Baker City Resolution

On Tuesday, June 12, 2012, CCBC presented a proposed resolution to the Baker City Council. Please click here to access the video of that presentation, which concludes with the resolution being moved forward for formal consideration. The segment is in the Citizens’ Participation agenda item. Barbara Johnson was our presenter. It appears from the 7:00 minute mark to the 17:30 mark. We found the discussion by the Councilors, led by Milo Pope, to be an inspiring demonstration of democracy working at its very best!

On Tuesday, June 26, 2012, the Baker City Council unanimously adopted a resolution urging passage of a constitutional amendment! Please click here to access the video of that session. It’s Agenda Item #6, ending at the 29:00 minute mark.

A copy of the approved resolution in .pdf format is available by clicking here.

Following is an outline of the resolution unanimously approved by the Baker City Council on June 26, 2012. It is based on a resolution recently passed by the Ashland, Oregon, City Council, as modified by citizen input at our public forum in Baker City on April 26, 2012.

Justification:

1. There is widespread, bipartisan national interest in fair electoral processes for candidates and measures;

2. Previous federal and state legislative measures to regulate campaign financing were largely invalidated by the 2010 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission and subsequent federal court decisions;

3. The consequences of Citizens United exacerbate the already pervasive influence of money in politics and could well increase the distortion and corruption of electoral and governing processes;

4. Some Members of Congress, including Oregon Senators Merkley and Wyden, and others are attempting to gather support for a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures; and

5. Expressions of widespread, bipartisan grassroots support for efforts to reverse Citizens United have already come from over 300 cities, seven states, and 17 state attorneys general, and additional such expressions are needed to increase the prospects for passage of such a constitutional amendment.

Baker City Council Resolution, Adopted on June 26, 2012

The City of Baker City, Oregon, urges Oregon’s Members of Congress to approve — and Oregon’s legislature to support — an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to give Congress and the states the authority to regulate campaign contributions and expenditures on federal and state elections.