Committee to End Highway Robbery

PO Box 1304 Silverton, OR 97381

Fact Sheet -- Initiative Petition #66

History.

In May 2009, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2001, the largest tax increase on motor vehicles
and fuel in state history. In August, a referendum drive was mounted to place HB2001 on the
ballot. Its deadline expired September 25, 2009 – just as signatures really started pouring in.

Fresh from the effort, the organizers shifted to “Plan B”. In November 2009, they filed an
initiative petition (IP #66) to require the HB2001 taxes (and future ones) to go before a public vote.
Their ballot title was cleared by the Oregon Supreme Court on March 25, 2010 and circulation
commenced in April. A successful signature drive will place IP #66 on the November 2010 ballot.

Initiative vs. Referendum Petitions.

Initiative petitions permit voters to propose new laws (drafted by the chief petitioners).
Referendums permit voters to review recently passed laws (drafted by the legislature).
In both cases a successful petition drive generates a ballot measure that may be adopted or
rejected by voters at an election (bypassing the Legislature and Governor).

Purpose.

This measure sets up a process to require voter approval of vehicle and fuel taxes passed after
2008. Once passed, it will stop the HB2001 tax/fee increases. Those taxes/fees would need voter
approval (at a future election) in a single up or down vote to be collected again.

It would also require subsequent tax/fee increases on motor vehicles or fuel to receive voter
approval. It allows one small exception: once every two years, an increase of no more than 3%
may be made by the state legislature if specified conditions are met. Finally, it will phase out any
existing local gas taxes (cities/counties) not approved by local voters before 2013.

Permanent fix.

This measure will amend the Oregon Constitution. The Legislature must abide by the constitution
(only the voters can amend it). This will change the way Salem deals with vehicle and fuel tax/fee
increases by automatically putting tax/fee increase on vehicles or fuel to voters. For statewide
increases of 3% or less, they can be passed in a single bill (subject to referendum) that takes effect
at least 75 days before the next general election – making legislators justify increases to the voters.

Petition Requirements.

The ballot title for Initiative Petition #66 was drafted by the Attorney General and upheld by the
Oregon Supreme Court. The Secretary of State released it for circulation in April 2010. The chief
petitioners need to file 110,358 voter signatures with the state of Oregon by July 2, 2010 to qualify
to the November election. The chief petitioners include Charles Ireland (Chairman and CEO of
Thomas H. Ireland, Inc. – a Myrtle Creek, Oregon Trucking Co.) and veteran initiative activist
Don McIntire (Chief Petitioner of Oregon’s constitutional property tax limit - Ballot Measure 5).