HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-03-08 - Voters Pamphlet "I
V oa L 1
u .1, -4
. h -11-- --.1-1 ,
Oregon Vote-by-Mail Special Election I March 8, 2016
Index to Voters' Pamphlet
1
This Voters'Pamphlet is provided to give the voter additional information on measures.Your ballot will contain only those issues for
which you are eligible to vote,based on where you live.The text of the statements are printed as submitted.
Measures
9-105 City of Bend Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax 9-3
Voting Information 9-2
Drop Site Locations
Bend Drive-By Drop Site
Deschutes Service Center Corner of Wall St and Lafayette Ave
1300 NW Wall St (Parking Area)
(Box located on Parkway side of building) Fri&Mon,March 4&7,8 am—6 pm
Available 7 days a week Election Day,Tuesday, March 8: 7 am-8 pm
Election Day,Tuesday, March 8: open until 8 pm
Deschutes County Road Department
61150 SE 27th St
Available 7 days a week
Election Day,Tuesday, March 8: open until 8 pm
County Clerk's Office, 1300 NW Wall St, Upper Floor, Bend Privacy Booths Provided
Monday through Friday: 8 am to 5 pm
Election Day, Tuesday, March 8: 7 am to 8 pm
Remember!
All ballots must be received at an official drop site or the Deschutes County Clerk's office
no later than 8 pm, Election Day, Tuesday,March 8
-
Postmarks Do Not Count!
Voting Information
� !
Registering to Vote =T _ } .-,_
To be eligible to vote in the March 8, 2016 Special Make sure you have completely
Election, a completed voter registration card must be filled in the oval next to your choices.
postmarked by Tuesday,February 16,2016.
To Register To Vote In Oregon,You Must Be:
1. A resident of Oregon. +',!
2. A United States citizen. �I
CD I
3. At least 17 years of age.If you are 17 years of age, Ilk
you will not receive a ballot until an election occurs
on or after your 18th birthday. If you vote for more candidates than
You Must Update Your Registration If: allowed,or if you vote both Yes and No on
• Your residence or mailing address changes. a measure, it is called an overvote.
• Your name changes. Your vote will not count for that candidate
• You wish to change your party affiliation. or measure.
• Your signature changed.
Important Note:If you have moved or your name has
changed and you have not yet updated your registration, --i _t110
you are still eligible to vote.Contact the Deschutes Coup- N j t
ty Elections office,541-388-6547 for further information. AIL r ®�'
Voters With Disabilities:
If you are unable to vote your ballot without assistance, You do not have to vote on all contests.
contact the Deschutes County Elections office at Those you do vote on will still be counted.
541-388-6547. We will provide two persons to assist
you in voting.To assure your voted ballot is received by Contact Deschutes County Elections office at
election day,contact the elections office early to arrange 541-388-6547 to request a replacement ballot if:
for assistance.You may also select someone else of your you make a mistake
own choice to assist you. 4 your ballot is damaged or spoiled
A cassette edition of the Voters'Pamphlet is available. 4 your ballot is lost
To order,please contact Independent Living Resources
at 503-232-7411 or TTY 503-232-8408. or for any other reason.
Voting Instructions 1-866-ORE-VOTE(se hable Espanol)
Check Your Ballot! www.oregonvotes.gov
To vote you must blacken the oval MID) completely t 1-800-735-2900
with a pen(black or blue ink).
To write-in a name—Write the name on the solid line Deschutes County
and fill in the oval (M)to the left of the write-in line. Elections and Voting 7"_'"�"i1
11
1300 NW Wall St.
Bend,Oregon 1
o
NORTON AVENUE
011111 ' _,:
Remember, if stated on your ballot, � I• i� I II it ID
vote both sides of your ballot. ��
N e 1I I 1 Iiiuiininiiunuuuuiir)I 2
/ Elections j
✓✓✓..%/// and = -
Vohng
% � 19 J
� : �
r---- -I FLAFAYE IE AVENUE a ,
Official Deschutes County 2016 Special Election Voters'Pamphlet
9-2 I Voting Information
Measure 9-105 City of Bend
Ballot Title Argument in Favor 1 05 A fuel tax is the cheapest and fairest solution for residents
and business to address our crumbling roads.
Motor Vehicle Fuel Tact Bend's very low tax rate,which hasn't been increased since 1981
and is one of the lowest in the state,has led to a chronic shortage
•
OUESTIott Should Bend impose 0,B7eent per oale t fuel of funds for road repair.
tax for street maintenance an re$lr thoriza In 2009,the cost to address our backlog of road repairs was$30
tiort in 2026? million.Since then,that number has grown to$80 million and will
` continue to increase exponentially each year we do not find a
Bt .This easureff# ***401Ze dedicated funding •source for street maintenance.
to impOte a tax on motor ve WY The
5-cent per gallon tax It's a simple concept—keep good roads good or pay nearly double
�� rayide ��,• �, , ,
bf City streets,tncipdini „end'tog s to bring a poorly maintained road back up to good condition.This
d to a ti8��� ��� means that every year we wait to find a dedicated funding source
stets include krtke fi for roads,residents and businesses watch their total bill for road
repairs tick higher.
Pr" °fxr the �,a• n, , ��
ends Pau � , � _ s ' Voting yes on this fuel tax measure is the cheapest way and
n fairest way to fix our roads.Here's why:
tipt � ! e, Funding road repairs now by voting yes in this March elec-
x rt
F' • xa� lion means we can begin repair and maintenance work this
�� &r summer,reducing the cost to residents and businesses
of waiting any longer to fix our roads.
•ee 3€ fk?�� saw nisi u its
• A fuel tax is a fair user fee.Drivers who use roads help pay
to maintain them.
Explanatory Statement • A fuel tax captures visitor dollars,ensuring that everyone
who uses our roads pays to maintain them—not just local
The measure,if approved,would authorize the City of Bend to taxpayers.
impose a motor vehicle fuel tax at the rate of 5-cents per gallon • Fuel tax funds will be used exclusively for road and
for motor vehicle fuel sold or delivered in Bend. repairs and maintenance. Once a significant portion of
The proceeds would be dedicated to support preservation of repairs has been completed,the tax is set to sunset in 2026
Bend's streets by repair and maintenance. Every dollar spent unless re-approved by voters.
on street preservation saves up to$5 for rehabilitation and$12 A good road system helps to attract new business, maintains
on reconstruction. While the program focuses on maintenance, our quality of life and is cheaper to maintain over time.Join us
some proceeds from the tax, if approved, could be spent on in voting yes.
rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Thank you,
Street maintenance is currently mostly funded by the City's share
of state fuel tax funds. This funding source has failed to provide Neil Bryant
sufficient funds to maintain city streets. Under Oregon law,net Mike Hollern
revenues from fuel taxes may be spent only on construction, William Smith
reconstruction,improvement,repair,maintenance,operation and Amy Tykeson
use of City streets.
Proceeds from the tax,if adopted,would be used as part of Bend's (This information furnished by William Smith.)
Pavement Preservation Program, which performs pavement
maintenance to avoid more costly street replacement.
Presently 24 cities in Oregon have adopted a motor vehicle fuel
tax.
If approved,the measure would take effect on July 1,2016. If the
measure is adopted,the fuel tax would expire unless reauthorized
by the City's voters by June 30,2026:
(This information furnished by Robyn Christie,City Recorder,City of
Bend.)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the
County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth
of any in the argument.
statement made
t g
Official Deschutes County 2016 Special Election Voters'Pamphlet
9-3 I Measures
Measure 9-105 Arguments
Argument in Favor Argument in Favor
Good Roads Save Lives An Investment in our Future
As emergency responders we're on the streets every day,and in Bend is a special place,and we must work hard to keep it that way.
our work seconds count. We live here because we believe this is one of the best communi-
Every time we dodge a pothole it slows us down,and it prevents ties in the nation—we celebrate family,recreation,natural beauty
police officers and firefighters from reaching those in need as and our love of the outdoors everyday.We know our values and
fast as we can. lifestyle will continue to attract more families, businesses, and
Bend deserves the best our emergency responders can provide, users of our roads.
and good roads mean better response times. We may not be able to slow growth,but we can do our best
Investing in our streets is simply a critical component to keeping to protect the livability of Bend.
Bend residents safe. Today,our roads are deteriorating with a significant increase in
That's why police officers and firefighters support the Bend Motor use.We experience the effects as large potholes,wide cracks and
Vehicle Fuel Tax. spiderwebs of broken concrete.These hazards break vehicles,
create congestion, and prevent the smooth flow of people and
The tax will cost the average motorist about$2.50 a month,but commerce in our city.All of this will cost more to fix the longer
this investment pays great dividends for the safety and well being we wait to address it.
of our community.
This fuel tax gives us an opportunity to fund our city's
Good roads save lives and we urge you to join us in voting yes long-delayed road improvement projects—which are more
on Measure 9-105. important than ever with increased use of our streets.
Respectfully, By voting yes on Measure 9-105 and investing in our streets now,
Trish Connolly,International Association of Firefighters,Local 227 we help ensure that continued impacts from visitors and residents
Leo Lotito,President,Bend Police Department Association alike will not overwhelm us.A fuel tax gives us an essential
strategy for funding repair and improvement of our transportation
(This information furnished by Trish Connolly,International Association infrastructure.Your vote helps ensure our roads will be brought
of Firefighters,Local 227.) up to a standard worthy of this vibrant community, made even
stronger through this responsible investment in our future.
Please join us in voting yes on Measure 9-105.
Signed,
Bruce Abernethy,Former Mayor
Cheryl Howard, Founding Member Bend Neighborhood
Associations
Vic Martinez, Board Member of Bend Chamber of Commerce
and Bend 2030 Chair
Mike Riley,Bend Resident
Molly Scofield, CEO Handsell and Looking Forward Board
Member
Kirk Schueler,CEO Brooks Resources Corporation
Peter Werner,Attorney
Ruth Williamson,former Bend Park and Recreation District and
Bend 2030 board member
(This information furnished by Ruth Williamson.)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the
County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth
of any statement made in the argument. of any statement made in the argument.
Official Deschutes County 2016 Special Election Voters'Pamphlet? 1
9-4 I Arguments
Turn page for rest of arguments
Measure 9-105 Arguments
Argument in Favor Argument In.Opposition
WE NEED A LOCAL FUEL TAX TO FIX OUR STREETS! It is wrong that a majority of the Bend City Council are asking you,
TIRED OF HITTING POTHOLES? the citizens of Bend,to tax yourselves an additional 5 cents per
gallon for fuel.Bend will then tie Eugene as having the highest
Street maintenance has not kept pace with the growth of our fuel tax in Oregon.They want us to falsely believe the city isn't re-
City. We see lots of potholes and cracks as our 840 miles of ceiving enough tax money to fix the roads.We believe otherwise.
streets continue to deteriorate. When needed pavement repairs Tax collection increases are projected to enhance Bend's General
are delayed,complete road reconstruction is often necessary—a Fund this year and next by over$9 million due to the rising
very expensive option. We must take better care of the streets economy of our community.The city has also identified over$5
we all use every day.
million from existing revenue that can also be dedicated to road
KEEP BEND A SPECIAL CITY repairs.These identified tax funds are more than enough to ac-
We know of other Cities that have let their streets go bad. None complish repairs without cuts to basic services,such as fire and
of us wants that to happen here. Pothole hazards and crumbling police functions.It is nearly impossible for the city to attempt more
pavement are hard on everyone's vehicles,slow Police and Fire than$6 million of repairs in one year,and accommodate every
responses,and are bad for Bend businesses. day road usage without traffic chaos.
The revenue from a fuel tax will be fully dedicated to road repairs The city council members who voted to put the tax measure on
and added to the existing, but very limited, revenue currently this March's ballot rejected an option to simply wait two months
available. An extensive year-long budget adjustment effort by the and place it on the May primary ballot for free;but instead chose
City Council has prioritized more revenue for street preservation. to spend up to$70,000 of your tax money with this special elec-
However,this effort has shown that additional funding from a fuel Lion.These councilors are misleading the voters,are not being
tax is the best long-term way to solve the problem. responsible with our tax dollars,and are pitting motorists,cyclists,
With this dedicated funding, the City will be able to bring the and pedestrians against each other.This is poor transportation
pavement up to a sustainable condition. Spending more on planning.Clearly,they are not spending your tax money wisely.
maintenance will avoid tens of millions to rebuild streets that It appears it is far too easy to ask for more tax than do the hard
have totally failed. work of seeking savings within the budget and developing a
reasonable transportation funding plan for the city.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? We feel the roads need to be repaired but this regressive tax will
A 5-cent tax amounts to only about two dollars a month for the only hurt lower and fixed income citizens at a time when the cost
average driver. More importantly,visitors and tourists would help of living has become a burden for many.
pay for repairing the roads they use. Such a small fuel tax is the
fairest way to get our streets fixed,and help shift this burden from
Bend property taxpayers. (This information furnished by John P.Philo,Deschutes County
Republican Party.)
PLEASE JOIN US IN VOTING YES ON MEASURE 9-105
Jim Clinton,Mayor
Sally Russell,Mayor Pro Tem
Doug Knight,City Councilor
Nathan Boddie,City Councilor
Barb Campbell,City Councilor
(This information furnished by Jim Clinton,Bend City Council.)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the
County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth
of any statement made in the argument. of any statement made in the argument.
Official Deschutes County 2016 Special Election Voters'Pamphlet
9-5 I Arguments
•
Measure 9-105 Arguments
Argument in Opposition Argument in Opposition
As a former Bend City Councilor and a small business owner,I I am an attorney representing people in Bend with child custody,
understand the city's budget and the need to prioritize spending divorce,domestic abuse and other family issues. I am a proud life-
decisions. I am voting no on the fuel tax for the following reasons: long Democrat. Democrats stand for protecting the vulnerable,
The city can and should maintain our streets without a new tax. and for giving a voice to people who otherwise would be unheard.
After initially reducing the money spent on paving,the City Council That's why,as a matter of fairness,I oppose the Bend gas tax.
recently"found"enough money to begin improving our streets this The Bend gas tax will hurt people who can least afford to pay more
year without a new tax. With growing city revenues,the Council at the gas station. These are the same people who are being
should continue to treat streets as a priority for existing funds, hammered by Bend's affordable housing crisis. Our leaders say
and not ask taxpayers for even more. they want to make Bend more affordable,but Bend's proposed
The proposed tax would be the highest fuel tax in the State of gas tax does just the opposite. It will make life even harder for
Oregon.tied with Eugene. The vast majority of cities in Oregon the least fortunate in our community.
do not have a city fuel tax at all. Bend should learn from other Every day,I work with people for whom every dollar makes a big
cities how to better prioritize its spending,rather than sticking Bend difference. They don't go to City Council meetings or serve on
drivers with the highest gas tax rate in the state outside Eugene. city committees. They are too busy trying to work one or more
Higher gas taxes hurt people who are struggling with Bend's high jobs,raise children,and otherwise make ends meet. Their voices
cost of living. We all know that it's not cheap to live in Bend. With are rarely heeded by our elected leaders.
soaring housing prices, the last thing many families need is to It is inexcusable that the City Council is spending between
pay more to fill up. If we are going to make Bend more afford- $60,000 and$70,000 to hold a special election in March,rather
able, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on people who than holding an election for free during the primary or general
are struggling most. election this year. More people—especially mare people of limited
A higher gas tax is really just a subsidy for Council pet projects means—vote in primary and general elections. By paying extra
and administrative costs. The city already receives approximately to hold a special election,the City Council is ensuring that the
$4.5 million per year from the state gas tax,but only plans to use voiceless in our community remain mute.
a fraction of that for paving. More gas tax revenue will simply These are not the people who should bear the brunt of fixing
allow the City Council to shift other funds away from paving to Bend's streets.They deserve better from their city government.
pay for things like more staff,a new City Hall,City Councilor pay I urge you to vote no on the Bend gas tax.
increases,and other pet projects.
Tell the City Council to live within its means and prioritize fixing (This information furnished by Kelly Hansen.)
our streets. Vote no on the fuel tax.
(This information furnished by Scott Ramsay.)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by the
County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth County of Deschutes,nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth
of any statement made in the argument. of any statement made in the argument.
Official Deschutes County 2016 Special Election Voters'Pamphlet
9-6 I Arguments