It ‘s a case of buyer’s remorse. Oregon voters were suckered into passing a proposition like that before ten states this November, only Oregon did it in 2004. Now the state’s much praised land use lies in ruins and the Oregon taxpayers owe billions of dollars to developers whose “rights” were taken away by sound, public-spirited land use planning of years past.
Here is a story about it in New West by Dan Richardson.
Here are the Western states with “regulatory takings” like Oregon’s on the ballot next month: Arizona (Prop 207), California (Prop. 90), Idaho (Prop. 2), Montana (I-154), Nevada (“PISTOL”), Washington state (I-933).
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Update on Oct. 27. Montana’s Supreme Court has given I-154 the boot.
The court ruled 7-0 that those opposed to the initiative had given ample evidence that the signature gathering process violated state laws.
I-154 is another of Howie Rich’s sneak attack initiatives being billed as protecting property rights when it would do the opposite.
The court’s opinion, which was delivered by Justice Patricia Cotter, stated, “If the initiative process is to remain viable and retain its integrity, we can neither excuse nor overlook violations of these laws, for to do so here would confer free reign for others to do so in other matters.”
Too bad for us in Idaho that no suit was filed against the signature collection here.
More on Oct. 29. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commissioners breath sigh of relief that I-154 is dead in Montana. Billings Gazette.
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Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project.
