2012 Oregon Ballot Measure Recommendations

Starting today, ballots will be mailed to registered Oregon Voters. November 6th is Election Day and the last day ballots can be turned in.

Here is Causa Oregon's 2012 Voters Guide with recommendations on Measures 79, 84 and 85:



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Voters Protect Oregon’s Future by Passing Measures 66 and 67

On Tuesday Night, Oregonians passed Measures 66 and 67, two tax fairness measures which increases taxes on households making at or above $250, 000 ($125,000 for individuals) and raises the $10 corporate minimum tax to $150 minimum for most businesses. Prior to the passage of this measure, more than two-thirds of corporations doing business in Oregon paid just the $10 a year corporate minimum income tax.

The measures passed statewide early on in the evening. According to the Oregon Secretary of State, Measure 66 passed by 53.90% and Measure 67 passed by 53.38%.

A large group of community organizations, including unions, small business owners, advocates for children and seniors, churches, environmental organizations, and civil rights groups came together to pass the measures. Over 250 organizations formed the Yes for Oregon coalition to mobilize voters for the January election. CAUSA and our sister Organizations Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) and Voz Hispana Causa Chavista were part of the coalition.

A special thanks goes to the Oregon Labor Movement who worked tirelessly alongside small business owners, advocates for children and seniors, churches, environmental organizations, civil rights groups and concerned individuals to pass these very important measures. Due to their hard work, jobs, schools and services that Oregonians depend on and care about have been saved.

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400 Walk for Respect and Dignity in Columbia County

St. Helens, Ore.--On Wednesday, at least 400 members of the Columbia County Latino community and their allies joined together for a community walk, entitled “Procession for Respect and Dignity.”

Organized by Latinos Unidos para un Futuro Mejor (LUFM), or Latinos United for a Better Future, the procession began at the First Christian Church and winded through St. Helens ending at the Columbia County Courthouse. The group had grown out of the struggle against two Columbia County ballot measures targeting the immigrant community.

The Procession for Respect and Dignity featured speeches by members of the community who shared their experience of the ballot measures. “When these measures first appeared on the ballots, I felt as though I would have to leave the town in which I loved so much,” said Gretchen Ramos, a Columbia County Resident. “How could I raise my children here? My husband is now legal, but I want my children to belong to a community that is united.”

Yesterday’s procession though St. Helens, brought responsible community members, who work hard to support their families and contribute to the local economy, together for a demonstration of solidarity.

"We organized this procession because as Latinos we want to show a positive image of ourselves that we are hardworking, honest people who care deeply about our family and community”, said, Yesenia Sanchez, President of Unidos para un Futuro Mejor (LUFM). "Human rights and dignity belong to everybody. It doesn't matter where you come from, the color of your skin, or your documentation status. Everyone deserves to be treated with human dignity.”

The situation that members of the community addressed yesterday is not unique to Columbia County. It reflects an issue of national concern. “This country needs to fix it's broken immigration system. We need just and humane immigration reform. Lacking that we will see poor localized solutions like Arizona and now Columbia County, said Marcy Westerling of the Rural Organizing Project, based in Columbia County. “What we have seen in this community could happen anywhere else in the country if one person decides to go on a crusade.”

At the close of yesterday’s procession members of Latinos Unidos para un Futuro Mejor (LUFM) delivered a letter from the community with a basket of white flowers to St. Helen’s City Hall. The basket of flowers is a symbol of peace.

Measure 5-190, which seeks to impose heavy fines on employers of undocumented immigrants, was approved by voters but has been placed on hold temporarily due to challenges to its constitutionality. Measure 5-191 failed at the ballot.

For comment, members of the press can contact Amanda Aguilar Shank at 971 645-5279 and Marcy Westerling at 503 369-3565 or 503 543-3647

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Photos: Procession for Respect and Dignity

Today, over 300 members of the Columbia County Latino community and their allies joined together for a community walk, entitled Procession for Respect and Dignity. Read more about the event here. More photos can be found here.

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Columbia County Latinos lead Procession for Respect and Dignity

A Group in the Shadows emerges in support of strong community values

St. Helens, Ore--On Wednesday, February 18th, members of the Columbia County Latino community and their allies will join together for a community walk, entitled Procession for Respect and Dignity.

The walk is organized by the new group Latinos Unidos para un Futuro Mejor (LUFM, or Latinos United for a Better Future), and is a public demonstration of the faces of Columbia County’s Latino Community that has been under attack for the last eighteen months by ballot measures 5-190 and 5-191. The Procession for Respect and Dignity will bring our neighbors and ourselves out of the shadows and show honest, responsible community members that work hard to support families and contribute to the local economy.

At a recent organizing meeting, community members brainstormed reasons that they felt the procession would be an important gesture. “We want to show the community that we are the same, we are human beings. We are respectful and contribute towards our community, and we deserve to be treated with dignity,” said Yesenia Sanchez, LUFM president.

“It is important to be organized and united in these difficult economic times in order to support the entire community,” added LUFM vice-president Martha Olmstead.

Latinos Unidos para un Futuro Mejor was formed in response to the passage of county ballot measure 5-190, yet to be implemented, which if enacted would fine local employers $10,000 for hiring undocumented workers. Since November, Columbia County has attracted wide attention for dramatic job loss as businesses close shop or move to other parts of the state. Lionila Jimenez, LUFM secretary commented, "I have the legal right to work in this country, but the measure has still affected me. My hours have been cut from five days a week to two or three. This measure is affecting the entire community."

Gary Liao, a local business owner and plaintiff in the court challenge to the measure said, "Measure 5-190, in addition to containing errors, omissions, and mixing jurisdictions, would create a climate of suspicion adversely affecting innocent employers and innocent people."

With measure 5-190 and its high-profile court challenge, the previously invisible Latino community has been thrust into the spotlight. In the Procession for Respect and Dignity, the community will speak with a united voice for the first time, and show that we are your neighbors: honest, working people who deserve respect and dignity.

WHEN: Wednesday, February 18, 2009. 4pm – 6pm
WHERE: In St. Helens, Oregon. Starting at the St. Frederic Catholic Church at 175 S 13th, and ending at the County Courthouse.
WHO: New community organization Latinos Unidos para un Futuro Mejor (LUFM), in collaboration with Columbia County Citizens for Human Dignity (CCCHD), and with support from the Rural Organizing Project, and CAUSA: Oregon’s Immigrants Rights Coalition.

Members of the media can contact Yesenia Sanchez at 503-396-9279 and Martha Olmstead at 503-369-9996 for comment.