Oregon Resource Guide
Sam Adams State Resource Guides are designed to help citizens get involved in their home state.
Do you have additional information that you'd like to see on this list? Please email your tips to resources@samadamsalliance.org.
Background
Oregon is a left-leaning state, with a Democratic governor and Democratic majorities in the Oregon State Senate and the Oregon House of Representatives. Ballot initiatives are a popular tool in this state; in 2006, 10 ballot measures were listed.
Issues
Property Rights: Oregonians passed Measure 37, a property rights protection law, in 2004. Measure 37 ensures that property owners are compensated by governments if the governments decide not to allow the property owners to use their land the way they originally intended to when they purchased it. However, this law is at risk this November with Measure 49, which would limit the degree to which property rights are protected, and would prevent developers from building large subdivisions and industrial developments. For more information, visit Stop 49.
Ballot initiative protection: Some politicians in Oregon have tried to limit ballot initiative rights. This spring, 31 members of the Oregon House voted for HB 2082, a bill that would make it more difficult for citizens, regardless of political inclination, to refer issues to the statewide ballot. Groups like FreedomWorks and Initiative Petition 134 are working to protect citizens' ballot initiative rights.
Action Groups
Taxpayer Association of Oregon
http://www.oregonwatchdog.com/stage/whoweare.htm
Oregonians in Action
http://oia.org/
Stop 49
http://stop49.com/
Oregon Taxpayers United
www.otu.org
Think Tanks
Cascade Policy Institute
www.CascadePolicy.org
Resources
Government Waste Watch Center
http://www.oregonwatchdog.com/stage/waste.htm
Oregon Blue Book
http://bluebook.state.or.us/default.htm
Oregon State Salaries
http://news.statesmanjournal.com/state/state_salaries.cfm
Blogs
NW Republican
http://nwrepublican.blogspot.com/
Eugene Rant
http://eugeneunderground.blogspot.com/
Oregon Catalyst
http://www.oregoncatalyst.com/
Max Redline
http://maxredline.typepad.com/maxredline/
Upper Left Coast
http://upperleftcoast.blogspot.com/
Conservative Oregon
http://conservativeoregon.blogspot.com/
Northwest Conservative Underground
http://nwcu.blogspot.com/
News Sources
Oregon Watchdog
http://www.oregonwatchdog.com/
As Featured in Common Sense:
Oregon Politicians vs. Oregon People
Crazy Parents for School Choice
Citizen Involvement Not Wanted
