Oregon Ballot Measure 56 (2008)
| Measure 56 | ||||||||||||||||
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| Amends Constitution: Provides That May And November Property Tax Elections Are Decided By Majority Of Voters Voting. | ||||||||||||||||
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| Source: Oregon Secretary of State | ||||||||||||||||
Yes
No
Oregon Ballot Measure 56 or House Joint Resolution 15 (HJR 15) is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that enacted law which provides that property tax elections decided at May and November elections will be decided by a majority of voters who are voting in the relevant election. It repealed the double majority requirement passed by the voters in the 1990s via Measures 47 and 50, which requires that, for non-general elections, all bond measures can pass only when a majority of registered voters turn out.
The measure appeared on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot in Oregon and was passed with 56.6% of the vote.
Measure 56 was supported by the Voting Matters Coalition, which included the League of Women Voters of Oregon, Human Services Coalition of Oregon, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, Basic Rights Oregon, Coalition for a Livable Future, Elders in Action, and Oregon PTA.
Official Voters' Pamphlet arguments in favor can be found at the Oregon Secretary of State's Online Voter Guide page.
Here is how Oregon's major newspapers have endorsed on the measure:
Notable arguments made in support of the measure included:
Steve Buckstein of the non-partisan, non-profit Cascade Policy Institute wrote a commentary that says, "Critics of Oregon’s so-called 'double majority' rule say it isn’t democratic because a simple majority of those voting may not be able to pass a tax measure. But in reality, just 25% of registered voters can raise taxes under 'double-majority.' 'Double majority' is a sensible taxpayer safeguard that should be kept, and even strengthened."
Notable arguments made in opposition to the measure included:
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