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Voters to decide if money goes to cops SALEM -- Oregon voters will decide next May whether some gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees should go toward increased police patrols. A ballot measure sponsored by Sen. Lenn Hannon, R-Ashland, cleared the House just before the Legislature adjourned Saturday. Senate Joint Resolution 11 was approved without change, 37-22. Voters will have the chance to change what they did in 1980, when they amended the Oregon Constitution to restrict gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees to road construction and repairs. State parks and police were removed from the road fund. "But try to imagine our freeways and highways without law enforcement," said Rep. Bill Witt, R-Portland. "So I think it is most appropriate that voters have the opportunity to consider using gas taxes for law enforcement as well as for road construction and maintenance." Rep. Barbara Ross, D-Corvallis, argued against it. She said it was tough enough for the Legislature to agree on how to raise more money for road repairs. "We are not taking care of our roads and highways now," she said. "It is absolutely irresponsible to send out this invitation to spend highway funds for something else. Here we are inviting someone else to take a scoop of ice cream to pay for local cops because they do not want to." A similar ballot measure failed in 1992. But this measure specifies that money can be used only for increased levels of patrols, and it gives discretion to city councils, county boards of commissioners and the state Legislature. It also says that money can be spent only on uniformed patrol officers. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA