THREE OREGON BALLOT INITIATIVES COULD HAVE BIG FINANCIAL IMPACT

Cost Estimates Will Be Included on the Nov. 2 Ballot

Three of the six statewide initiatives on the Nov. 2 ballot could come
with a hefty price tag for state and local governments in Oregon.

Money-conscious voters can see how much various ballot measures might
cost the government by reading financial-impact estimates that will
appear on the ballot.

The figures often are disputed by advocates on either side of
ballot-measure campaigns. But the law delegates the responsibility to
a team of four state officials, often dubbed the i? 1/2price-tag
committee.i? 1/2

Here is information that the committee agreed last week will appear on
Oregoniansi? 1/2 ballots this fall:

Measure 33, which would make it easier to get medical marijuana:
administrative costs of $340,000 to $560,000 per year, plus startup
costs of $135,000. All but about $75,000 would be offset by new user
fees.

Measure 34, which would protect half of the Tillamook and Clatsop
state forests from logging: reduces local government revenues $17.2
million to $19.4 million per year; reduces state revenues $4.2 million
to $10.3 million per year; increases state spending $1.5 million to
$6.3 million per year plus $2 million in startup costs.

Measure 35, which would cap awards granted in medical malpractice
cases: no financial impact on state or local governments.

Measure 36, which would ban gay marriage: no financial impact on state
or local governments.

Measure 37, which would require governments to pay landowners if
land-use rules reduce their property value, or not enforce the rules:
administering the measure would cost local governments $46 million to
$300 million per year and cost the state $28 million to $44 million
per year; outlays for compensating land owners weren't included
because they are too hard to predict.

Measure 38, which would abolish the State Accident Insurance Fund,
would cost one-time transition expense of $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion
to reinsure SAIF customers; would save state $301 million per year in
expenses for serving clients but remove $405 million per year in
revenue from premiums to pay for that coverage; would yield state
$32.6 million from sale of SAIF's property; would cost state
government $1.8 million to $5.5 million per year and local governments
$2.6 million to $10.5 million per year.