Measure 37 and the "Stop 49" Campaign Spokespeople
The same timber companies and developers who funded the "Yes on 37" campaign in 2004 are spending a fortune trying to defeat Measure 49. As part of that campaign - in television ads, mailers, flyers and in the voter's pamphlet - the Stop 49 Campaign has offered up "spokespeople" who claim that Measure 49 would prevent them from undertaking modest developments on their property. But the claims they are making are very different than the claims they have actually filed. Below is a chart of some of the "Stop 49" spokespeople in ads from the last several weeks. Read the real facts behind these spokespeople, and why they are working for the "Stop 49" Campaign.
Note: All information is taken from official records and based on the actual Measure 37 claims filed with the state and county by these people.
| What they tell you... | The rest of the story |
| Bob and April Jossy The Jossys want to build 13 houses on their property and protect a fruit orchard. |
Bob and April Jossy have seven Measure 37 Claims. The Jossy's already filed the development plans for the 20+ home "Sunset Orchard Estates" subdivision on their property in Washington County (complete with an airstrip). This just days before filing their ballot argument against Measure 49 talking about how Measure 49 is going to 'shut down their U-Pick business'. |
| Gerald and Roberta Curry The Currys have 5 children, and they simply want to keep their property in the family, but Measure 49 will only allow them to build 2 houses. |
The Curry’s claim is for far more than 5 homes for their children: their Measure 37 claim seeks to divide their property into 110 1-acre lots. (Read more) |
| The Ralstons No on 49 says that Measure 49 will give the government the right to take the Ralston’s property rights, without compensating the Ralstons at all. Measure 49 will wipe out the Ralston’s retirement, destroying everything they have worked so hard to maintain. (Here's the pdf from the No On 49 site:Download Ralston.pdf) |
Measure 49 would allow approval of one of the Ralston
claims - one dwelling on 91 acres. The Ralston’s second Measure 37 claim, a
39-lot subdivision on productive farmland, would have to be reduced. The
second Ralston claim is represented by W&H Pacific, the same Alaska-based developer that is partnering with Stimson Lumber, who has Measure 37 claims subdividing over 100,000 acres of Oregon forestlands. |
| Jerry and Sandy Bitz The Bitzs are quoted saying "we'd like to keep our farm for future generations", arguing that Measure 49 would impede this. |
The truth is that the Bitzs have filed a $4 million dollar Measure 37 claim in Washington County to "subdivide and build homes" on their 36.93 acres of zoned Agriculture and forests District (AF-5). Read full story. |
| The Laraways The Laraways have appeared in multiple ads arguing that if Measure 49 passes, they will "loose everything". |
The truth is that the Laraways have filed Measure 37 claims to subdivide their designated Exclusive Farm Use land to build 74 houses and 70 multi-family residential units. Read full story. |
| Fred and Teresa Netters The Netters are quoted by the "Stop 49" campaign stating "we want to see tradition go on, we want to farm", they say Measure 49 will stop this. |
This statement is patently false. The Netters filed a Measure 37 claim for a 60-lot housing subdivision on their 98 acres of Exclusive Farm Use land. Read full story. |
| David Olson Under current law, David Olson has the right to build his home. But if Measure 49 passes, the government will take Olson’s rights away to build one home, without compensating him at all. David Olson will lose everything if Measure 49 becomes law. |
Under current law, Olson cannot build his home - he does not even own the farmland on which he filed the claim. When he transferred the property to his son in 2004, his Measure 37 claim was rejected |
| The Pretes Under Measure 49, the Pretes would have to show they make $80,000 in annual farm income before they could build one home on 20 acres. Measure 49 would wipe out the Pretes, without providing them any compensation. |
Just like Measure 37, Measure 49 would allow the Pretes to proceed with their one-house claim. The "Stop 49" campaign has taken the Pretes off their site for this very reason, here's the pdf to prove it. |
| Helen Garner Ms. Garner is an elderly widow who will lose her retirement plan, which was to subdivide her land into 5-acre lots. |
Helen Garner filed a Measure 37 claim to create a 24-lot subdivision. Measure 49 would allow her as many as 10 lots, which she could sell. Here is the state claim and the Jackson-County claim. |
| Olivella Wilcox The "Stop 49" campaign distributed a brochure quoting Wilcox saying “If Measure 49 passes we will lose all our rights – not only our rights, but our children’s and grandchildren's.” |
These statements, like the others, are completely misleading. Wilcox filed a Measure 37 claim to build up to 16 new dwellings on her 8.32 acre property - which is designated Rural Residential Farm Forest (RRFF-5) - in Clackamas County, and has demanded $500,000 to $1,050,000 in compensation. Read full Story. |
