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Ballot measure pro, con forum set Jan 21, 2004 12:00 AM A A Student government sponsors political awareness activity ASHLAND ' Advocates for and against Ballot Measure 30, the Feb. — tax referendum, will discuss their positions Thursday in a public forum at Southern Oregon University. Set for 7 p.m. in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union, the forum is part of Political Awareness Week sponsored by the student government. SOU is at 1250 Siskiyou Blvd. Measure 30 is a referendum on the Oregon Legislature's & 36;800 million plan to increase taxes temporarily to balance the state's & 36;11.5 billion budget. It includes an income tax surcharge, increases in corporate taxes, decreases in a senior medical deduction and other new taxes. Speakers for Measure 30 will include Kevin Talbert, a Rogue Community College board member; Connie Saldana, an advocate for the Rogue Valley Council of Governments; Doug Schmor, a lawyer; Dr. Alan Douma, a medical columnist and retired doctor; and June Buck of the Oregon Education Association. Speakers against Measure 30 will include Richard Burke, executive director of the Libertarian Party of Oregon; Larry Baines of the Jackson County Republican Party; Roger King, a retired businessman and member of Citizens for a Sound Economy; Naomi Hynes, executive director of SOU College Republicans; and Perry Atkinson, former chairman of the Oregon Republican Party. Moderator will be Mark S. Cogan, co-chairman of Young Democrats for Southern Oregon and a student government senator. Co-moderator will be Jonathan Bilden, state co-chairman of the Oregon Federation of College Republicans. For more information, contact Cogan at 821-3418 or Bilden at 301-4012.