on studded tires.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Remember Jeff Bernards? He’s the citizen activist I wrote about in early March who wants to push the state legislature to finally do something to curtail the use of studded tires. Since that story published, Bernards has been busy.
After many years of writing letters to the editor and testifying about the issue at City Council, Bernards is finally going to do something about it. Why? Studded tires do about $50-60 million in damage to Oregon roads each year (and ODOT spends about $11 million on repairs because of them — money that could be spent on other things).
As reported yesterday in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Bernards has moved forward with his plans to file a ballot initiative. He’s even consulted noted initiative expert Bill Sizemore.
From the DJC:
“Bernards, a citizen activist, is pushing a ballot initiative to ban the use of studded tires in Oregon. He’s received advice from veteran initiative backer Bill Sizemore and hopes to make the ballot in 2012.”
Bernards tells me he’s also purchased the domain name banstuddedtires.com and plans to build a website soon. He’s got his work cut out for him. According to the DJC, Bernards has to raise at least $250,000 to get enough signatures to get on the ballot and he’s also got to woo the AAA. As initiative expert Sizemore told the DJC, “They [the AAA] have a huge mailing list… They could put this on the ballot in one mailing… If AAA opposes it, it’s dead.”
Stay tuned.