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'''1000 Friends of Oregon''' is a political advocacy organization based in Portland, Oregon.  The group has been significantly involved in [[Oregon]] ballot measures, both as a donor to campaigns and through policy analyses and communications geared at representing its positions.

In October 2007, the organization had 18 staffers distributed in three offices, in Bend, Grants Pass and Salem.

==History and early activities==

'''1000 Friends of Oregon''' was organized in 1975.  Its original objective was to use the provisions of [[Oregon Senate Bill 100]], passed in 1973, to enforce its vision of appropriate land-use planning.

According to the organization's website:

<blockquote>In the early days, 1000 Friends served as the “big stick” of enforcement, suing towns and counties to complete a Comprehensive Plan, as required by Senate Bill 100.  Later, we assumed the “watchdog” role, helping citizens make sure their elected officials followed the rules, threatening to sue when they didn’t.</blockquote>

==Involvement in Oregon ballot measures==

'''1000 Friends of Oregon''' was active in opposing [[Oregon Ballot Measure 37 (2004)|Oregon Ballot Measure 37]], donating $111,265 to defeat that (successful) [[initiative|citizen initiative]].<ref>http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/contributor.phtml?si=200437&d=8815499</ref>

In 2007, the organization has contributed to [[Oregon Ballot Measure 49 (2007)|Measure 49]], which is a [[legislative referral]] intended to revoke most of Measure 37.

==Supporters and sources of income==

The 2006 federal income tax return of 1000 Friends of Oregon does not include a schedule of donors.<ref>http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/930/930642086/930642086_200603_990.pdf</ref>.  A related organization, the 1000 Friends of Oregon Foundation, has historically not disclosed its donors on its tax returns.<ref>http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/931/931156011/931156011_200603_990.pdf</ref>, <ref>http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/931/931156011/931156011_200403_990.pdf</ref>

[[Eric Lemelson]] sits on the board of directors of '''1000 Friends of Oregon'''.

==External links==
*[http://www.friends.org/index.html 1000 Friends of Oregon website]


==Notes==
<references />

[[Category:Oregon]]
[[Category:Oregon political organizations]]