The Oregonian
Democratic legislative leaders on Monday dropped their attempt to reverse the meaning of a “yes” and a “no” vote on two tax increases that may go before voters early next year. Lawmakers backed off after several of them were besieged with a number of calls from constituents complaining about the proposed change, which many critics saw as an attempt to boost the chances that the two tax measures would survive a ballot referendum.
Under a bill being considered by the Oregon Senate Oregon’s ballot initiative system would become an indirect initiative, rather than the current direct system. Ballot initiatives would first go to the legislature, which would hold hearings and be able to put their own competing initiative on the ballot.