Funny, Amy. I was JUST now going to email you to see if you had a cheat sheet yet. I'm there! This thing is confusing!

We lacked space in the paper for a cheat sheet, but will have one online shortly. Meanwhile, the Ballot Bash will be fun - you can chat with real people and go more in depth on measures and candidates than you could via a cheat sheet. Plus, cheat sheets don't have beer!

Here is the cheat sheet: http://seth4sos.org/ from the Green Party candidate for Secretary of State. The left sidebar has the goods.

I'm filling out my ballot now and have an honest question: If you had to vote NO on one of the pdx measures (26-96, 26-95, and 26-94), which one would it be?

Ooo, tough call. What's your motivation for voting no on one?

I presume it has something to do with money. The Children's Levy continues to fund something you're already paying for, so continuing it makes sense to me from a fiscal standpoint--it won't bump up your bill.

So it's zoos or PCC on the chopping block.

If you really want to see one fail (to save cash on your property tax bill), you'd be smart to jump on the one most likely to lose. I haven't seen polling, but in the higher ed-children-zoo matrix, my money's on the zoo getting the least support, despite the cute elephants.

If you want to protest the amount of money, then skip the PCC bond. It's over $300 million. Another case for axing the PCC measure: While both the PCC and zoo measures go towards physical improvements, the animals wallowing in shit at the zoo are arguably in more dire straights. As far as I'm aware, no PCC student is swimming in his/her own excrement. Also, PCC won't have to cut back any education if this fails--but, they will have to wait to add great facilities that will allow them to expand educational opportunities.

Like I said... tough call.

Amy:

I read your "Wait until Thursday" as a plea to be allowed to do a Mulligan on your support of Measure 60.

"No, wait, I didn't read the fine print, and, you know, it was late at night and we'd been up sixteen hours and could no longer think straight."

Right.

Your support of Measure 60 makes all of your recommendations suspect.

I remain your least fan,

Jacomus

Also, League of Women Voters' Recommendations on Statewide Ballot Measures:
http://www.lwvor.org/bmpositionsgen08.html

Sorry, Jacomus. Our endorsements are final.

Thanks for your answer, Amy. You've definitely narrowed it down to zoos or PCC for me. Maybe I'll vote no on the zoo one and just say I don't think animals should be in cages anyway, or something like that.

But if they're going to be in cages, shouldn't they be nicer ones? :)

let's just put them in a matrix for animals. one where they cage us. and bullshit about how crappy our cages are.

How about putting the Merc editorial board in a cage if M60 narrowly passes?

Bond Measure 26-96: Vote Yes

Bond measure 26-96 provides important funding to assist the Oregon Zoo in making long overdue improvements. OHS believes that a humanely run zoo can be a unique source for conservation and wildlife education. However, we feel the zoo’s animals need more humane conditions than those currently available in the 50-year old facility. More details here: http://www.oregonhumane.org/advocacy/legis…