"It looks like an Oregon record may be set in "no" spending against a ballot measure," says Janice Thompson, executive director of the Money in Politics Research Action Project. Almost $4.6 million has been contributed thus far to the Coalition Against the Costly Labeling Law fighting Measure #27 requiring the labeling of genetically engineered foods. (See chart 2 summarizing contributions to the key ballot measure committees and major donors.)

Previous high points in total "no" spending by campaign committees include:

• $4.7 million raised by the Coalition Against Unnecessary & Unfair Constitutional Amendments to defeat Measures #92 and #98 in 2000. These measures were sponsored by Bill Sizemore and targeted public employee unions.
• $4.6 million raised by Oregonians for Open and Fair Elections to defeat Sizemore’s Measure #59 in 1998. This campaign, however, also supported Measures #62 and #63.
• $4.6 million raised in 1996 by the Fairness Matters to Oregonians Committee to oppose Measure #44’s increase in tobacco taxes.

The companies making "no on 27" contributions are also doing so on a grand scale as indicated by the comparison to their national soft money contributions.

Chart 1 – Comparison of "no on 27 " contributions to national soft money contributions*

Company	"no on 27" $s	2002 national soft money $	Company	"no on 27" $s	2002 national soft money $
Aventis	$396,429	$546,597	Monsanto	$1,480,000	$38,000
BASF	$158,571	$50,647	Nestle USA	$84,072	$41,944
Bayer	$105,714	$0	Pepsico	$94,123	$632,600
Dow Agrosciences	$396,429	$60,400	Proctor & Gamble	$81,739	$1,500
DuPont	$634,286	$46,700	Syngenta	$528,571	$231,571
General Mills	$88,921	$0	Comparison totals	$4,048,855	$1,649,888

* State data is from Oregon Elections Division and could change due to auditing and amendments. National data is from Center for Responsive Politics. All these figures are contributions thus far in the 2002 election cycle.

"Ballot measure spending in Oregon often indicates national, and now, international trends," summarizes Galen Nelson with Ballotfunding.org. "Corporate donors to the No on 27 campaign must care deeply about deterring similar labeling measures in other initiative states."

Chart 2 – Total Contributions to the Major Ballot Measure PACs and their top donors
*Total contributions include cash and in-kind contributions, loans received and other receipts on the 1^st C and E report due 9/30/02. Amounts could change due to amendments or auditing.

Yes on:	Committee/Major Contributors	Total contribs*	No on:	Committee/Major Contributors	Total contribs*
21 & 22	Judicial Accountability PAC 2002	$9,000	21 & 22	Coalition to Defeat Constitutional Amendments #21 and #22	$63,550
	Loren Parks - $3,500
	Seneca Timber Co -$3,000
	Oregonians in Action PAC - $1,500			Jeffrey Foote & Associates - $11,500
	Oregon Family Farm PAC - $1,000			Oregon AFSCME Council 75 - $10,000
21 & 22	None of the Above	$1,500		Mike Williams (attorney) - $7,500
	Bob Harris (rancher) - $1,500			AFSCME Local 328 - $5,000
21 & 22	Taxpayer Association Measure PAC	$6,487		Perkins Coie Oregon PAC - $2,000
	Contribs of $50 or less - $5,487			Comm. For Responsive Govt (Schwabe Williamson)-$2,000
	William Hansen (farmer) - $500
23	Health Care for All Oregon	$22,023	23	Oregonians Against Unhealthy Taxes	$402,692
	Contribs of $50 or less - $7,322			Contribs of $50 or less - $145
	Jonathan Lindgren - $1,000			PacificCare - $55,000
	Eugene Anderson - $1,000			Kaiser Permanente - $50,000
	CA Consumer Health Care Council - $700			ODS Health Plans - $50,000
				PacificSource - $50,000
				Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of OR - $50,000
24	Citizens for Affordable Denture Care	$6,000	24	No "no on 24" committee as of October 1, 2002	NA
	Oregon State Denturist Assoc - $6,000
25	Coalition to Raise the Minimum Wage	$148,445	25	Save Oregon Jobs	$5,100
	Contribs of $50 or less - $250			Northwest Food Processors - $5,000
	OR AFSCME Council 75 - $40,000			OR Restaurant Assoc - $100
	William M. Shields II - $30,000
	OSEA SEED - $28,000
	AFSCME Local 328 - $15,000
	OR AFL-CIO - $11,183
26	Oregonians for Initiative Integrity	$638,335	26	No "no on 26" committee as of October 1, 2002	NA
	OR AFSCME Council 75 - $300,000			** The major contribution to the Our Kids Deserve Better was $100,000 given during the primary by the National Education Association Special Account.
	Our Kids Deserve Better Committee** - $101,400
	American Federation of Teachers - $50,000
	OR AFL-CIO - $42,465
	AFT-Oregon Action PAC Plus - $40,000
27	The chief petitioner committee that put Measure 27 on the ballot, as of October 1, had not yet filed re-organization papers and reported their spending during this ballot measure phase of the election.		27	Coalition Against The Costly Labeling Law	$4,591,164
				Crop Life International** - $3,700,000
				Pepsico Inc - $94,123
				General Mills - $88,921
				Nestle USA - $84,072
				Proctor & Gamble - $81,739

*** Contributors to Crop Life are itemized as follows: Monsanto - $1,480,000, DuPont - $634,286, Syngenta - $528,571, Dow-AgroSciences -$396,429, Aventis - $396,429, BASF - $158,571, Bayer - $105,714