>On July 21, the No On 164 Coalition turned in over 231,000 signatures to put
>Referendum 48 on the November ballot!

Isn't it sick that you folks need to go to so much time, energy and
expense to undo a total fuckup (pardon me, but it's the truth) by
your legislature? It is sick, sick, sick.

As part of your campaign I should hope you're publicizing
those who voted for the measure? Make 'em sweat! My understanding
is that it wouldn't passed if your Demo leadership had their
shit together.

We have seen some similar, but not so disasterous stuff here in
the Land of Planning. The last legislature passed an end-around
stealth attack on our Land Use laws - state law now requires
our urban areas (i.e. Metro, the greater Portland area) to maintain
adequate land for 20 years worth of development within the urban
boundary which is as yet undeveloped. This will require Metro
to increase our Urban Growth area by 10% immediately - more than
they've planned for the next 50 years!

However, Metro is planning to fight it by an equally stealthy
means (yes!) and fiendishly clever, I think - they've announced
they're going to increase the maximum allowable density for new
development. This will increase the amount of future development
which now exists within the current Urban Growth boundary, so
it will only need to be increased by about 3%.

Of course, the land may not be developed at that max density,
but we can deal with that later by swinging a few rural
Republicans from the nearest (electoral) lampost.

Too much detail, not on topic, but hell I just felt like
venting.

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>