Calls made (by me) at 8 PM:

MESD: Killian vs. Johnson RUNOFF, Okamura eliminated. Washington WINS. Gratton WINS. Spellman WINS.

PDX Schools: Adkins UNSEATS Morgan. Wynde DEFEATS Schulz.

PDX Measures: 26-89 (Charter Review) PASSES. 26-91 (Form of Government) FAILS. 26-90 and 26-92 are likely to both pass, but are too close to call for now.

I would have liked to see the current form of government changed to one that has commissioners elected by local district and the mayor elected at large.

Near final turnout from Mult Co is: 85,750 23% as of 8:30 PM. http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dbcs/elections/2007-05/turnout.shtml

In Washington County we had a lousy 16.97% turnout - embarrassing.

One Beaverton School District seat was lost by only 490 votes. 490 votes - that is a tiny gap to fill!

This was the one seat that was NOT in the voter's pamphlet and which therefore, did not have the endorsement of our local Democratic politicians available for all to see. I don't think that is a coincidence.

Neither of the candidates in this particular race paid to get in the pamphlet.

I just found it interesting that two candidates who did pay to get in the pamphlet listed very simillar endorsements and won their races.

It made me wonder if the simple deciding factor in this race was that nobody knew anything about the candidates.

I think it is also significant to point out that there were about 3,000 people who voted on the other Beaverton Schools Seats, but did not weigh in on this race. And the winning candidate only won by 490 votes! Imagine if the people knew something about these candidates how they would have voted.

How amazing that all it takes is a little bit of information, especially in these low turn-out races. The people who vote tend to be very serious voters who are not going to cast a ballot just because they saw your sign on the street corner. But sadly the sign on the street corner and word-of-mouth campaigning is more affordable than a spot in the pamphlet.

In Washington County, our party doesn't endorse candidates in any elections. Believe me, I've tried to change that, especially for non-partisan races.

But our finance committee has done an amazing job raising funds to help support candidates. We can give donations which could be used towards the pamphlet, the process is now in place for that. They just can't tell anybody that we support them - officially - in the pammphlet.

Hi Folks...

Dismal, though not unexpected, results from SW Oregon. All of the levies to replace federal payments in lieu of taxes/timber receipts [PILT] failed by similar 60/40 margins.

Jeff Golden of the Jefferson Exchange/NPR started a discussion this morning asking listeners how they would replace funding. While there were a few thoughtful suggestions the majority of comments were of the "mistrust of government" variety. I found the same thing in my shop this morning. Amazingly, most of my mechanics and service personnel voted. Unfortunately they all voted no. Strip away the talk radio rhetoric and the common feeling is that local and state government does not act in the interest of everyday folks.

Southern Oregon has certainly lagged behind the rest of the state in its willingness and ability to adapt to economic change. We have poor local leadership in business, education and politics. I've seen worse places in my travels and work in the rural west but not by much.

If I gauge my employees feelings correctly I'd say that they are frightened by a lagging economy, frightened by their inability to raise their standard of living and frightened of what the future holds for themselves and their kids. They blame politicians and beauracrats[sp?], corporations and lobbyists, public employee unions,.....anybody who appears to be doing better.

I'm not sure what the solutions are but I do know that the Democratic Party has not proposed any more realistic and practical solutions than the competition.

Regards

wharf rat-

Thanks for the report from the southern sector of the state. I'd have to agree with your prognosis, having spent a good amount of time, and having family there. There's still something... not quite sure how to put it or what it is exactly... but perhaps it's resentment? For those who haven't been able to pull themselves up to the level of affluence that they see increasing around them, there seems to be envy and resentment. And for those who are affluent, there seems to be a common thread of conservative I've-got-mine-so-get-lost-ness.

Southern Oregon's a great place, but I think it needs... something.

I would say that it needs a high-speed-rail link to Portland, a commuter rail/light rail network linking up the major population centers, a bunch of transit-oriented development around all the stations, and a MAJOR university (an upgrade from the minor university already there). All of these things would cause a potential concentration of people and ideas, which is what is needed to light the creative fire to move that region ahead into the information age.

But I digress from the topic at hand. Too bad about the election. Does this mean the libraries will stay closed? Any future solutions in sight?

I spent a godd part of my life in southern Oregon. Wharf rat decribes it pretty accurately. Especially, "the common feeling is that local and state government does not act in the interest of everyday folks.

Southern Oregon has certainly lagged behind the rest of the state in its willingness and ability to adapt to economic change. We have poor local leadership in business, education and politics...." I think you also have to add the sentiment that it's sotuhern Oregon against Portland. That sentiment has fueld the debate of creating the "State of Jeferson". A group that was actually wanting to separate from the rest of Oregon to create a new state. I don't know if that's still going around.

As far as the suggestion of building a hight speed rail link to Portland. I doubt that would go over very well. It might be better to build a time machine. When I moved there it seemed to me the entire area was behind the times about 7 to ten years. At least that's how long it took to see a Starbuck's or an Olive Garden open up there.

It's still a beautiful area. There's hope.

According to the Forest Service website, Bush's proposed 2008 budget includes funding sources should someone propose to extend the Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act again. (It was the expiration of this act that led, in part, to the initial closure; rather than actively seeking alternative funding, county commissioners continued to depend on the $23 million per year to pay for the libraries and other public services.)

So now we need to get some lobbyists working on reviving the RSCDA.

I live in Southern Oregon and I vote.

The no votes are much the same as usual. I am one of them. The constant mantra of delivery of public services through increase property tax load must stop. There is no longer the attitude here that a vocal minority can bully the majority of property owners into coming up w/the funds for pet projects.

Witness the debacle recently at SOU. There, less than 1 per cent of the students voted in a feel good green energy tax of 15 per semester on the entire student body. SOU accepted this and will pass it on. Simply amazing.

We hold onto out desire for a reasonable timber harvest because it is out land - logging at a reasonable rate on the Biscuit Fire alone would have averted the recent crisis. What is interesting to me is that others are surprised that they rip our funding base out from under us and then don't understand when social services suffer.

So, nutmeg, how do you propose to fund social services? You're clearly against increased property taxes; would you also oppose a sales tax?

<h2>Good Question. Actually I would favor a consumption based (sales) tax that exempted esentials such as food, medical services and medicine.</h2>