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Initiative likely will go on Central Point ballot By BUFFY POLLOCK CENTRAL POINT - Representatives of Citizens to Protect Voters' Rights say they have the signatures necessary to put an initiative petition on the March ballot that would prevent the city from imposing or raising fees without voter consent. The group needed 1,061 signatures, or 15 percent of the voters, by Dec. 1. Spokeswoman and former City Council member Carol Fischer said the petition passed the 1,100 mark last weekend. "It's going very, very well," Fischer said. "We're going for 1,500. We just want to be sure we're covered." The measure would require "any and all monetary increases," including new fees or fee increases, to go to a vote before they could be implemented. A similar initiative was attempted about two years ago by members of the group, but they failed to gain enough signatures to get it on the ballot. City Administrator Jim Bennett said in a previous interview that the initiative measure would "basically just make the city's job of providing services more difficult and lengthen the processes of government considerably." Officials say the city has some of the lowest fees in the valley. But Fischer claims a large number of retirees in the city are suffering from too many taxes and fees. "There's obviously a need for this. People have told us they're glad we're doing this for them," she said. "With the school bond and library bond and utilities going up and whatnot, it's going to be very hard for people on Social Security to make it if any more fees come along." Fischer said the group is going door-to-door to fill the petition and at the same time has taken the opportunity to boost the number of voters by passing out registration cards. A representative of the county clerk's office said Friday more registered voters would not increase the number of signatures needed to put the initiative on the ballot. But it will require a larger turnout in the election to pass the measure. Nonetheless, Fischer said she was pleased with the increase in community support. "We're going to have the whole town registered yet. The terrorist attacks really woke up the American in everyone. Made them want to get involved." Buffy Pollock is a free-lance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.