2006 Oregon Ballot Measure 39

Oregon Ballot Measure 39, passed in the 2006 General Election, is a ballot measure that prohibits the government from condemning property from one private party (by eminent domain) on behalf of another private party.

Ballot Measure 39

Limitations on Eminent Domain
Results
Choice Votes  % Yes 881,820 67.13% No 431,844 32.87%

Advocates both for and against the measure advanced misleading arguments during the 2006 campaign: once in a Voter's Pamphlet article by the League of Women Voters,^[1] and again in a radio advertisement by Oregonians In Action.^[2][3]

Financing

The campaign for Measure 39 was heavily financed by Oregonians In Action, a political action committee that previously drove the campaign for Oregon Ballot Measure 37 (2004).^[4]

The Oregon Family Farm Association PAC, which contributed more than half of the money in support of ballot measure 39 and nearly all of the money in support of ballot measure 40, received 82 percent of its funding from just seven donors, including Loren Parks, several timber interests and a developer. Measure 39 has garnered no organized opposition. Unions and lawyers dominate fundraising in opposition to Measure 40.^[5]

Of the $622,160 the Family Farm Association PAC raised, 82% came from seven donors: Loren Parks $200,000 (32.1%); Norman Brenden and Swanson Group, Inc. $60,250 (9.7%) each; A-Dec Dental Equipment and Seneca Sawmill Company $51,250 (8.2%) each; Hire Calling Public Affairs (Jeld-Wen) and Columbia Helicopters/Wes Lematta $43,750 (7.0%) each.^[5]

See also

• List of Oregon ballot measures

References

1. Trageser, Claire (October 6, 2006). "Rogue of the Week: League of Women Voters". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 24, 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
2. Manning, Rob (October 20, 2006). "Measure 39 Radio Ad Pulled by Sponsors". OPB News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-02-27.
3. Trageser, Claire (October 25, 2006). "Rogue of the Week: David Hunnicutt". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 12, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-19.
4. Oppenheimer, Laura (September 25, 2006). "Foes of land takings widen aim". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2006-12-29.
5. "Of the 17 PACs Raising Money for and against Ballot Measures, 14 Raised More Than 3/4ths of Their Dollars from 10 or Fewer Donors" (Press release). Money in Politics Research Action Project. November 3, 2006. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-02.