The concept of property owners being voters is not new; it is a very old idea. Throughout the long-developing history of what we call democracy, having more wealth has meant having more power. In the past this was sanctified in laws that allowed only the propertied classes to vote. When that arrangement gave way, the vote in most industrial societies remained the privilege of men having control of their economies.

Today we find the elimination of the initial traditions of assigning higher weights to the votes of property owners, higher degree holders, those able to pass literacy tests, and men. These preference removals are in the direction of equalizing the power of all individuals. The current practice of universal adult franchise with "one-person- one-vote-one-value," has to be looked upon as a symbolic declaration concerning the equality of power principle for all voters while they are destined to live together under a common government.

What are the inherent difficulties stemming from property ownership when non-residents of a CAC are eligible to elect CAC board members and be board members? A political equality problem can easily develop when a person who lives in, say, Grants Pass, Oregon, or New York City, but owning property in a county CAC, voting for and/or becoming an elected officer of the CAC. Another significant issue is the real possibility that an owner of land in a CAC area could legally give or sell shares of his property in a CAC area to "others" outside the community, and for these aliens to take over through local CAC elections.

For us the important issue is the relationship between local residency and community well-being. We believe local residency boosts loyalty for peoples’ places. It means that such difficult-to-quantify factors as community stability, cultural preservation, and civic pride enter the land use decision-making process along with the traditional measure of profitability from land ownership.

Our specific interest is that only citizen residents in a CAC area be eligible to vote in CAC board elections or to serve as board members. The dominant Section C.1. of the Josephine County Citizen Involvement Plan (CIP)¹ identifies CAC boards as being elected by the verified residents of a CAC area. This section of the CIP is in conflict with Article III of the CIC’s by-laws, which identifies the voters as being either residents, or property owners.

How do you feel? If you agree with us please make your concern known to your neighbors and our county commissioners, consider changing your CAC’s by-laws, and/or become a co-sponsor of this issue paper.