Mannix says Measure 57 a step forward for public safety

The defeat of Measure 61 and the passage of Measure 57 in the general election may have been a defeat for Kevin Mannix, but the former congressional candidate and Salem lawyer sees the result as an overall victory for public safety, according to a piece he wrote Thursday on Oregon Catalyst.

“We need to remember that the people have spoken quite loudly in favor of tough anti-crime efforts,” Mannix wrote. “While Measure 57 is weaker than Measure 61, Measure 57 still represents a step forward.”

Mannix was the author of Measure 61, which would have created mandatory minimum prison sentences for certain crimes. The Oregon legislature was concerned that if Measure 61 passed, the state would have to pour a crippling amount of its budget toward creating a vast prison system in Oregon. In response, the legislature crafted the alternative Measure 57. The measure, which increased prison sentencing, but also called for more treatment programs for criminals, was a rival measure for Mannix’s 61, and included a kill clause which meant that if both measures passed, the one with the most votes would become law.

According to unofficial results from the Secretary of State, Measure 57 was overwhelmingly passed with 61 percent of the vote, while Measure 61 was defeated 51 percent to 48 percent.