La Grande, Ore – La Grande city council has put their concerns with Oregon Measure 110 into action this past month. Motivated by an increase of overdoses in the community and the belief that Measure 110 has been ineffective in its goal, Mayor Clements and the rest of the city council have voted to draft a letter to Goveoner-elect Kotek.
Outlining their concerns about public safety and concern for increased overdoses the city council has urged the incoming governor to make fixing measure 110 her top priority.
From January to September 2022, the community has seen a 360% increase in overdose-related calls for service from 2020’s numbers according to La Grande Police Chief Bell.
The purpose of Measure 110 is to make screening health assessment, treatment, and recovery services for drug addiction available to all those who need and want access to those services; and to adopt a health approach to drug addiction by removing criminal penalties for low-level drug possession.
Multiple criminal sentencing laws regulating the possession of controlled substances changed from felonies to Class E violations on February 1, 2021.
The city councils concerns are outlied in greater detail in their letter below.
