The Greater Idaho organization is gathering signatures in Douglas County for a proposal to move the county, along with most other rural areas of Oregon, inside the Idaho border.
On February 28th, advocates were given the go ahead by Douglas County Clerk Daniel Loomis to start gathering signatures in the county. Loomis told News Radio 1240 KQEN the group would have until February 28th, 2022 to gather 2955 signatures, in order to get the proposal on the ballot. On its website, the organization said it hopes to get the measure on the ballot this fall.
The petition drive in Douglas County will officially kickoff with a rally this Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. in the Community Conference Hall of the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The group started gathering signatures in Umatilla County earlier this week and hopes to be on the ballot in Josephine County as well.
Chief Petitioner Mike McCarter said since it garnered publicity two weeks ago, Move Oregon’s Border’s main Facebook group grew from 2,500 members to 7,777 members. McCarter said 400 members live in Roseburg. McCarter said it makes more sense for conservative counties to be under Idaho governance instead of Oregon’s. He said the overall tax rate in Idaho is lower as well.
The legislatures in both Oregon and Idaho, along with the U.S. Congress, would have to agree to moving the border.
McCarter will be the main speaker at the rally. Printed copies of the petition will be available at the event.
For more information go to www.greateridaho.org.
McCarter will be on the Morning Conversation Friday on News Radio 1240 KQEN.