Guest column: Vote yes on Measure 116 to stop politicians from setting their salaries

As a teacher, union member, and lifelong Oregonian, I am voting Yes on 116 because I am fed up with politicians setting their own salaries.

I have been teaching for ten years, and I love my job. Every day, I teach my students that their voices matter, that they have the power to shape their communities, and that fairness matters. Yet, despite the long hours teachers put into their jobs to ensure our students have the resources they need to learn and grow, unconstrained politicians can name their price and sign their own paychecks.

Despite decades of advocacy and organizing by union members like me, education is still woefully underfunded, and teachers are still underpaid. Many of us struggle to make ends meet. Some of my colleagues work second jobs just to afford basic necessities. Many teachers pay out of pocket or crowdfund for basic school supplies. How can we tell our students that fairness matters when their schools and teachers barely have enough resources they need– and politicians are setting their own salaries with taxpayer dollars?

Unions give working people a voice, ensuring our concerns are heard, and our rights protected. The People’s Independent Commission proposed by Measure 116 embodies this same principle. Measure 116 would put regular Oregonians in charge of setting the pay for statewide elected officials, including state legislators, the governor, the secretary of state, the state treasurer, the attorney general, Oregon Supreme Court judges, and others. It removes a clear conflict of interest and brings more fairness and accountability to our government.

People of all political perspectives are voting yes for the People’s Independent Commission because they want to put everyday Oregonians in charge. The measure is endorsed by many of the unions that represent working people in Oregon, including Oregon Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, Oregon Nurses Association, SEIU, AFL-CIO, AFSCME, and many more.

It is worth noting that Oregon has tried to fix this problem before, but the commission failed because it was not given enough independence and authority. The Oregon Public Officials Compensation Commission was established in 1983, but lawmakers promptly ignored it for political reasons. The commission struggled to make a difference until the Legislature finally defunded in 2008 and abolished it in 2017. Measure 116 addresses the shortcomings of the past by creating a truly independent commission with the power to directly implement its decisions. If Measure 116 passes, Oregon would join 22 states that have commissions set state legislative salaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

I believe in the power of democracy. In 2022, I was one of 54 teachers nationwide selected for a prestigious fellowship, allowing me to pursue my master’s in American history and government and become a stronger teacher. My winning essays explored the history and origins of the U.S. Constitution, which is the foundation of our representative democracy. The Constitution governs our fundamental rights and guarantees a separation of powers in order to safeguard liberty and equality. Oregon’s policy of having politicians setting their own pay flies in the face of these basic democratic principles and should offend anyone who, like me, cherishes the Constitution.

As an educator, I teach about fairness every day. I want all students to know that their elected leaders live out the value of fairness too. Join me in voting Yes on 116 to make a fairer Oregon — one that lives up to the democratic ideals we teach in our classrooms.

Jessica Colburn lives in Bend.