And the Wheelie Goes To ... ?
Jeff Alworth
Consider the historic standards: The Bottle Bill, beach access, land-use planning and the Urban Growth Boundary, the Oregon Health Plan, Death With Dignity. In terms of innovative public policy, Oregon pretty much rocks. Our laurels are well-deserved and well-earned, but if you look at that list closely, you'll see that it gets a little short the more recent you get.
The Bus Project, stalwart encourager of innovation, is spending this Saturday evening highlighting the more recent accomplishments at their awards show The Wheelies. In particular, they're honoring "outstanding public interest achievement," aka the Rubber Hits the Road Award. (As a side note, this will be interesting not least for seeing who accepts the award. Public policy achievements can be so stand-offish and remote, not to mention poorly-dressed. But perhaps the winner will be a little more tangible.I digress.)
Your mission, should you wish to take it, is to offer your argument. What's Oregon's biggest achievement of the new century? The rainy day fund? Domestic partnerships? One of the several global-warming-related measures? The new, improved bottle bill? Since the nominations for the award are already in, this is perhaps a discussion to help persuade the Bus about which to choose.
It's worth noting that before the '04 election, BlueOregon had a post on the worst ballot measure. For the better part of a decade, and certainly during the Bush years, innovation has been in a defensive crouch in Oregon, hiding behind regressive tax-cut efforts and anti-gay and anti-land-use measures. This session has brought about a sea change in governance, and innovation is peeking its head up for the first time in a long time. It's nice to celebrate the turnaround.
And the Wheelie goes to ... ? Make your case.
The Wheelies
Saturday, June 9th, 8pm
Portland Armory
128 NW 11th
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1:42 p.m.
Jun 5, '07
For me, the unfolding initiatives on global warming (alternative energy, biodiesel initiatives, the West Coast pact, etc.) will look like far bigger deals in a decade than they look now. Our proclivity toward innovation and our natural orientation toward the environment makes it easy to make some of these changes--and I think it will be the states who lead the feds on addressing the policy issues that will make the difference.
This is land-use planning for the 21st century.
2:40 p.m.
Jun 5, '07
I'm still partial to the idea of the Tillamook 50-50. Saving more of our State Forest seems like a great progressive idea to me - what say thee, Dems, still time left?
http://www.blueoregon.com/2004/10/timber_companie.html
2:59 p.m.
Jun 5, '07
Not sure how the Measure 34 (a.k.a. the Tillamook 50-50 plan) can be offfered as a Wheelie, since it failed at the ballot box.
4:37 p.m.
Jun 5, '07
Biggest so far is a tie - catching up with the times on domestic partnerships and the bottle bill. Long overdue and will both have clear, positive impacts on Oregonians. Don't get me wrong, I think the nation needs to address global warming in a big way, but little Oregon can do little to change our collective future on that in a measurable way...the Leg's work on that sets a great example for folks in DC to act, but we are not necessarily the leaders on that front that all other states are looking at.
The bottle bill was eroded by the explosion in exempt containers...and that measure closes the gap considerably. Oregon's stature as a place where civil rights are honored and respected was eroded by Measure 36....and domestic partnerships restores our honor.
Now, if the legislature would only breath life back into the Oregon Health Plan.....that would be nice.
While adding the rainy day fund to the overstated-named Education Stability Fund was a good move, the rainy day fund is by design too small and the amount of money that can be used too limited to provide the protection we will need in the next recession, notwithstanding all the accolades and claims that were made when it was passed. Add to that the fact that the Leg failed to get the corporate kicker permanently dedicated to it, the fund is not likely to grow as fast as it may be needed, that one certainly shouldn't win.
4:40 p.m.
Jun 5, '07
When I got the very first e-mail some months ago about this, I immediately filled out the submission form with my opinion on the best item. It actually was two items, but I feel they're so tied together that they deserve to be recognized together: the domestic partnership bill and the anti-discrimination bill.
Jun 5, '07
If anyone deserves an award it is the young people behind The Bus Project. Whenever we are inclined to conclude the glass is half empty and going down, these youngest members of the active generation help us see that the glass is half full and being replenished.
Jun 5, '07
Too bad the Democrats didn't campaign on over turing M36 overtunind M37, raising taxes and adopting global warming policies. They would be less of a minority then they were. But that's how ya all work isn't it. Naturally with our newspapers providing spin and cover for your handy work it will take a while for it to sink in and the voters to react to what you are doing.
7:24 p.m.
Jun 5, '07
Walter:
For the last time, no one overturned M36. Those who put M36 on the ballot and actively worked to make sure it was passed specifically stated that if same-sex couples wanted the rights, they should go to their state legislature. They said they had no problem with civil unions. They said this stuff over and over. It was on tv, on printed materials, and in the newspaper. Same-sex couples did exactly as they said. M36 was about marriage. Marriage comes with thousands of rights and is recognized nationally. Domestic partnerships (civil union) come with a few hundred state recognized rights that are only recognized in Oregon.
Polls showed that while the majority of Oregonians were in favor of M36, they were also in favor of civil unions.
To raise taxes, you need more than a simple majority. That's why things like the Healthy Kids Plan and changing the corporate minimum tax (it's been $10 since the 1930s) didn't go through. We need the Republicans to vote with us as well.
Jun 5, '07
Done, in order: 1 - Domestic partnership/ anti-discrimination legislation. 2 - Oregon initiatives on global warming 3 - Reinvestment in K-12 4 - Expansion/update of bottle bill legislation
Pending: 1 - Mandarin promotion legislation (HB 2763 or more) 2 - Reinvestments in Higher Education
Missing: 1 - Carbon tax to cut green house gases (revenue neutral, so reduction in other taxes) 2 - Finding a stable system of state revenues
Jun 6, '07
This post references defending against anti-gay measures "for the better part of a decade." Actually it's been for well over two decades.
Jun 6, '07
A key thing that I am not hearing mentioned that should have been passed was a revision of the ballot measure system. I believe that there was talk about ending the paid signiture gathers in favor of an online system. This seems to have been lost somewhere.
In relation to this, why are we still asking for a tiny number of registered voters to get a measure on the ballot? We are a state of 3 million and it takes, what 50,000 signitures? (I am guessing here, but I know it is low)
Also, what is it that a Constitutional Amendment can be passed by 50% + 1?? What does "constitution" mean anyway? Constitional amendments should require not only more signatitures, but a super majority of voters to approve it. Just my thought on this.
10:20 a.m.
Jun 6, '07
OK, this might be a little self-serving on the part of the Bus, but I think the Bus-supported bill to allow voter registration by 17-year-olds is hugely important. Basically, it allows voter registration drives in high schools. Nearly all seniors will be able to register to vote now.
Jun 7, '07
Jeff Alworth:>/b> Consider the historic standards: The Bottle Bill, beach access, land-use planning and the Urban Growth Boundary, the Oregon Health Plan, Death With Dignity. In terms of innovative public policy, Oregon pretty much rocks.
Bob T: Yeah, you forgot---> Prohibition (1914, six years before the entire nation was forced into it), and (a much briefer fling) with criminalizing all private schooling. I don't mind innovation, provided people's rights are not violated. Ergo, your list is a mixed bag.
For example, the UGB idea is akin to Jim Crow laws in the South, i.e. brought about by the fear of an "unmanaged" free society -- rednecks at the end of the 1800s had grown too fearful of a future in which free blacks were becoming quite upwardly mobile and self-sufficient due to a free enterprise system and they couldn't stand it any longer so responded by ignoring rights that are part of a free society, such as restricting even what Big Bad Corporations did -- sell First Class tickets to blacks where they could sit with whites (what mattered was green money which both had), and the Big Bad Corporations were told that all they cared about was money and not "regional concerns", hence the laws that were then rubber-stamped by the dreadful Plessy V. Ferguson case in 1896. Sorry, but that's history.
Bob T
Jun 7, '07
Ok so, domestic partnerships and anti-discrimnation legislation are SUPER important and the update to the Bottle Bill was good but really do we consider these innovations? Unfortunately several other states are way ahead of us on these issues because of our lack of initiative (or initiatives) to pass progressive, forward-thinking, innovative solutions. So my suggestions comes from a local example, enter Mayor Tom Potter, Multnomah County and a dedicated group of middle school, high school, and college students called the Multnomah Youth Commission.
Over the past two years they worked and talked with over 3,500 local youth about what their right should be. What is the ideal community for youth in Oregon...what would it look like. They took all that information and create "Our Bill of Rights: Children & Youth" They hosted a constitutional convention where 500 young people discussed and edited (it real time across 30 break out groups thanks to Free Geek) and finally ratified the Bill. They then took it to City Council in August of 2006 and then the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners two weeks ago. It was adopted by both local governments. IT IS THE FIRST! FIRST! Bill of Rights for youth, written BY YOUTH, and adopted by a local government. That is civics in action! That is innovation! That deserves a dang wheelie!
So some will say, hey that is just a piece of paper...that doesn't have any impact. Well the Constitution is just paper too as was the bottle bill and the recent domestic partnership legislation. Everything is words on paper until citizens, legislators and courts get involved and make them real and that is happening with the Bill of Rights. When City Council was to vote on sending charter ammendments to the ballot, young people testified and reminded City Council that they had voted to support the Bill of Rights which calls for young people to have a voice in government. The Charter ammendments didn't say anything about talking with or engaging youth and guess what...Commissioner Saltzman ammended the charter ammendments right there, in the meeting!
The City just hired two youth to work in the Planning Bureau to help infuse youth voice into the decisions the City makes and to help implement the Bill of Rights. Local groups like SMYRC (Sexual Minority Youth Resource Center) are writing grants to help implement the nondiscrimination clause within the Bill of Rights by organizing students to conduct anti-bullying and harrassment campaigns and to push their schools to adopt inclusive non-discrim policies.
Our Bill of Rights: Children & Youth deserves attention, support, and gosh darn it...a freakin Wheelie!!
Jun 10, '07
So who won?
Jun 10, '07
So who won?
<h2>Renewable energy</h2>