Sizemore Has Turned Oregon’s Initiative System Into His
Own Money-Making Scheme

Bill Sizemore has changed Oregon’s historic initiative system from an outlet for grassroots ideas into a full‐blown, for‐profit industry that serves only his wallet. The more he exploits the system, the more money he earns.

Every two years, Sizemore files dozens of copies of the same initiatives. He then picks the one that gets the best ballot title (a process that costs the state considerable money), and then gets a large check from out‐of‐state donors to push it to the ballot, using fraud, forgery, and racketeering to qualify.

Then, when Oregon voters reject his harmful ideas, he comes right back two years later with the exact same measures and repeats the steps all over again.


[Cartoon courtesy of Jesse Springer/SpringerCreative.com]

Sizemore’s favorite themes: Taking away the rights of workers like nurses,firefighters, and teachers, attacking Oregon schools, and tax cuts that only benefit the wealthy and result in deep budget cuts to basic services like education, public safety, and healthcare.

And every step is funded by out‐of‐state, right wing millionaires like Loren Parks.

Take a look at the list:

1994  
Referendum: Authorizes bonds for Portland light rail, transportation projects elsewhere
Requires Voter Approved on all Taxes, Increases
Amends Constitution: Public Employees Pay Half Cost of Retirement Benefits
Amends Constitution: Bars New or Increased Taxes Without Voter Approval
Amends Constitution: Public Employees Pay Part of Salary for Pension
Amends Constitution: Public Employees Pay Part of Salary for Pension
Amends Constitution: Limits Property Taxes, Forbids Replacement Fees Without Vote
Amends Constitution: Limits Property Taxes, Forbids Replacement Fees Without Vote
Amends Constitution: Public Employees Need Not Pay Money To Union
Ends Property Taxes For Schools: Legislature Temporarily Replaces Lost Funding
Amends Constitution: Forbids Commitment of Lottery Revenues To Repay Long Term Debts
 
1996  
Amends Constitution: Limits Property Taxes, Forbids Replacement Fees Without Vote
Amends Constitution: Limits Property Taxes, Forbids Replacement Fees Without Vote
Amends Constitution: Public Employees Need Not Pay Money To Union
Ends Property Taxes For Schools: Legislature Temporarily Replaces Lost Funding
Amends Constitution: Forbids Commitment of Lottery Revenues To Repay Long Term Debts
Amends Constitution: Public Employees Need Not Pay Union Money For Any Reason
Amends Constitution: Reduces and Limits Property Taxes; Limits Local Revenues, Replacement Fees
Restricts Public Union Dues Assessments, Uses; Prohibits Dues Payroll Deductions
Public Employee Freedom of Choice Act
Public Employees Need Not Pay Share Of Union Representation Costs
Amends Constitution: Instructs State, Federal Legislators To Vote For Congressional Term Limits
 
1998
Separation of Union and State Act
Workplace Freedom Act
No Forced Political Contributions
No Taxpayer Money For Politics (qualified M59) (failed)
Congressional Term Limits
Campaign Finance Reform For Employees
Requires Employees Permission to Deduct Political Funds from Paycheck
Voluntary Term Limits Act of 1998
Spending Limit Act of 1998
An Act to Prohibit Regional Government
The Efficiency in Government Act
Measure to Dissolve Metro
Efficiency in Government Act
Spending Limits Act
Efficiency in Government Act
Spending Limits Act
Initiative Reform Act
Initiative Reform Act (rev. 7/11/97)
Act to Prohibit Regional Governments
Spending Limits Act of 1998
Taxpayer Protection Initiative
Open and Fair Elections Act
 
2000  
Taxpayer Protection Initiative            
An Act To Prohibit Regional Governments            
Measure To Grant Control Of Land Use Planning To Local Committees            
Efficiency In Government Act            
Prohibition Against Double Taxation            
An Act To Prohibit Regional Governments
Prohibition Against Double Taxation (Qualified M91) (failed)
Prohibition Against Double Taxation
Measure To Prohibit Govt. Collection Of Political Funds
An Act To Prohibit Regional Governments
Prohibition Against Double Taxation            
Allows Supermajority For Tax Increases To Pass With A Simple Majority            
Prohibits Using Public Resources For Political Purposes           
Requires Written Permission For Political Dues Payroll Deduction
Requires Contracting Out Of Govt Services            
Just Compensation Act            
Conflict of Interest Prevention Act            
Performance Pay For Teachers
Oregon School Reform Act of 2000
Taxpayer Protection Initiative
Conflict of Interest Prevention Act            
Taxpayer Protection Initiative            
Initiatives 250 Words Or Less Need No Ballot Title            
Just Compensation For Regulatory "Takings"
Just Compensation For Regulatory "Takings"
Taxpayer Protection Initiative
Accountability In Education Act
Spending Limit Act of 2000
State Government Spending Limit
The Neighborhood Preservation Act
An Amendment To Preserve Self-Government
Measure To Allow Cities/Counties To Withdraw From Metro
Protects Lower and Middle Class Tax Cuts            
Protects Full Deductibility of Federal Income Taxes If Approved By Voters            
Article XVII, Section 1a            
Prevents Courts From Overturning Voter-Approved Tax Cut            
Measure to Clarify Single Subject Rule            
Measure to Protect Proportional Tax Cuts            
Establishes Conflict Resolution Rules For Conflicting Ballot Measures
Financial Privacy Act
Procedural Challenges to Initiative Petitions
Equality in Campaign Spending Limits            
Campaign Finance Reform            
Measure to Resolve Conflicting Initiatives            
Measure to Limit Out-of-State and Union Contributions
Measure 82 Referendum on HB 2082
 
2002
Initiative To Require Employee Authorization For Political Payroll Deductions            
Initiative to Prohibit Using Public Resources to Collect Political Funds
Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief Act
Senior Citizen Property Tax Relief Act
Makes Payroll Taxes Deductible On Oregon Tax Return            
No Using Public Payroll System to Collect Political Funds
Prudent Government Act            
No Income Taxes on Payroll Taxes            
Ends Prevailing Wage and PLAs            
Employee Right to Self-Representation            
Right To Self-Representation
Keep The Cash Close To Home            
Union Employees Not Required to Pay for Unwanted Services
Maintain Our Roads            
Keep The Money Close To Home            
Income Tax Limit            
Workplace Freedom Act            
Prohibits Public Employee Unions From Influencing Elections
Own Your Own Home
Lowest Responsible Bidder Wins Contract
No Retirement Pension For Legislators
Tax Sales Not Property
Use Common Sense In Initiative Process            
Eliminate Single Subject Loophole            
Property Rights For Rural Landowners            
Ceiling on State Spending
Employer Cannot Bargain Away Workers' Rights            
Taxpayers Right to a Fair Deal            
Abolishes Property Tax, Adopts Sales Tax
Do Not Turn Oregon Into A Casino
No Taxation Through Litigation
Teacher Competency Act            
A Fair Tax
Courts Can't Invalidate Voter Approved Measures
Initiative Procedural Reform
Stop the Sprawl
Tax Reform Act Of 2002
No After The Fact Challenges
Judicial Term Limits
County Judges Cannot Invalidate State Measures
Judicial Candidates Party Identification
No After The Fact Changes - 2002
Judicial Term Limits 2002
Term Limit The Judges For Accountability
Limits Terms For Judges
 
2004  
Property Tax Cap Of Two Percent            
The 2% Cap On Property Taxes            
Stop Double Taxing Payroll Taxes            
Initiative Integrity Act            
No More Double Taxation            
Judicial Accountability Initiative
Tax Consumption Not Property
A Sales Tax We Can Live With
Committee To End Forced Political Contributions            
Keep Government Neutral In Elections            
Limit Public Sector Union Influence
A Better Tax System
A Good Sales Tax
An Act To Preserve Property Rights
Just Compensation For Regulatory Takings
Property Tax Limit
$2,000 Cap
An Act To Limit Partisanship
End Income Tax Discrimination
Initiative Integrity Act
Abolish Public Employee Unions
Right To Vote On Unionism
Stop The Banks From Gouging
 
2006
Abolishes Public Sector Unions            
Judicial Fairness In Elections            
Makes Some State Offices Non-Partisan            
$1,500 Cap On Residential Property Taxes            
Guarantees Same Deductions As On Federal Return
No Coerced Political Payroll Deductions            
Public Employee Right To Vote On Union Representation            
Government Employee Protection Act            
Option To Reduce Property Tax By 20%            
Secretary Of State Must Check Every Signature            
No Public Resources To Collect Political Funds            
Ban On Seniority Based School Lay-Offs            
Schools Must Retain Best Teachers            
Ban On Discrimination In Insurance
Districting Of Judges
Private Property May Not Be Taken For Private Use            
Judicial Legislating Prohibition            
Limit On Bank Gouging            
Abolish Inheritance Taxes            
Prohibit Double Taxation            
Internet Freedom Act  
 

>> more >>

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Bill Sizemore photo by Northwest Labor Press