State has posted the arguments in favor of and in opposition to Ballot Measure 50 (and for that matter, Measure 49) online. They are of the rougher variety, not yet screened and edited for format in the Voter’s Pamphlet, but nonetheless they are there available for the earlier birds of voting.
Lining up in favor, with statements of endorsement, are the following individuals and organizations:
- Oregon Pediatric Society
- Children First for Oregon
- American Cancer Society
- American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
- American Lung Association of Oregon
- Oregon Nurses Association
- Nurse Practitioners of Oregon (a split from ONA?)
- Oregon PTA
- Gray Panthers of Oregon
- Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens
- Save Oregon Seniors
- United Seniors of Oregon
- Oregon Alliance of Retired Americans
- AFSCME
- Governor Ted Kulongoski
- Urban League of Portland
- Stand for Children
- Oregon Psychiatric Association
- Oregon Academy of Family Physicians
- Tobacco Free Coalition of Oregon
- Oregon Business Association
- Our Oregon
- Oregon Medical Association
- Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems
- SEIU 503 and SEIU 49
- Oregon Education Association
- Oregon State Fire Fighters Council
- Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
- Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham)
- Senator Bill Morrisette (D-Springfield)
- Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-Washington County
- Representative Ben Cannon (D-Northeast/Southeast Portland)
- Representative Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis and Philomath)
- Representative Mitch Greenlick (D-Northwest Portland and Washington County)
- Representative Tina Kotek (D-North/Northeast Portland)
- Oregon AFL-CIO
- Oregon Dental Association
- National Association of Social Workers – Oregon Chapter
- Human Service Coalition of Oregon
- Oregon Alliance of Children’s Programs
- OSPIRG
- Providence Health Systems
- Community Health Advocates of Oregon
- Oregon primary Care Association
- Community Action Partnership of Oregon
- Oregon Health Action Campaign
- Tuality Healthcare
- Oregon Food Bank
- Oregon Center for Christian Values
- Oregon Working Families Party
And against:
- Oregonians Against the Blank Check (Anti-50 campaign)
- James Huffman, Law Professor at Lewis + Clark College
- Stop the Measure 50 Tax Hike
- Diane Fritz, Accountant
- J.L. Wilson (R.J. Reynolds Lobbyist)
- Marilee Teller, former OHP Financing Manager
- Cascade Policy Institute
- Northwest Grocery Association
- Suki Eum, Glisan Market
- Freedomworks
- Tom Larimer
- Andrea Reimer
- Rep. Bill Garrard (R-Klamath Falls)
- Steve Choi, Get and Go Grocery (Oregon City)
- Wayne Brady (Assistant to state Sen. Gary George)
- Richard Burke, Libertarian Party of Oregon
- Lila Leathers, Leathers Enterprises, Inc.
- Taxpayer Association of Oregon
- Korean American Grocers Association
- Former State Rep. Jeff Kropf
- Oregon Small Business Coalition
- Rich’s Cigar Store
- Oregon Neighborhood Store Association
- Dari-Mart Stores
Tobacco Lobbyist J.L Wilson submitted the bulk of the statements under the guise of ‘Oregonians Against the Blank Check’, which tells anyone that Big Tobacco is definitely behind the ‘Reject 50′ campaign. And this despite names like “Neighborhood Store Assoc.” and “Small Business Coalition”.
Check out the SoS website yourself for some deceptive forays into political argumentation–especially when they indicate that it’s the Big Insurance companies that are behind Measure 50.
Of course, the authors of Measure 50 are Governor Ted Kulongoski, Senators Laurie Monnes Anderson, Bill Morrisette, Speaker Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Tina Kotek Mitch Greenlick and Sara Gelser. These esteemed public servants are hardly in the pockets of the Hospital Association and the Insurance companies–quite often the opposite is true.
Fifty-seven days before election day.
