Measure 26-48 to aid Multnomah County schools backed by labor

Most labor councils and unions in the Portland metropolitan area have endorsed Ballot Measure 26-48, the temporary income tax measure to restore basic necessities for schools, senior citizens and public safety.

The measure is on the May 20 ballot, which goes in the mail this week.

Union members are staffing phone banks, leafleting co-workers and reminding everyone to cast their "yes" votes for the measure.

Supporters say the Legislature's failure to solve Oregon's urgent financial problems has meant state funding cuts that threaten the basic services on which communities rely.

Val Jack, president of the Portland Federation of Teachers and Classified Employees, said schools will face the loss of more school days, teacher layoffs, and extra-large class sizes if the measure fails.

"Class sizes are 30-to-1 now (in the Portland School District)," Jack said. "We're trying to avoid 46-to-1 (if the measure fails)."

David Raahahn, staff representative of Oregon Council 75 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the deficit at Multnomah County keeps changing for the worse.

"Even if the measure passes, the county's still in trouble," he said.

Raahahn said Multnomah County operates with half the jail beds it did two years ago, and another 300 beds will be lost if Measure 26-48 fails.

"Gang enforcement, DUI enforcement and drug investigations will be eliminated by the Multnomah County Sheriff's Department east of 162nd Avenue if this measure fails. It's getting pretty ugly out there," he said. (Local police departments will still respond).

Multnomah County Chair Diane Linn told the Northwest Oregon Labor Council that if Measure 26-48 fails, one of every five Portland Public School teachers will be gone; sports will be gone; newly-built acute care facilities might not be staffed; and contracting out of county jobs would be on the table for discussion.

"If this measure doesn't pass, all bets are off. We'll have to rethink how we do business in the county," she warned.

Multnomah County Employees Local 88, which represents about 3,000 employees at the county, is looking at creative ways to help ease the budget crisis. The union recently announced the results of a membership survey in which 75 percent of respondents said they would be willing to take days off as unpaid leave to help the county alleviate its deficit - which at last estimate was $25 million. The union's Executive Board voted unanimously to present the proposal to county commissioners.

Measure 26-48 is a graduated, personal income tax ranging from 0.6 percent to 1.25 percent of taxable income for Multnomah County, which would raise $128 million to $135 million per year for three years. Only residents of Multnomah County will be assessed the tax (no matter what county they work in).

A person earning the median county income of $45,000 a year would pay about $22 a month. The measure does not apply to Social Security or federal retirement benefits.

About 75 percent of revenues would provide funds for the eight Multnomah County School districts in school years 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.

About 25 percent of revenues would provide funds for senior services, assistance for mentally ill, low-income health care, and public safety for fiscal years 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006.

The measure would contribute approximately $90 million a year for three years to schools in Multnomah County, including the Centennial, Corbett, David Douglas, Gresham-Barlow, Parkrose, Portland Public, Reynolds and Riverdale School Districts. Funds would be distributed to schools based on the state school funding, per pupil, distribution formula. Additionally, all public schools within the City of Portland would receive funds from business license fee revenues for the 2003-2004, 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years.

Union officials say perhaps the most important feature of Measure 26-48 for all county residents is strong accountability. It has built-in annual audits, public reports and citizen oversight. The only administrative costs are for tax collection. And, the tax can be terminated earlier than three years if the state finds a way to solve the funding problem.

Labor unions are staffing a phone bank Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. now until election day at 214 SE 18th, Portland. Additionally, retirees can phone bank other retired union members from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the same location. However, volunteers are still needed to fill shifts. There are 12 auto-dial phone available and locals are being asked to commit to fill one or two, even three shifts. Food and beverages are provided.

For more information about the phone banks, call the Northwest Oregon Labor Council at 503-235-9444 or Cornelia Murphy at AFSCME Council 75 at 503-239-9858.