Legislative Referral Leads, Mannix Rejected
Measure With Most Votes Will Be Adopted
A legislative referral to toughen sentencing for drug dealers and thieves while expanding treatment programs was leading an election contest with a more expensive mandatory sentencing initiative from Kevin Mannix. Mannix was behind Measure 61, which would have required mandatory sentencing of up to three years for first-time offenders convicted of property or drug crimes. He also offered a companion but unrelated proposal, Measure 62, which was nicknamed "CSI Oregon" because it would have carved out 15 percent of lottery revenue to increase funding for the Oregon State Police crime lab and prosecutors. Both appeared headed for defeat with nearly half the vote counted Tuesday.Measure 57 increases prison terms for repeat offenders convicted of nonviolent property or drug crimes. But it offers more treatment programs to prevent inmates from going back to their old habits.The referral had the support of a broad coalition that included most district attorneys in the state.It was offered as an alternative to Measure 61, proposed by Mannix to require mandatory sentencing for first-time offenders convicted of property or drug crimes.Measure 57 is much less expensive, but could cost an extra $400 million in the first five years. It was leading with nearly half the vote counted on Tuesday.
Copyright 2008 by KPTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved.
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