Voters may get more say in fee, tax hikes

Voter initiative — Petition, similar to one proposed by Hank Grum in Newberg, began circulating Monday in county

  • By: Amanda Newman  
  • Published: 10/13/2009 5:26:37 PM
  • Last Updated: 10/14/2009 1:55:17 PM
   Newberg’s Hank Grum isn’t the only one who wants to put taxes and fees to a vote of the people — Neal Lockhart is trying to pass a similar initiative at the county level. The initiative proposal has been accepted by the Yamhill County Clerk’s Office and Lockhart began collecting signatures Monday.
   Lockhart’s initiative would require all establishments or increases of taxes, fees and charges to be ratified by a vote of the county electorate in an election with at least 50 percent voter turnout. It is similar to the petition Grum is attempting in Newberg, but would affect decisions of the county, rather than the city.
   “It’s kind of a countywide effort to put a check on fees,” said Lockhart, executive director of Conservative Friends of Yamhill County, citing an initiative also being floated in Lafayette and one already passed in Sheridan. “We think if we can get it on the ballot — which I don’t think we’ll have a problem (with) — that the voters will approve it and have a voice.”
   In particular, Lockhart takes issue with the fees the county charges for filings, copies and mailings, which he says are expensive and deceptive. He said there have not been any taxes or fees passed or increased by the county recently that he takes issue with; his initiative, coming in the form of an ordinance, is a response to the general idea that governments can charge their citizens money without giving them a say.
   “There’s no check on fees. There’s no mechanism in place (so) you can vote on them, and you’re at the mercy of the (government),” he said. “We think there needs to be a check on that, especially with budgeting going to be tight in the next couple years and with high unemployment.”
County Commissioner Mary Stern responded to Lockhart’s comments.
   “I would like to know where the abuses are, because we really do take very seriously the fees,” she said, explaining that while taxes fund government programs, fees cover specific costs. “You pay a fee for a service you receive and we are very careful to make sure that we only cover the cost of a service.”
   She said by pricing fees accurately, the county is “actually protecting taxpayers” by not using tax dollars to subsidize the services. Any increases, she added, are decided in a public forum.
   But while current city councilors and county commissioners might consider the good of their constituents before increasing charges, Lockhart said, there is no guarantee that would continue in the future. “There’s no cap on the growth of these fees,” he said.
   Lockhart referenced Newberg’s public safety fee, although passed after extensive public forums and input, did not go before a public vote. He also said that with spending scandals at the county level in recent years — a project consultant for the county’s new radio system was removed in 2006 after failing to install purchased equipment and information systems director Murray Paolo (currently under investigation by the Oregon Department of Justice) was demoted this summer after being accused of insubordination and financial mismanagement — “voters have lost confidence in what’s been going on with our money.”
   Lockhart stressed that “we’re not out to cut the money off to the county.” Instead, he said, a voter ratification clause could better direct the county in spending. The public is often told that if they don’t approve a tax, services will be cut, he said, and a no vote on a tax or fee could be the directive the county is seeking.
   “If voters don’t approve fees ... they’re essentially giving them a go-ahead, (saying), ‘Hey, cut services,’” he said.
   Stern took a slightly different approach to finding a voter directive. “We live in a representative democracy ... and I certainly hope the voters trust us,” she said. “I mean, they elected us to make decisions for the county.”
   Lockhart plans to hold informational meetings throughout the county to answer questions about his proposed initiative. He will need to gather 1,987 signatures from registered county voters to put the initiative before voters. County Clerk Rebekah Stern Doll said if the necessary signatures are gathered and confirmed, the initiative could appear on the ballot as soon as the Jan. 26 election.
   Stern said she does not know what the county’s official position will be on the petition, but said it would be expensive and time-consuming for the county to refer all fees to voters.
   For more information on the petition or to join in the signature-gathering effort, e-mail Lockhart at limitfees@gmail.com.

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KA from Newberg
10/13/2009 6:55:50 PM

Be careful of what you wish for... Traditionally, who votes for higher taxes, Liberals or Conservatives?...Voters just elected the most Liberal Congress, Senate and President in American history...Oregon Voters just elected the most Liberal Senate, House and Governor in Oregon History....Review Yamhill County voting patterns and Democrat party growth and you will find that Yamhill County is and has moved to the left...Now, do I want the general Liberal public voting on my fees - tax increases?...Fortunately, Newberg has a conservative City Council despite their good decision to raise my taxes 10 cents a day... Thank you Newberg City Council for keeping Newberg’s outstanding City livable...And Yamhill County still has two conservative County Commissioners...Elected officials, either Liberal or Conservative have some responsibility and hesitation not to raise taxes because they know they can be voted out of office...What does the liberal voting public have to fear about raising taxes?....What are we going to do vote them out of voting....If you don’t like the decision made by our elected officials then vote them out of office... Geeez, this is just basic US Government History, Representative form of Government 101, everybody knows this. Our Forefathers knew what they were doing when they created our system of government. Now, leave alone it’s one of the last things we have to be proud of in this Country.

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