Measure 64 Threatens Employee Giving

Dear Donors and Supporters:

It's unfortunate to have politics restrict one's ability to make a simple payroll contribution to Earth Share but that is exactly what Bill Sizemore's ballot Measure 64 would do. 

Measure 64 would ban thousands of public employees from using payroll contribution to support many environmental organizations and some other charities fighting poverty and protecting children and families. Hundreds of thousands of charitable dollars annually are at stake.

Last year, 35% or about $257,000 came to Earth Share from public employees in Oregon. If you are a public employee -- your right to give to some groups you care about may be taken away.

Measure 64 would prohibit our environmental groups from using public employee payroll contributions for a broadly defined "political purpose."  Under Measure 64, if any of our 37 Oregon groups educates their members, for example, about a ballot measure related to land use policy or if they advocate for support of a bond measure, about greenspaces -- that organization would be subject to extreme fines and penalties.   

Oregon is a very special place to live and work.  For decades, Earth Share groups have advocated for land use policies that preserve our farm and forest lands, for consumer protections to keep children safe, and for transportation policy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil. 

But Measure 64 would severely restrict the ability of the very organizations that have made Oregon special -- to carry on our longstanding history of advocacy and education.

$257,000 is a lot of money to lose and restricting our public employees from giving is just unfair.

I encourage all nature-loving Oregonians to vote "NO" on Measure 64 and protect this special place that we call home.  

If you'd like more information visit the No on 64 website at www.dontsilenceourvoice.com or you are welcome to contact me.

Trudy Toliver
Executive Director
trudy@earthshare-oregon.org
(503) 223-9015