Complaint takes aim at petitioner

Campaign financing - A signature gatherer's statement spurs inquiry

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

RYAN FRANK

State elections officials will investigate a complaint that signature gatherers seeking to repeal Portland's public campaign financing program misled a voter.

Robert E. Reynolds' complaint says a signature gatherer working for the First Things First Committee told him that taxpayer-funded political campaigns would take money from "school funds and the like."

But less than $500 of the $1.3 million program can be directly tied to schools. Most of project will be paid by city of Portland departments, including police and fire, city budget officials said.

The City Council approved the program in May. The First Things First Committee, a coalition of business owners, launched a petition drive in August to repeal the program.

Norma Buckno, compliance specialist in the Oregon secretary of state's elections division, said she'll send a letter to the campaign's chief petitioners to seek more information about Reynolds' complaint. The complaint could lead to a felony criminal investigation if the state thinks a signature gatherer knowingly made false statements.

Such investigations are rare. Since 1999, the state has received about 25 complaints of false statements or forged signatures, among other violations, in initiative campaigns. But none of the cases that alleged only misleading statements has led to a criminal prosecution. In those cases, the state typically writes a letter to urge proper training, Buckno said.

Ted Blaszak, whose company, Democracy Resources, is gathering signatures for the First Things First campaign, said the gatherer who talked with Reynolds "deviated from their key talking points somewhat."

Blaszak said that his gatherer was retrained and that the missteps are "isolated and rare" in his firm's six-year history.

Ellie Booth, spokeswoman for the First Things First Committee, said the complaint sparked the group to provide more information to signature gatherers to add to their existing four hours of training.

So far, Democracy Resources has gathered 24,000 signatures. It needs 26,691 by Jan. 17 for its measure to qualify for the May ballot.

Ryan Frank: 503-221-8564; ryanfrank@news.oregonian.com