Here’s something I wrote after the 2016 election. I recently brought up these topics with my representatives for possible legislation in the upcoming session.

December, 2016.

Oregonians were mercifully presented with a relatively small number of ballot measures on Nov. 8. Nevertheless, three of those measures stand out as yet further examples of abuse of the initiative process by special interests.

Most of us know about Measure 97, the attempt to re-engineer the Oregon economy by imposing the largest tax increase in state history. The measure was rejected.

Two other proposals on the November ballot also were bad measures created by special interests, but were overwhelmingly approved by eager voters. Why?

Measures 98 and 99 were feel-good measures that were easy to vote for. The first mandated that the Legislature distribute funds to school districts for dropout prevention and other educational programs. Measure 99 mandated outdoor education programs. The goals are admirable.

But admirable goals alone do not make good ballot measures. What made Measures 98 and 99 easy to vote for was exactly what made them bad measures. Neither identified new revenue for their costly programs. Voters could approve these very worthy programs without paying a nickel.

Or could they?

The Register-Guard recently reported that Measures 98 and 99 will add between $300 million and $400 million to the already huge budget gap facing the Legislature in 2017. Where will these funds come from?

There are two choices: Find new revenue, or cut other programs. Voters who approved these two measures will find either that their votes cost them money after all, or that another program, perhaps one they liked, was cut.

Our initiative process, far from being some pure exercise of the democratic process, has become little more than a tool of powerful, well-funded special interests. Each election cycle, they promote self-serving ballot measures often at odds with other pressing needs facing the state.

They raise huge amounts of money both for signature gathering and slick, often misleading, advertising to gain voter approval of their agendas.

The spectacle of two big special interests each spending millions in the battle over Measure 97 should teach us one thing:

This is no way to govern. It is time to fix our initiative process.

We can start by reforming the signature gathering process. Big money makes it far too easy for special interests to get their agendas on the ballot. We should limit the amount that can be spent on paid signature gathering so that special interests, like the little guys, will need to find at least some volunteers to get signatures.

There needs to be far better disclosure, both to those asked to sign initiative petitions and to voters. A good start would be a requirement that the top campaign contributors be listed prominently on the initiative signature sheets and in the Voters’ Pamphlet.

Ban measures that propose unfunded mandates. It is unconscionable that special interests, time and again, persuade voters to approve such proposals and walk away, leaving the Legislature to do the hard work of finding funding. Every ballot measure that mandates spending should be required to mandate new revenue to fund it.

Limited spending on signature gathering, better informed signers and voters, a ban on unfunded mandates — with these common-sense reforms, we can begin to blunt the unfair influence of special interests on the initiative process.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Initiative reform must be accompanied by reform of the mind-set in Salem that gives rise to the frustrations leading to so many bad ballot measures.

We need to insist that our leaders show more courage in dealing with Oregon’s pressing problems. That means making tough, sometimes unpopular decisions. It means putting forth big proposals to deal with big problems. It means an inclusive process to develop these proposals.

And it means not feeling obligated to refer major decisions to the voters, where special interest money once again could exert undue influence.

Courageous leaders take thoughtful action and take responsibility for the consequences.

With these changes, we can break the cycle of dysfunction where frustration gives rise to bad ballot measures, which give rise to more frustration.

Oregonians have endured decades of malfeasance by ballot measure. It’s time for a change.