Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Chemeketa passed its bond measure this May

Photos and story by Dana Haynes

“Isn’t this a tough time to go to voters for a bond measure?”

We get asked that one all the time.

President Pulliams’ answer is: There’s never a good time to ask voters to OK a money measure. But another answer might be: Yes. This is exactly the time to take a bond measure to voters.

We saw evidence of this in May when our friends at Chemeketa Community College in Salem sought a bond measure. Voters said “yes” with a high enough count to override the double majority rule.

(In Oregon, for most elections, you need 50 percent of registered voters to participate, and 50 percent +1 of them to say “yes,” in order to pass a money measure. If every single participating voters says “yes,” but only 49 percent of the registered voters participate, you lose.)

Mind you, the Chemeketa folks passed its bond in Marion and Polk counties, where they traditionally fair well. But they also passed their measure in Yamhill County, and area traditionally under-served by Chemeketa.

And you’ll note that PCC and Chemeketa split Yamhill County.

Plus, elections in November of an even-numbered year bypass the double majority rule, so that’s a hurdle we won’t have to worry about.

All of which augurs well for PCC’s measure, I’m thinking.

By the way: the election is in 55 days. And ballots should hit your mailbox in about 38 days.

Gulp.

Send your feedback to dana.haynes@pcc.edu. And thanks in advance.