Oregon Voters Reject Cigarette Tax; Approve Land Use Measure

(SALEM, Ore. ) - Oregon voters have overwhelmingly defeated Measure 50, the "Healthy Kids" plan, which would have create an children's health insurance fund that would have been paid for with an increase in cigarette taxes. With 64 percent of the statewide vote counted, Measure 50 was being rejected by a margin of 60 percent to 40 percent.

"What happened was, the tobacco industry bought the election," Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski said in an interview Tuesday night with The Associated Press. Cigarette makers fought Measure 50 with a $12 million ad blitz. The Governor declared that "this fight isn't over," and said he and legislative leaders would be looking at other ways to get more children covered.

Voters have approved Measure 49, referred to the voters by the Legislature, which is an amended version of Measure 37, that would roll back the 2004 property rights law. Measure 49 was passing with 61 percent in favor after 67 percent of the projected vote was counted.

Residents are currently paying 26 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for the jail bed levy. The additional 64 cents per $1,000 would go to restore services that have been lost or reduced.

The Board of Commissioners could restore the following services with the five-year, $29 million property tax levy:

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Neal Feldman November 7, 2007 1:20 pm (Pacific time)

B-A - if you cannot see a purchased election on the part of M50 then you are completely blind. As for M49 it was pure NIMBY with a divide and conquer aspect as I predicted. I hoped the voters would see through it but am (and was) realistic enough to know they probably would not. The voters rarely fail to live down to my expectations of them. Then again I do not have a very high opinion of the majority of the human race generally with the evidence I keep seeing every day. Watch the movie "Idiocracy" to see where we are likely heading. If people are being stupid why is it considered 'poor form' to tell the truth? Because it might hurt their 'widdew feewings'? Since when are feelings more important than the truth? Ah well...

Henry Ruark November 7, 2007 10:46 am (Pacific time)

B-A et al: Here deliberate, malign misinformation force-fed to greedy media channels did so distort real policy that the consequences may now, for the first time in thirty years, put "corporate campaign contributions" into the real light they deserve --further bathed in brilliance by that SEVENTY-year unhampered run for the "$10 minimum corporate tax" ALSO victimizing our tax system's sense and shaping the consequences, as in this vote. No question past pelf so provided shaped run-up to this one in Legislature, forcing precisely the cover-shot Big-T needed for simple distortion of key decisions otherwise clearly the wit and wisdom of Oregonians, and remaining the will, too, as will now be demonstrated beginning in Feb. session.

Henry Ruark November 7, 2007 9:43 am (Pacific time)

Neal et al: NIMBYs and nitwits never win. Only takes longer to get done what history proves MUST win, our democracy --now cannily mislead by money power from that bought-and-paid for act by the Supremes in "Railroad era". That one granted political free-speech right to corporate contrivance newly set up, and has been bane of true, open and honest democracy ever since it was paid-for/then. That's what shaped this vote to the damage both of kids for healthcoverage and voters for democracy/desperately/damaged.

Brass Ass November 7, 2007 8:42 am (Pacific time)

Wow - attribute Measure 50's defeat to the ignorance of everyone except you, eh Neal? Perhaps it was just plain bad policy. You know, as a progressive person myself I've found that the liberal tendency to talk down to people or call everyone who disagrees with us an idiot doesn't do a very good job of swaying opinion.

Neal Feldman November 7, 2007 8:26 am (Pacific time)

The NIMBYs and the nitwits won. The voters proved to be Sheeple who only read the ballot title and are buyable by the millions from the 'greatest marketers on the planet', Big Tobacco, who are so good they get people to buy and use a product that kills themselves (and those around them). I had hoped the voters would actually read and think. Again I am shown to have given the voters too much credit for intellect and common sense. Lucky for me I did not have a horse in the race... my kids are adults so no benefit to me from 50 (and I don't smoke tobacco so no benefit with its failure) and I did not qualify for M37 claim nor apparently does anyone near me. But it is said if put up for popular vote the Bill of Rights would be doomed. This election pretty much proves that prediction accurate. Unfortunate but true. Ah well...

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Oregon Voters Reject Cigarette Tax; Approve Land Use Measure

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