Parks ballot measure signature drive is underway

The Protect Our Parks (POP) group is leading the effort to seek signatures for an initiative petition they hope to get on the November 2019 ballot.

Protect our Parks is a Hood River nonprofit park advocacy group whose backers claim the ballot measure will protect city parks.

The petition was approved in May for circulation for signatures by Jennifer Gray, City Recorder and Elections official.

Backers of the initiative must gather a minimum of 737 signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

If approved by voters, the initiative would amend the Hood River City Charter to require a public vote before the city can dispose of any designated city park.

Anyone wishing to sign the petition must be a resident of the city of Hood River, and registered to vote.

Initiative petition supporters will need to collect 737 qualifying signatures — 15 percent of the total number of registered voters residing in city limits. Those signing must be registered voters who live inside Hood River city limits.

The total number of eligible voters is 5,013.

Tracey Tomashpol, one of the two chief petitioners who submitted the initiative, noted in an email press release, “Hood River already falls far short of the state’s suggested minimum park area for a city of our size. We can’t afford to lose any of our park land.”