Message from “No Float Fees” petition campaign

To everyone who went the extra mile for Let Us Paddle—thank you.

You found our website, downloaded and printed an IP 2026-053 signature sheet, signed it, hand-addressed an envelope, paid for postage out of your own pocket, and mailed it directly to me as one of the co-Chief Petitioners. That wasn’t the easy way. It took time, effort, and a belief that your voice matters.

The July 2nd signature deadline has passed, and while we fell short of qualifying for the ballot, the fight is far from over. More than 40,000 Oregonians signed because they believe the Waterway Access Permit has gone too far and want their voices heard in Salem.

These three stacks represent roughly 4,500 individually printed and mailed signature sheets—thousands of Oregonians who took that extra step instead of waiting for someone else to act. Even now, a few envelopes are still arriving, and each one reminds me that there are people across Oregon willing to stand up for what they believe.

While we can no longer accept signatures for this petition, you can still stand with us as a supporter. We intend to take the voices of those 40,000 Oregonians to the Legislature. If Salem refuses to listen, another citizen initiative may very well be in our future.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your trust, your effort, and your commitment to protecting access to Oregon’s waterways.

With sincere gratitude,

Ben Roche
Co-Chief Petitioner, IP 2026-053
“Let Us Paddle”

Let Us Paddle,