Oregon Anti-Tax Organization Ordered to Pay Nearly $1 Million

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An organization headed by Oregon's foremost anti-tax activist was ordered by a jury to pay nearly $1 million Friday for forging petitions to get two anti-union measures on the ballot.

The civil jury awarded the amount to the state's two largest teacher unions. A judge will decide later whether to triple the $840,000 verdict under Oregon's anti-racketering law.

The Oregon Education Association and the Oregon chapter of the American Federation of Teachers sued Oregon Taxpayers United, founded in 1993 by activist Bill Sizemore, over two anti-union measures on the 2000 ballot.

The unions said they spent nearly $700,000 fighting the two failed measures, which would have prohibited or limited the use of union dues for political contributions without permission from members.

The unions argued that the petitions that were circulated to get the two measures on the ballot contained forged signatures. The jury agreed.

The former house painter and toy salesman has put tax measure after tax measure on the ballot, including a property tax limit approved by voters in 1996.

The teacher's union had their operatives deliberately forge names on Sizemore's petitions.

Then the union management charged Sizemore with having forged signatures on his petitions!

Democrats rule Oregon and they are small and p etty, and they always get their way.

One of Sizemore's petitions did pass; it said the gov had to compensate for down-zoning someone's property, but a democrat judge just threw it out on a technicality, so much for the rule of law in Oregon.

Yes they did. It's Oregon Measure 7 and it has been being thought about by the Oregon Supreme Court for 10 months now. One of these days they will uphold the bogus ruling. The Democratic Governor, taking a page from the Gray Davis playbook, had a series of meetings between the Attn. Generals office that was supposed to defend the citizen passed ititative and the people suing, and the judge to figure out what would be the worst thing to argue that would cause the judge to void it. They did, he did and Measure 7 has never been in force for a day.

It's a very corrupt state, and Oregon is full of people who suck of the tax base. The paper today had a story about an urban redevelopment project that resulted in the city paying all taxes on a private building, renting a few floors with no one in it, etc. Why did they do this? Who knows. They are socialist idiots. I'm sure a lot of them were hitting the bongs tonight before the "Critical Mass" hippie riot in downtown.

The sad thing is I moved here from California. At least they haven't gone after our guns yet, but its only a matter of time. This state is going full nutcase liberal.

We have a ballot initative for full socialized medicine. It would impose a *additional* 9 percent on top of the current 9% (which is also being raised to 9.6%) to result in a 19% personal income tax rate. Also businesses will be asked to pay 12% (I think). Hows that for an amazing deal. All "practitioners" of "therapy" will be able to suck money out of this amazing pot. All people can get these services simply by living here ... for a day. I'm almost tempted to vote for it and move to Washington and watch the fun. But I own a house here and might not be able to get my money out fast enough.

WIPE THE SMILE OFF OF THIS MAN'S FACE.

VOTE THE RATS OUT!!

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