measure doesn't ask the right questions Klamath basin restoration agreement 101410

Measure doesn’t ask the right questions

Herald and News Letter to the Editor October 14, 2010 by John Turner, Klamath Falls

Referencing the Oct. 3 description of the measure that asks whether Klamath County should discontinue its participation in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement:

What an utterly foolish measure. Of course Klamath County should participate in the KBRA. The only question is what the commissioners should support while dealing with the KBRA. This is what the measure should have asked.

This would have been accomplished by two simple questions (measures), both answered with simple yes/no answers.

The first question: Do you support the KBRA?

The second question: Do you support dam removal? Or better yet do you support the removal of the J.C. Boyle Dam?

Now these are not legally binding, but they sure would give the commissioners guidance on what the voters of Klamath County really feel.

I, for the life of me, cannot understand why a couple of simple questions could not have been added to the ballot. Is it that the commissioners didn’t really want to know what the voters think? I really don’t know. All I know is that Measure 18-80 doesn’t help one bit.

Yes, I’m against the removal of the J.C. Boyle Dam since it generates half the power (clean, green power) on the Klamath River, has a working fish ladder, doesn’t heat the water, and has a fish screen. But I’m against the wording of Measure 18-80 because it does not allow me to find out if I’m in a minority or a majority.