Campaign Finance Reform

LWVOR uses the LWVUS position: The League supports measures to improve methods of financing political campaigns in order to ensure the public's right to know, combat corruption and undue influence, enable candidates to compete more equitably for public office and promote citizen participation in the political process.

Constitutional Provisions

LWVOR believes that the Oregon Constitution should be a basic framework of state government, free of obsolete material and statutory detail. It should guarantee basic democratic rights to the people of the state, it should provide for a legislative assembly by providing a bill of rights and reserving initiative and referendum powers to the people.
 

Economic Development Revenue Bonds

LWVOR supports the authority to issue Economic Development Revenue Bonds by the state, ports, and cities with more than 300,000 population.

Election Laws

LWVOR recognizes that election procedures and voter information are critical elements to an informed and participating electorate.

Emergency Board

LWVOR supports the use of the appointed Emergency Board to provide fiscal adjustment between legislative sessions.

Fiscal Policy - Tax System

Evaluating Taxes: LWVOR believes any tax proposals should be evaluated with regard to its effect on the entire tax structure.

Fiscal Responsibility: LWVOR believes local government should have primary responsibility for financing non-school local government. Local services mandated by the state should have state funding.

Income Tax: LWVOR supports the income tax as the most equitable means of providing state revenue.

Sales Tax: LWVOR supports the adoption of a sales tax provided the rate cannot be increased without voter approval and regressivity is reduced through a tax credit or rebate and exemptions for items such as food, rent and utilities.

Property Tax: LWVOR supports the use of the local property tax for partially financing local government and local services.

School District Financing: LWVOR believes that the major portion of the cost of public schools should be borne by the state.

Emergency Clause: LWVOR supports removing the emergency clause restriction on revenue measures.

Initiative, Referendum and Recall

Statute Initiatives: LWVOR supports the constitutional right of Oregon citizens to propose or revise statutes through the direct initiative process.

Constitutional Initiatives: LWVOR discourages amending the Oregon Constitution by the initiative process.

LWVOR supports the Oregon petition referendum process as well as the recall process as provided in the Oregon Constitution.

Judicial System

LWVOR believes that certain criteria should be used in evaluating a system of selecting judges in Oregon including absence of political influence, competence and increased citizen participation.

A system of financing the district and circuit courts should provide equalization and stability of services statewide.