Why Vote No on Josephine County Measure 17-116?

Representation Really Does Matter, Measure 17-116 Will Inevitably be Challenged in Court and Cost the Taxpayers Thousands, Not to Mention Throw an Entire Election into Chaos.

Josephine County, OR – One thing needs to be clearly stated. Not everything in the New Charter is bad or is a horrible idea. BUT… How it is all implemented in Measure 17-116 makes it easily challenged in court, will tie the taxpayers to huge court costs, and does not take into account all of the costs associated with expanding the board. Further, its district zones aren’t representative to geographic locations, like the measure supporters have been selling to everyone! Three of the four zones include chunks of Grants Pass. If you live in Cave Junction, for instance, your zone will still include a portion of Grants Pass. How does this represent Illinois Valley, especially when you consider the fact that Selma doesn’t fall into the CJ zone but a separate zone that also has a chunk of Grants Pass? Clearly, the measure authors want Grants Pass to control the vote. So much for representation!

Here are more reasons:

This attempted charter change did not come from the Josephine County Charter Review Committee! This measure was crafted by an outside group. This group continues to mislead the people.

There is also a similar attempt in Jackson County to change its charter.

Measure supporters say, “Nothing will change in the charter except adding two commissioners and a county manager.”

This is an absolute lie. Remember if they tell the lie often and long enough, they hope you will believe it. Do not buy it. Here’s why:

There is a great amount in our current charter which is being altered and/or removed (see graphic). Much of what is being removed are further protections of our rights. Those wanting it gone say it is unenforceable. However, in most instances there is no court ruling showing these protections have been successfully challenged or deemed unenforceable. It is just an opinion the measure supporters have received that they are unenforceable. Bottom line, removing them will definitely keep a citizen from ever being given the opportunity to use those provisions in a court of law.

They say that it will cut the costs of the county’s administration by paying commissioners a reduced $22,000-25,000 per year stipend. BUT…

Fact: The New Charter Chapter VIII Section 1, Paragraph 4 states the commissioner in Seat 1 (John West) will not take a pay cut and will serve out his term (two more years).

Their own charter says it. They aren’t saving any money there.

Then, in the New Charter, Chapter VII, Section 5, it says the charter will adhere to state and federal law.

Fact: State Statue 204.112 – 204.116 and 204.121 – 204.126 says that elected officials’ compensation will be determined by a compensation committee – a new charter cannot dictate compensation.

Also, Oregon court case #90-CV-139 ruled on by Judge Joan Sietz determined that compensation is an administrative decision not legislative. Judge Ross Davis agreed in case #94-CV-0111 and said that state statutes preempted charter pay restrictions.

Commissioner pay CANNOT be directed by a charter change. So, the arbitrary amount they set for the stipend is thoroughly disputable in a court of law, as a charter does not have the authority to set the pay rate.

Further, when you have a sitting commissioner who is being paid his full pre-charter-change salary. Then you have to figure in the Equal Pay Act. You can’t have one person making one wage for the same job as another person. For two years, all 5 commissioners would have to be paid a comparable amount to the pay of Seat 1. If they weren’t they could sue the county!!! And, they’d win! How much would that cost?

Speaking of costs, let’s look at the addition of a county manager. According to a compensation committee, the proposed Josephine County Manager position alone will cost the taxpayers a total of around $375,000.00 per year. You add two administrative staff at a total of $250,000.00 per year. Just the proposed manager and his staff will cost over a Half-Million dollars a year!!!

Then you have office costs, remodeling the courthouse to fit the new commissioners and administrators, and conference rooms large enough to fit all participants. The total cost to the taxpayers of this new charter keep adding up, and it doesn’t equal the cost savings they sold you.

Let’s go over the figures:

Total cost of five commissioners, at the lawfully obligated same rate as position 1 = a total of around $615,000+ per year. Then you add the county manager and staff for a total cost of around $650,000. Let’s add about $250,000.00 for offices, supplies, computers, etc…

That is a NEW CHARTER TOTAL of $1,515,000 PER YEAR – for at least the first two years!

That is roughly $965,000 MORE per year than we pay now for the county’s administration.

Where would this money come from? The county’s general fund and it would directly impact the budget of the sheriff and hinder law enforcement.

You can bet that if you pass measure 17-116, they’ll be right back at the taxpayers asking for more money for the sheriff!

The other big spin that is being said about the charter change measure is that it has “been approved by the county legal counsel and the DA.” This is patently false. By law, the DA can only approve the ballot title. The DA doesn’t approve the document. County legal counsel did not “approve” the charter, he only made sure their submission met the three criteria to put it on the ballot. That does not constitute his endorsement, nor does it mean it is legal.

Hopefully you have seen enough.

If you don’t want added costs to the taxpayers, the potential for sheriff patrols to be cut, and have a county government that will keep growing, then you only have one choice.

VOTE NO on 17-116! It’s a bad charter change.

Author’s Note: Measure supporters have tried to disparage John West, saying, “He must be gaining something by running all these ads opposing the charter change.” Nope. As shown above, he has nothing to gain, or lose if the charter passes. He is simply informing the citizens of what is really going on by presenting the facts – facts those who crafted the measure want to hide from you, the voters.