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Oregon News
Supreme Court decision on accepting mail-in ballots could affect Oregon’s elections system
The Oregonian | By Carlos Fuentes
A future Supreme Court ruling regarding Mississippi’s voting system could impact whether Oregon and other states are allowed to continue accepting mail-in ballots that are postmarked on or prior to Election Day, but arrive on a later date.
TRANSPORTATION
Kotek signs stopgap transportation bill; Republicans file petition to refer gas tax hike to voters
KGW | By Anthony Macuk, Alma McCarty
State Republican lawmakers have repeatedly vowed to refer the bill's tax and fee hikes to voters in 2026, and the Oregon Secretary of State's website shows that Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr and Rep. Ed Diehl followed through in filing a referendum petition on Monday. The petition will need to collect 78,116 signatures by Dec. 30 to qualify for the ballot next year.
"Unfortunately, the majority wasn't really interested in a negotiation. Really what they wanted was the Republicans to agree to a massive tax increase without the reforms that are necessary. And that's the rub, really," said Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr, "We're referring the gas tax, so the six cent gas tax increase. We're referring the title fee increase, which is anytime you buy a new vehicle...the increase in the registration fee., so that's every two years when you register your vehicle, you pay that fee. And then the payroll tax."
Starr also criticized Kotek for the delay in a statement on Monday, indirectly referencing the ballot initiative when he said that Oregonians "will have the opportunity to weigh in, hold their leaders accountable, and demand a transportation system that works for the people who pay for it."
Gov. Kotek finally signs ODOT funding bill GOP opposes
KOIN 6 | By Anthony Kustura
If they get it on the ballot, the new taxes will be paused until voters decide in November 2026.
“We’re just excited about getting out in the streets and giving Oregonians a chance to sign these petitions so that ultimately their voice is heard,” said Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr of Dundee.
Signature gathering for Oregon gas tax referendum could begin by end of week
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Mia Maldonado
State Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Stayton, Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee and Taxpayer Association of Oregon Director Jason Williams — the chief petitioners behind the “No Tax Oregon” referendum effort — submitted paperwork to the Oregon Secretary of State Monday morning to begin collecting signatures. The secretary must review and approve the referendum forms before they can officially start.
“We feel pretty confident that by the end of this week, we will be good to go,” Diehl told the Capital Chronicle.
Starr criticized Kotek for taking a month to sign the transportation funding bill, saying she used a delay tactic that undermines public trust.
“At every turn, (Kotek) chose to protect a broken status quo that raises costs on struggling families while failing to fix the structural problems that created this crisis,” Starr said in a statement. ”But Oregonians will not be silenced, and their voices will not be ignored. They will have the opportunity to weigh in, hold their leaders accountable and demand a transportation system that works for the people who pay for it.”
Oregon governor signs transportation bill, Republican leaders vow to fight it with referendum
KATU | By Vasili Varlamos
While the date of Kotek's signing would not have an impact on when the package would take effect, leaders of the referendum effort were barred from circulating petitions until the bill officially became law.
The move angered State Republicans, who accused the governor of intentionally stalling to limit the time they would have to gather signatures in order to refer the bill to voters.
"There's no question that the Governor is delaying the opportunity for Oregonians to gather signatures to put this unpopular gas tax and fee bill on the ballot so voters get a chance to vote," said Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee.
Republican gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Christine Drazan, of Canby, criticized the governor for waiting as long as she did.
"This is her signature tax increase, which she said was an absolute emergency. She brought us into session over Labor Day weekend to get this done, and she signed the bill, you know, in November, and we all know that she would have probably signed it right away if it weren't for the likelihood that this will get referred to Oregon voters," said Drazan.
POLITICS
Oregon conservatives push for people to get their SNAP benefits, while federal GOP pursues restrictions
OPB | By Lauren Dake
Likely 2026 Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, also criticized Kotek last month for not acting quicker to provide food assistance to struggling families during the shutdown.
Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, said he would prefer the conversation be centered on how to grow the economy rather than how to ensure people can continue their nutrition assistance benefits.
“I would love it if we had an economy that was growing and jobs that were plentiful and huge options for private-sector growth and wage-growth,” Starr said.
Ballot Initiative Will Seek to Reroute 25% of Climate Tax Revenues to Hiring Police
Willamette Week | By Sophie Peel
The initiative is backed by the Portland Police Association and Big Pink owner Jeff Swickard.
Editorial: Don’t pop the corks on parks levy win
The Oregonian Editorial Board
The Portland Parks levy won voters’ approval last week, but city officials shouldn’t feel too victorious over its passage.
An Accusation Resurfaces Against City Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney
Willamette Week | By Sophie Peel
But what exactly the interaction meant is far less certain.
They sued Oregon when kids suffered or died. State attorneys shifted blame – to parents
The Oregonian | By Sami Edge
In what appears to be a somewhat common practice over the past decade, state lawyers defending the Department of Human Services from claims that the agency was negligent in protecting a child instead turned the blame on the child’s parent, even if the parent had not previously been accused or found guilty of the abuse or neglect.
Oregon's lone Republican member of Congress, Cliff Bentz, looks forward to a vote to end the shutdown
KGW | By Blair Best
Monday night, the U.S. Senate passed Republicans' funding bill, breaking the logjam that began the longest government shutdown in the nation's history. It now heads to the House of Representatives, where they'll need to pass their own version of the bill.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Real estate investors trounce Portland in new survey
The Oregonian | By Jonathan Bach
Real estate investors and other industry professionals still prefer nearly any other city to Portland, as efforts to reverse their negative perceptions fall flat, according to a new ULI survey.
Portland ranked 80th of 81 markets for the second year running for overall real estate prospects across property types. Only Hartford, Connecticut ranked behind Portland.
After 50 years of Portland pride, politics and a pandemic-era pivot, Paloma Clothing is preparing for the future
The Oregonian | By Veronica Nocera
The store — like many retailers in Portland and beyond — suddenly found itself staring down the barrel of the COVID-19 pandemic, shifting shopping habits and tariff insecurity.
TRUMP ADMIN VS. OREGON
Farmworkers among 16 immigrants arrested by ICE in latest Oregon sweep
The Oregonian | By Yesenia Amaro
Sixteen immigrant Oregonians, including farmworkers, were arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Salem on Tuesday, advocates said.
Trump administration considering Oregon Coast locations for ICE facility, officials say
KOIN 6 | By Matt Rawlings
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is in the process of evaluating locations on the Oregon Coast for a potential U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, the City of Newport announced on Monday.
According to city officials, the Newport Airport has been identified as a possible location.
Judge sets December hearing in Oregon immigration detention rights case
The Oregonian | By Yesenia Amaro
Oregon immigrant rights attorneys who have sued the federal government to ensure people detained by immigration authorities have access to attorneys will have a second chance in December to make their case.
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