Citizens for Safe Communities urging turnout
With a Tuesday, May 15 public safety levy vote getting closer every day, the Citizens for Safe Communities political action committee is starting its final push to get residents to submit their ballots.
The committee met Thursday, May 3 to discuss strategies aimed at overcoming the state’s double majority requirement, requiring that a tax measure must have at least a 50 percent turnout in order to pass.
Josephine County Commissioner Dave Toler updated its members on events unfolding in Washington, D.C., as congressional Democrats battle President Bush over Iraq war funding.
County payments legislation was attached to an emergency spending bill for the continuing War on Terror, as well as a timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Bush vetoed that bill in opposition to the timeline.
Toler said that congressional Democrats are looking to redo that bill, and may separate domestic spending from the wartime appropriations. A one-year extension of the county payments program could be included as part of that domestic spending.
“We’re going to try and convince the congressional folks that this is an emergency,” Toler said.
He said that even if the domestic spending is separated from the military funding, it should be considered by Congress at about the same time. The fate of that legislation most likely would be decided by Memorial Day weekend, Toler said.
But he added that there’s “at least a 50 percent chance” that county payments will “not happen at all.”
“It’s more and more likely that it isn’t going to happen,” Toler said. “The chances are dwindling.”
But rather than wait for the federal government to come to a final decision, members of the Citizens for Safe Communities are focusing their efforts on passage of Measure 17.19, the public safety levy.
Radio commercials have been purchased. Committee members have canvassed the Growers Market in Grants Pass twice, as well as that city’s First Friday Art Night and a parade in Merlin on Saturday, May 5.
More than 1,000 additional handbills have been ordered for committee members to distribute. And signs supporting the levy are popping up countywide.
Toler said that merchants are beginning to understand the severe scenario of life without federal dollars or funds to replace them.
“My impression is that the business community has really gotten it,” Toler said. “The business community has really seen the light on this.”
The past few weeks have been particularly busy for Jim Frick, a committee member and broker for Century 21 Harris & Taylor.
Frick has spent countless hours volunteering to help support the levy and encourage voter turnout, although he admits that it has been difficult at times.
“It’s continuously been an uphill battle,” Frick said.
As part of the push, he has placed approximately 200 yard signs encouraging levy passage. That has led to some interesting interactions.
“I’ve had people slam on their brakes, turn around and come back to chastise me,” Frick said. Once he explained his position, Frick said, he was able to persuade some to change their minds.
He admits that he’s sticking his neck out a long way by advocating for the levy. A former chairman of the Josephine County Republican County Central Committee, Frick now finds himself in the position of asking voters to voluntarily raise their taxes.
“It’s not normally something I like to do, but we’re going to pay now or pay later,” he said. “This is not a political, partisan issue.”
Frick said that his decision to become involved is based on a “combination of things” including genuine concern for the safety of county residents and the area economy.
This week, Citizens for Safe Communities is planning to phone voters throughout the county to urge them to turn in their ballots. Frick, who will be among the callers, said that the primary emphasis will not be on persuading voters to pass the levy, but to simply participate in the process.
“If you agree or disagree with it, please vote,” Frick said. “Use the American privilege you have to vote.”
