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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, February 26, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 10, 2004 Rural areas opposed Measure 30 the most Analysis shows 37of Jackson County’s 51 precincts voted no By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Of 51 precincts in Jackson County, 37 voted against Measure 30 last week, according to preliminary results released Monday by the county clerk’s office. County residents rejected the income tax surcharge 53 percent to 47 percent. Statewide, voters defeated the measure 59 percent to 41 percent. In last year’s ballot Measure 28, another failed temporary tax increase, 39 Jackson County precincts voted against raising taxes. With 62 percent of voters casting Measure 30 ballots locally, 36,274 voted "no" and 31,856 voted "yes." About 100 ballots still must be verified before a final count is released Friday. Advertisement A precinct-by-precinct analysis shows that remote communities generally tended to oppose the measure by a larger majority, while urban areas either supported it or defeated it down narrowly. Medford, which has 15 precincts, overwhelming rejected the tax initiative, but four precincts supported it. Of these four precincts, two on the east side also supported Measure 28. Two other precincts on the west side rejected Measure 28 but narrowly passed Measure 30. The city of Jacksonville just barely gave its approval to the measure, with 673 voting for it and 671 against. Ballot Measure 30 was a referendum on the state Legislature’s $800 million tax increase plan to balance the $11.5 billion state budget. The three-year temporary income tax increase and several other taxes would have averted $544 million in budget cuts to education, health care, senior services and public safety. Reflecting previous results on similar issues, every Ashland precinct voted for the measure, often by a 3-to-1 ratio. Talent also approved the measure, but by a slimmer majority. Some of the stiffest opposition to the measure came from residents in the rural areas of White City and Central Point, where voters defeated it by about 3-to-1. Communities like Eagle Point, Shady Cove, Gold Hill and Rogue River voted it down 2-to-1. County Republican Party Chairman Bryan Platt said he was disappointed the measure wasn’t defeated more resoundingly. "I would have thought this county should have mirrored the state," he said. Before the election, Platt predicted the vote would be 55 percent for to 45 against the measure. He based this, he said, "on the continuous barrage of doomsday articles the Mail Tribune wrote." He thought media coverage focused on the bad that would come from defeat of the measure rather than the good — lower taxes and forcing government to become more efficient. Bill Layton, chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Central Committee, had a different impression of the outcome. "I think people are gradually becoming aware of what this is going to mean to them," he said. "It hits some people close to home, and it’s sinking in that maybe that’s not what they want." Layton attributed some of the good showing to efforts by Democrats to get the message out, contacting voters by phone or knocking on their doors. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times