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CLOUDY Temp: 61 °F Wind: WNW at 5 mph Monday, September 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 10, 2003 County sees dearth of mail-in ballots By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Jackson County voters aren’t rushing to complete their ballots for the upcoming special state election. Only 17 percent of the county’s voters have cast ballots for Measure 29 as of Monday, far less than the 32 percent for the same period in January’s election. Ballots were mailed out almost two weeks ago. The election will determine whether the state can borrow money to help lower the cost of the state’s share of the public pension system debt. Ballots are due back by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Advertisement State Treasurer Randall Edwards wants to take advantage of low interest rates to obtain $2 billion in bonds to refinance a portion of the Public Employees Retirement System debt. Edwards says the ability to refinance will help Oregon in both the long and short term. "If Measure 29 passes, I will immediately issue bonds that can save all of us more than $1 billion on our PERS obligation over the next 20 years," he states in the Voters Pamphlet. "It will also mean immediate savings of $9 million that can help ease our current budget crisis." The measure has received support from the Oregon Business Association. Legislators reduced the $17 billion PERS debt by $9 billion during the last session, but many of those reform measures are being challenged in the courts. Opponents of Measure 29 denounce the plan as giving politicians one more "credit card" that will be paid off through taxes. The Libertarian Party of Oregon has led the only organized attack against the measure. Bryan Platt, chairman of the Jackson County Republican Committee, said the low voter turnout so far and general lack of knowledge about the measure could be attributable to the public’s focus on the state’s budget problems. "It’s been kind of overshadowed by other events," he said. Although the measure appears to make sense on the surface, Platt said he opposes it because "it is leaving the door open for more excess by the state of Oregon." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times