House to gut Measure 37

From a press release from House Republicans 4/27/07:

DEMOCRATS UNDERMINE OREGON VOTERS BY GUTTING MEASURE 37
Republicans Defend Oregonians Property Rights by Opposing Flawed “˜Framework’

SALEM”” Democrats last night voted to dismantle Measure 37, two years after 61 percent of Oregon voters approved the measure to restore private property rights. Rep. Bill Garrard (R-Klamath Falls) and Rep. Patti Smith (R-Corbett) joined Senate Republicans on the Joint Land Use “Fairness” Committee in opposing HB 3540 and HB 3546, the bills to limit the rights of many property owners to build on their own land.

“According to the blog messages and e-mails I received this morning, voters are recognizing that Republicans were in committee defending them,” Rep. Garrard said. “Despite the Democrats’ effort to kill property rights in Oregon, this fight is not over.”

Democrats voted to severely restrict the number of homes an owner can build and to raise the burden of proof for owners to demonstrate how government regulations reduced the value of their land. The legislation imposes additional bureaucracy into the Measure 37 process, and exposes rightful Measure 37 claimants to endless litigation.

“If this legislation passes, this will be the third time Oregonians will have to vote to restore their private property rights,” Rep. Garrard said. “I intend to buy hearing aids for the Democrats, because they are not listening to the people.”

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