Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />1. Oppose any legislation to repeal provisions of the statewide policy which <br />preserve more prohibitive locally enacted ordinances regulating smoking in <br />public places and places of employment. <br /> <br />2. Support any legislation to enact restrictions similar to Eugene’s on a statewide <br /> <br />basis. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />H.USE OF THE INITIATIVE PROCESS, ELECTION REFORM <br /> <br /> <br />Oregon has two systems of lawmaking: one by the people themselves (the initiative process) and <br />one by their elected representatives (the State Legislature and local government bodies). This <br />dual system serves the public interest best when the strengths of each system offset the <br />weaknesses of the other. <br /> <br />The number of statewide initiatives measures has steadily increased in recent elections. As a <br />result, some problems have arisen that affect both state and local government in Oregon. While <br />state and legislative bodies are required to balance budgets, initiative lawmaking is under no such <br />constraints. Some initiative measures have imposed heavy financial burdens on state and local <br />governments, and yet made no provision to paying the cost of those burdens. Several initiatives <br />have enacted new programs or policies directly into the state constitution rather than by statute, <br />creating difficulties of interpretation, implementation and financing. The ability of the State <br />Legislature to respond is also limited. <br /> <br />Initiative campaigns are increasingly placed on the ballot by private sponsors, without public or <br />legal review, and are promoted by professional high-tech campaigns. Voters are faced with a <br />dizzying array of complex measures on their ballots. Reforms are needed to ensure that the <br />initiative process is no longer distorted and balance is returned to the system. <br /> <br />Recommendations: <br /> <br /> 1. Support proposals to increase the number of signatures required for an initiated <br />constitutional amendment. <br /> <br />City of Eugene Legislative Policies, 2007 Session <br />With IGR Mtg 10/17 and 10/26 Amendments C:\Documents and Settings\ceexelf\Local Settings\Temporary Internet <br />Files\OLK10B\LegPol2007Sesxx1.doc <br />Updated on: 11/6/2006 By: Last saved by ceexmfw <br /> 73 <br /> <br />