http://www.oregonlive.com/news/00/03/st031002.html
Time running out for activists eager to launch gun initiatives
Supreme Court challenges are holding up the measures and eating away at campaign time
Friday, March 10, 2000
By Mark Larabee of The Oregonian staff
Campaigners running competing gun-control initiatives aimed at Oregon's November general election ballot are sweating bullets.
They haven't begun collecting the 66,786 signatures they need to qualify for the ballot because both initiatives are held up by state Supreme Court challenges.
As the days march toward the July 7 deadline for collecting signatures, the cost of gathering those names -- pegged Thursday at $1.85 a scratch -- continues to rise.
And activists for each initiative are wondering whether the campaigns will be worth beginning given the odds of generating enough support in what veteran campaigners consider too little time.
The ever-fractious Oregon gun debate is in a bind. On Thursday, Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, a gun-control proponent and author of one of the initiatives, sent letters to all 168 legislative candidates asking them to gather signatures for her measure as they campaign for office. Burdick acknowledged the move was one of desperation.
"I'll admit to that," said Burdick, whose initiative would require criminal background checks for all firearms purchases at the approximately 160 gun shows held in Oregon each year. "We've been held up in the Supreme Court since December. When you're this tight, you do everything you can."
The high court will hear arguments Thursday over four objections to the initiatives' ballot titles. The campaigns can't seek signatures until the court signs off on a ballot's title, which is its official summary.
Both sides said they hope to be collecting signatures by April 1. "I think this certainly puts them against the wall," said Mark Wiener, a political consultant with M&R Strategic Services. "It's certainly not impossible, but it means that they would have to put together a paid operation and it would probably be costly."
That's an understatement.
John Hellen of Oregon Gun Owners said the pro-gun group has budgeted about $150,000 to pay professional signature collectors for its measure. It would require criminal background checks but also would ease gun-purchase record-keeping by police, eliminate the $10 fee for background checks and give immunity to anyone who ran a background check before selling a gun that later was used in a crime.
By contrast, Burdick plans to use an all-volunteer force to collect signatures, which everyone acknowledges gives her opponents the edge. But Burdick said she hates using paid circulators, despite her feeling that "Oregon Gun Owners will be able to buy their way onto the ballot."
Even with his war chest, Hellen isn't convinced. I am worried that I would be able to get enough signatures to get on the ballot, let alone Ginny," Hellen said. He expects the per-signature cost to shoot to $2 by April 1 and to $2.25 going into June.
"I don't have enough money in my budget to go over $2" per signature, he said.
But that's today. Both sides recognize the importance Oregonians place on the gun issue. The 1999 Legislature was one Senate vote shy of approving mandatory background checks at gun shows.
Experts say campaign events, media coverage and a continued national discussion over gun show purchases could fuel the Oregon debate. That means both campaigns could generate more contributions.
"Interesting issues can overcome insurmountable odds," said Ruth Bendl, a longtime political activist who has worked on several initiative campaigns. "They may not have money now, but because it's a hot topic, they may pull in some later."
Burdick contends her measure has support. "The public wants this," she said. "That's obvious." Yet she's realistically optimistic.
Hellen said his group still is weighing whether to move forward.
In one sense he doesn't think Burdick's side can collect enough signatures to qualify. And, anticipating another gun-control battle in the next Legislature, he'd rather spend his money on the political campaigns of gun-friendly candidates. But he said the measure is the only way to deal with the specific issues it raises because Gov. John Kitzhaber will never sign off on legislation that includes them.
On another point, Hellen is worried -- enough to keep pushing toward the ballot.
"The last thing I want to have happen is to wake up one morning halfway through and have Ginny's campaign get some big grant that will help pay for signatures," he said.
You can reach Mark Larabee at 503-294-7664 or by e-mail at MarkLarabee@news.oregonian.com.
------------------
The New World Order has a Third Reich odor.
Time running out for activists eager to launch gun initiatives
Supreme Court challenges are holding up the measures and eating away at campaign time
Friday, March 10, 2000
By Mark Larabee of The Oregonian staff
Campaigners running competing gun-control initiatives aimed at Oregon's November general election ballot are sweating bullets.
They haven't begun collecting the 66,786 signatures they need to qualify for the ballot because both initiatives are held up by state Supreme Court challenges.
As the days march toward the July 7 deadline for collecting signatures, the cost of gathering those names -- pegged Thursday at $1.85 a scratch -- continues to rise.
And activists for each initiative are wondering whether the campaigns will be worth beginning given the odds of generating enough support in what veteran campaigners consider too little time.
The ever-fractious Oregon gun debate is in a bind. On Thursday, Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, a gun-control proponent and author of one of the initiatives, sent letters to all 168 legislative candidates asking them to gather signatures for her measure as they campaign for office. Burdick acknowledged the move was one of desperation.
"I'll admit to that," said Burdick, whose initiative would require criminal background checks for all firearms purchases at the approximately 160 gun shows held in Oregon each year. "We've been held up in the Supreme Court since December. When you're this tight, you do everything you can."
The high court will hear arguments Thursday over four objections to the initiatives' ballot titles. The campaigns can't seek signatures until the court signs off on a ballot's title, which is its official summary.
Both sides said they hope to be collecting signatures by April 1. "I think this certainly puts them against the wall," said Mark Wiener, a political consultant with M&R Strategic Services. "It's certainly not impossible, but it means that they would have to put together a paid operation and it would probably be costly."
That's an understatement.
John Hellen of Oregon Gun Owners said the pro-gun group has budgeted about $150,000 to pay professional signature collectors for its measure. It would require criminal background checks but also would ease gun-purchase record-keeping by police, eliminate the $10 fee for background checks and give immunity to anyone who ran a background check before selling a gun that later was used in a crime.
By contrast, Burdick plans to use an all-volunteer force to collect signatures, which everyone acknowledges gives her opponents the edge. But Burdick said she hates using paid circulators, despite her feeling that "Oregon Gun Owners will be able to buy their way onto the ballot."
Even with his war chest, Hellen isn't convinced. I am worried that I would be able to get enough signatures to get on the ballot, let alone Ginny," Hellen said. He expects the per-signature cost to shoot to $2 by April 1 and to $2.25 going into June.
"I don't have enough money in my budget to go over $2" per signature, he said.
But that's today. Both sides recognize the importance Oregonians place on the gun issue. The 1999 Legislature was one Senate vote shy of approving mandatory background checks at gun shows.
Experts say campaign events, media coverage and a continued national discussion over gun show purchases could fuel the Oregon debate. That means both campaigns could generate more contributions.
"Interesting issues can overcome insurmountable odds," said Ruth Bendl, a longtime political activist who has worked on several initiative campaigns. "They may not have money now, but because it's a hot topic, they may pull in some later."
Burdick contends her measure has support. "The public wants this," she said. "That's obvious." Yet she's realistically optimistic.
Hellen said his group still is weighing whether to move forward.
In one sense he doesn't think Burdick's side can collect enough signatures to qualify. And, anticipating another gun-control battle in the next Legislature, he'd rather spend his money on the political campaigns of gun-friendly candidates. But he said the measure is the only way to deal with the specific issues it raises because Gov. John Kitzhaber will never sign off on legislation that includes them.
On another point, Hellen is worried -- enough to keep pushing toward the ballot.
"The last thing I want to have happen is to wake up one morning halfway through and have Ginny's campaign get some big grant that will help pay for signatures," he said.
You can reach Mark Larabee at 503-294-7664 or by e-mail at MarkLarabee@news.oregonian.com.
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The New World Order has a Third Reich odor.
