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Continue reading →: Measure 48 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Instructs State, Federal Legislators to Vote for Congressio
Government Structure Failed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Novice legislators rely more on bureaucrats; empowers administrative branch; risks a dangerous constitutional convention. Summary Instructs legislators to support a federal constitutional amendment for term limits. Biblical Reasoning There is, as far as we know, no prohibition in the Bible to…
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Continue reading →: Measure 47 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Reduces and Limits Property Taxes; Limits Local Revenues
Taxation Passed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Property tax is ungodly because it implies state ownership of land; this measure reduces this theft. Summary Rolls back property taxes and limits future increases (precursor to Measure 50). Biblical Reasoning One of the most ungodly taxes on the American scene is…
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Continue reading →: Measure 46 (1996) – Amends Constitution: No Voter-Approved Taxes Without Registered Voters’ Majority
Taxation Failed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Supports the ‘benefits revolution’ to cut taxes; most government programs are unbiblical and should be defunded. Summary Requires a majority of all registered voters (not just those voting) to approve new taxes. Biblical Reasoning To go along with the “benefits revolution” that…
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Continue reading →: Measure 45 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Raises Public Employees’ Normal Retirement Age; Reduces Ben
Government/Labor Failed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Proper stewardship to pare back public employee retirement programs in times of financial problems. Summary Raises retirement age for public employees and reduces benefits to match private sector standards. Biblical Reasoning While we would rather see this be done by the Legislature,…
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Continue reading →: Measure 44 (1996) – Increases, Adds Cigarette and Tobacco Taxes; Changes Tax Revenue Distribution
Taxation/Health Passed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Smoking is not per se evil (Spurgeon smoked); proceeds fund socialist medical programs; taxation is not the method to punish evil. Summary Increases tobacco taxes to fund the Oregon Health Plan. Biblical Reasoning This Measure fails to meet muster on several counts.…
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Continue reading →: Measure 41 (1996) – Amends Constitution: States How Public Employee Earnings Must Be Expressed
Government/Labor Failed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Public employees are paid by non-voluntary taxes, so full accounting is required; increases accountability. Summary Requires total employer cost of public employees (including benefits) to be publicly disclosed. Biblical Reasoning Because these “public employees” are paid by your non-voluntary tax dollars, you…
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Continue reading →: Measure 40 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Gives Crime Victims Rights, Expands Admissible Evidence, Li
Criminal Justice Passed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO While well-intentioned, it reduces judicial discretion which is biblical; solution is better judges, not mandatory rules; promotes prison over restitution. Summary Grants constitutional rights to crime victims and changes court procedures regarding evidence and juries. Biblical Reasoning The Scriptures posit judges,…
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Continue reading →: Measure 39 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Government, Private Entities Cannot Discriminate Among Heal
Economy/Health Passed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Expands state involvement in commerce; imposes state-dictated practices in the name of fairness. Summary Prohibits discrimination against different types of health care providers (like chiropractors vs doctors) in insurance and service. Biblical Reasoning Like Measure 35, the passage of this measure would…
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Continue reading →: Measure 38 (1996) – Prohibits Livestock in Certain Polluted Waters or on Adjacent Lands
Property Rights/Environment Failed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Radical prior restraint; presumes all cattle are bad; biblical law (Exodus 22) requires restitution for actual damage, not preemptive bans. Summary Bans livestock from being in or near waters that do not meet state water quality standards. Biblical Reasoning The civil…
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Continue reading →: Measure 37 (1996) – Broadens Types of Beverage Containers Requiring Deposit and Refund Value
Economy/Regulation Failed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Expands state involvement in commerce; implies that a benefits revolution is needed (we like clean streets but shouldn’t use state power for it). Summary Expands the ‘Bottle Bill’ to include non-carbonated drinks like water and juice. Biblical Reasoning This Measure would expand…
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Continue reading →: Measure 36 (1996) – Increases Minimum Hourly Wage to $6.50 Over Three Years
Economy/Wages Passed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO God gives the freedom of the marketplace to determine wages; state interference leads to inflation and debased currency. Summary Raises the state minimum wage from $4.75 to $6.50 over three years. Biblical Reasoning This Measure expands the State’s involvement in commerce. It…
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Continue reading →: Measure 35 (1996) – Restricts Bases for Providers to Receive Pay for Health Care
Economy/Health Failed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO It is not the civil government’s job to intrude into commerce and prohibit payment systems agreed upon by patient and doctor. Summary Limits the ways health care providers can be paid, outlawing capitation. Biblical Reasoning It is not the civil government’s job…
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Continue reading →: Measure 34 (1996) – Wildlife Management Exclusive to Commission; Repeals 1994 Bear/Cougar Initiative
Environment/Regulation Failed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES State should not engage in prior restraint of hunting methods; increasing predator populations threaten safety. Summary Repeals the 1994 ban on using dogs and bait for hunting bears and cougars. Biblical Reasoning Is it really the State’s job to engage in prior…
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Continue reading →: Measure 33 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Limits Legislative Change to Statutes Passed by Voters
Government Structure Failed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Biblical government is representative, not pure democracy; the legislature needs the ability to fix poorly crafted initiatives. Summary Prevents the legislature from changing voter-approved statutes for 5 years, then requires a 3/5 vote. Biblical Reasoning Biblical government is representative government, not…
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Continue reading →: Measure 32 (1996) – Authorizes Bonds for Portland Area Light Rail, Transportation Projects Elsewhere
Spending/Transportation Failed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Represents a collectivist mindset; coercively moves people from private cars to public transit; does not punish evildoers. Summary Authorizes state bonds to finance light rail in Portland and other transportation projects. Biblical Reasoning Again, this Measure does not meet the basic criteria…
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Continue reading →: Measure 30 (1996) – Amends Constitution: State Must Pay Local Governments Costs of State-Mandated Pr
Taxation/Local Control Passed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Biblical government is decentralized; this forces the state to “count the cost” before mandating programs. Summary Requires the state to fund any new programs it mandates local governments to implement. Biblical Reasoning We have said earlier in the voter’s guide that…
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Continue reading →: Measure 29 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Governor’s Appointees Must Vacate Office if Successor not T
Government Structure Failed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Restores legislative control over the rule-making process and ensures representative government. Summary Requires governor’s appointees to leave office if their successor is not confirmed within 90 days. Biblical Reasoning As with Measure 27, we remind you that biblical government is representative…
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Continue reading →: Measure 28 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Repeals Certain Residency Requirements for State Veteran’s
Economy/Spending Passed General Election ✗ PEAPAC Recommends: NO Expands the state’s involvement in commerce (housing market) which is not a biblical function of government. Summary Removes residency requirements for veterans to qualify for state home loans. Biblical Reasoning Some of you may benefit financially from this Measure, but is it…
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Continue reading →: Measure 27 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Grants Legislature New Power Over Both New, Existing Admini
Government Structure Failed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES Biblical government is representative; bureaucrats making laws weakens the separation of powers and accountability. Summary Gives the legislature the power to review and veto administrative rules created by state agencies. Biblical Reasoning We have said that biblical government is representative government.…
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Continue reading →: Measure 26 (1996) – Amends Constitution: Changes the principles that Govern Laws for Punishment of C
Criminal Justice Passed General Election ✓ PEAPAC Recommends: YES The primary function of the state is to punish evildoers, not to reform them; this measure restores that biblical priority. Summary Amends the constitution to shift the focus of the justice system from reformation to the protection of society and punishment…
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Continue reading →: Welcome to It’s About TimeWelcome to It’s About Time — a new home for the teaching ministry of Dennis Tuuri. This site brings together decades of sermons, a forthcoming book on the Christian Sabbath, voter guides for faithful civic engagement, and new reflections on Scripture and the Christian life. The name comes from Psalm…
Hello,
I’m Dennis Tuuri
I’ve been a pastor and Bible teacher for over forty years. My passion is helping Christians think biblically about all of life — work, rest, family, community, and our responsibilities as citizens.
This site is a home for my teaching: sermons spanning decades of expository preaching, a book on the Christian Sabbath, and voter guides for faithful civic engagement.
Thanks for visiting. I hope these resources are a blessing to you.
“They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.” — Psalm 84:7
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Dennis Tuuri 