Sunday, August 12, 2007

The Big Lie: Ballot Measure 49

If you become a frequent reader of this blog, you will quickly come to realize how bad Ballot Measure 49 is going to be for Oregonians.

Ballot Measure 49 was referred to the voters by the 2007 Oregon Legislature. Make no mistake, Ballot Measure 49 will REPEAL Measure 37, the popular property-rights legislation passed by 61% of Oregonians at the 2004 election.

Measure 49 is a result of legislation at its worst. It was drafted behind closed doors, outside of the view of the public, and the public was intentionally left out of the process. Now, the legislators who voted for Measure 49 are going to try to lie to the voters and hope none of the voters figure out the Big Lie.

That is the purpose of this Blog: to expose the Big Lie that is Measure 49.

I will go through Measure 49, and compare the actual text of Measure 49 with what the politicians claim Measure 49 will actually do. I know when you finish reading this Blog, you will find out Measure 49 is one Big Lie.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Measure 49 is the worst piece of legislation ever drafted. I think a bunch of 5th graders got together and wrote the thing. I can't wait to see Measure 49 exposed for the fraud that it is.

Anonymous said...

Private property is a myth. You property rightists need to quit living in your dream world. We are going to win, and you are going to lose your "propoerty rights". Figure it out.

Anonymous said...

Not sure if my last comment posted, I'll try again.
I appreciate you taking the time to analyze Measure 49, but I disagree with you when you say it is a big lie. Doesn't the last line in the paragraph you quoted address the waiver issue?
As to your comment about Democrats working behind closed doors, I heard that they actually had the chance to pass Measure 49, but instead, they chose to take it to the people and let US decide.
I heard recently from a couple who own property in an agricultural zone, who said that Measure 37 let them down. They were unable to build a couple of homes on the acreage.
I think Measure 49 is a good compromise, honoring property owners rights while still protecting agricultural zones, etc..
Your thoughts?-K.M.

Anonymous said...

I think that the decision as to whether Measures 37 or 49 were the "Big Lie" will be up to OR voters this fall. What they HAVE seen so far is all the stuff pro-37 folks claimed wouldn't happen has been happening. Big 30,000 acre developments claimed under 37, dozens of new billboards blighting our scenery, local communities with no power to stop big construction projects pushed by outsiders, make it seem like m37 was the really big lie. Your so called "analysis" of measure 49 seems completely one-sided. You start out with the premise that 49 is a lie, how can you claim any objectivity??? For anyone that is sincerely interested in the truth on these measures, please look for sources that don't make up their minds before they examine the issue. There will be, no doubt, half-truths and misdirection practiced by both sides on this issue, as people are very passionate about it. I have hope and faith that good OR voters will get to heart of the matter, pro or con , and make a good decision.

Anonymous said...

Question:

If by some chance, and the chances are good, M 49 fails, will the choices made by Oregon voters finally be respected, or will this issue keep returning to the ballot like the sales tax, death with dignity, medical marijuana, etc.

No matter which party is in control, ballot measures are constantly re-voted because the original outcome did not please the power structure of the existing government. Somehow, government has conveniently forgotten that the Constitution was designed to limit it's power and influence. Aren't they supposed to be protecting our rights, rather than limiting them?

Anonymous said...

First they come for the gypsies, then they come for the Jews, then they come for you. Who will be at the gate guarding you when they come for your stuff?

Matthew said...

Great site guys, I'm really happy to see it up and running!

educated said...

Alright you hillbillies, I know it’s hard for you to see past your own tractor, but Measure 49 will improve the future, and fix the grievous errors of Measure 37. Measure 37 was originally pitched so that over-breeding hicks of limited foresight could put up extra HOUSES on your AGRICULTURALY ZONED FARMLAND. Unfortunately, voters were duped, and it soon became apparent that large developers just wanted to buy the land, exploit the measure and set up sprawling developments. What you owners of farmland fail to realize is that your land wouldn’t be worth crap without Oregon’s current land zoning laws. You try to rebel against the very law that makes your land “valuable.” If it were not for constricted residential land quantities, lot prices would be just as low as any other state without zoning laws, like Michigan, where lots sell for $20,000.

Now, you farmers and land holders may say, “Well oh ho HO, but my lots WILL sell for $100,000, and I want the right to use MY property however I want to!” If you want Oregon to be like that, move to California and enjoy all the sprawl and disgustingness you want. There is a reason Oregon land use laws have been exemplified and emulated. It’s because they work, they are visionary, and they protect the future for our children. Ever heard of the “Tragedy of the Commons?” Probably not- you should have, it’s even loosely about a farm and cows and stuff- but it is one of the most famous principals of economics and it states that the individual will never act for anything but their own good, at the great expense of the whole. This is aptly applied to our current situation as a few greedy developers seek to cookie cut the countryside, increase home volume (driving down residential property values everywhere), increase societal infrastructure costs (therefore taxes) and increase vehicular emissions (due to commuting from far out developments to work). Few gain at the expense of many.

Farmers- no one is begrudging you a few houses on your land, and Measure 49 will let you do this more easily than Measure 37 does now, but strip malls and large uniform developments have no place in Oregon.

Anonymous said...

M 49 is an untapped gold mine for attorneys.... especially those who support the measure.

Any successful claim will have most likely run a gauntlet of appeals and lawsuits, which may have been the original intent (make any claim so costly and time consuming in order to discourage the very attempt).


This measure gives the anti-growth few exactly what they want -- unlimited opportunities to appeal and file suit on each and every claim. It's about all these nimrods do!