Measure 92 would prohibit public and private employee payroll deductions to be used for political purposes, unless annual written authorization is obtained from the employee. This would apply to all union employees and would have no financial effect on state or local government revenues.
Aside from the various labor unions on campus, this measure is not expected to affect higher education, said Melissa Unger, legislative organizer for the ASUO. However, it has sparked a lot of debate in the community.
State Sen. Tony Corcoran, D-Cottage Grove, who is also a member of the Oregon Public Employees Union, is strongly opposed to the measure. He said the measure would restrict the political voice of union employees, who have no other means with which to get their opinions and views across.
Corcoran also stated that the measure was so poorly written, it would affect other payroll deductions such as those for charities and student groups. He said it is just another attack by Oregon Taxpayers United, the anti-tax organization that put the measure on the ballot, to try and quiet the voice of its opposition.
“[OTU Director Bill] Sizemore likes to try to [reduce funds for] the government, especially with attacks on public education,” Corcoran said. “He is trying to quiet the voice of public employees, which is essentially what this measure would do.”
Becky Miller, executive assistant for Oregon Taxpayers United, argues that a lot of union members don’t approve of having money deducted from their paychecks for political purposes, but have no choice but to give it up. She stated this measure would stop unions from taking an employee’s money without his or her explicit consent.
“Currently, unions can take money and use it however they want, and the process employees have to go through to get their money back is very difficult,” Miller said. “We believe in political free speech, and money equals free speech in this case.”