Oregon’s Let’s Get Moving campaign might not have legs with voters

Written by RT&S Staff
short line railroad
Eleven Hopedale residents have managed to put a land agreement with a short line railroader on pause.

When it comes to the passage of Oregon’s Let’s Get Moving transportation plan, early indications are residents do not want to move forward with Measure 26-218.

Measure 26-218 calls for a payroll tax on certain employers that would generate billions of dollars for transportation projects, including light-rail projects. A poll by DHM Research and Oregon Public Broadcasting released on Oct. 20 showed 47 percent of likely voters would vote yes, while 42 percent said they would vote no. The measure needs to have 50 percent approval. About 11 percent said they were undecided. In Washington County, which would see most of the funding in action on projects, 45 percent did not approve of the move, while just 43 percent supported it.

On Oct. 19 opponents of the plan released a summary of polls conducted after ballots were mailed, and the numbers threw more water on the hopes the measure would pass. The number of no votes had grown since September to 41 percent while 23 percent were still undecided.

Those fighting the payroll tax have indicated the surveys were taken before four informational pieces were delivered to residents slamming the transportation package.

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