SALEM- The Oregon Legislature announced last week the naming of the Joint Legislative Argument Committees on Ballot Measures 70, 71, and 72.
The committees, recently named by Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, and House Speaker Dave Hunt, D-Clackamas, were created for the purposes of drafting arguments in support of the ballot measures proposed by the Legislature.
The committees are set to meet on August 12 for Measure 72, August 18 for Measure 70, and August 20 for Measure 71.
Measure 70 was passed by the Legislature in 2009 as a House Joint Resolution bringing before the voters the option to “expand availability of home ownership for veterans” as part of the Oregon War Veterans’ Fund.
Measure 71, meanwhile was just passed in February as the controversial Senate Joint Resolution to create annual meetings of the State Legislature. Currently the Legislature meets every other year with emergency sessions and committee hearings in the interim.
Also passed in February as a Senate Joint Resolution, Measure 72 is an option for voters to authorize an “exception to the $50,000 state borrowing limit for the state’s real and personal property projects.”
I’m all for helping Vets but isn’t helping people buy houses they couldn’t afford partly what got us into this mess?
71 is bullshit. It is an expense we do not need. If the legislator is given more time it will be spent taking money from lobbying and pork deals will occur with very little actual work for the state. They would have plenty of time now if it wasn’t for pissing away money on foolish expenses. If they want to come in on the off year, they could do it on their own time.
The borrowing limit for the state should be changed, it should be zero. If allowed to borrow money will be borrowed for pork barrel projects and to kiss up to unions and other lobbyist.