Oregon Ballot Measure 47 (1996)
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Measure 47 of 1996 strengthened the Oregon Constitution's limitations on property taxes on real estate, first imposed by Measure 5. Measure 47 required that property taxes be no higher than 10 percent less than those imposed in the 1994-1995 tax year, or those imposed in the 1995-1996 tax year. Thereafter, property taxes increases were meant to be capped at 3 percent. The measure was placed on the ballot as a result of the a citizen's initiative, and was approved by voters in the 5 November 1996 general election, with 704,554 votes in favor, and 642,613 votes against.[1] (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov596/results/m47.htm)
Another provision of the measure enacted Oregon's so-called double-majority rule, which placed an additional requirement on local tax levies: not only did more voters have to vote "yes" than "no", but a majority of registered voters had to turn out, unless it was a general election on an even numbered year. (These are presidential elections and midterm elections.)
The measure was sponsored by Bill Sizemore and his Oregon Taxpayers United anti-tax group, as part of the Oregon tax revolt. Proponents were upset by rising property tax rates, much of which was brought by increasing housing prices in the Portland area. Proponents also wanted to put an end to the perceived practice of placing local levies up for a vote when turnout would be low.
Opponents feared that slices in taxes would cause cuts to schools, further than those they blamed on Measure 5. Furthermore, they opposed the double-majority rule, arguing it gave lazy people more political power than those willing to vote.
There was some confusion as to the actual effect of Measure 47. Petitioners claimed that Measure 47 would cap the actual assessment of properties--that is, the value of the property as determined by the county--to prevent taxes from being raised more than 3 percent annually. Others claimed that Measure 47 did not prevent such an action. To head this off, Sizemore placed an argument in the voter's pamphlet to clarify voter intent. Nonetheless, legislators sent Measure 50 to voters the next year to clarify that the cap was on the assessed value of the property as well.
External link
- Oregon Voter's Guide for Measure 47 (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov596/voters.guide/MEASURES/MEAS47/M47.HTM)--includes the full text of the measure, and arguments for and against