|
Oregon News
POLITICS
Lacking support, Oregon Democrats delay Senate bill to move gas tax vote
OPB | By Dirk VanderHart
It’s just the latest misstep in an ongoing road-funding saga in the Capitol.
Oregon Democrats’ attempt to reschedule a vote on a controversial gas tax increase appeared in jeopardy Friday, as the Senate backed off of a planned vote on the proposal.
Senate Bill 1599, the bill that would move the gas tax vote from November to May, was near the top of the Senate’s schedule when lawmakers gaveled in Friday morning. But Democrats repeatedly delayed that vote in order to take up less controversial bills, as chamber leaders appeared to scramble to hash out a deal.
Wagner acknowledged last month that politics were part of his party’s calculus, telling reporters: “I don’t think people want to see this on a November ballot.” Wagner’s office later sought to downplay his remarks.
Clock ticks as Oregon lawmakers postpone transportation referendum vote yet again
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Mia Maldonado
Friday marks third time this week lawmakers have postponed a vote on a controversial referendum bill with a Feb. 25 deadline.
Senators took up several other bills on the agenda until Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, who was seen nervously pacing back and forth on the Senate floor and conferring with Senate Minority Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, adjourned floor proceedings until Monday morning.
The Oregon Senate was originally set up to take up the bill on Wednesday, but Republicans staged a walkout ahead of the vote citing the need for “more meaningful discussions” between parties. The following day, the Senate unanimously agreed to move the bill from Thursday’s agenda to Friday’s.
Wagner ducked into a Democratic caucus room and deferred questions to his spokesperson, Connor Radnovich. In an emailed statement, Radnovich said the Senate carried over several bills to allow for further conversations over the weekend.
“President Wagner believes all members should have the time to thoroughly review and discuss legislation before the Senate,” he said.
It’s unclear if Democrats, who makeup 18 members in the Senate, have the 16 votes needed to pass the bill. Communications staff for Democratic leadership in the Senate declined to answer questions on whether they have enough votes.
Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro was absent on Friday’s floor session, and at least one Democrat, Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, said on social media that he would vote against the bill because he supports the public’s right to vote on it in November.
With time running out, Oregon Democrats again delay controversial bill to move statewide tax vote to May
The Oregonian | By Carlos Fuentes
After hours of scrambling, Oregon Democrats on Friday again postponed a Senate vote on a contentious bill that would move a statewide vote on transportation taxes from November to May.
That means Democrats, who have repeatedly struggled in the past year to take decisive action on transportation policy despite holding a supermajority in both legislative chambers, are once again short on time and would likely have to make considerable concessions to their Republican counterparts in the coming days to have any hope of keeping the bill alive.
Democratic leaders have not publicly explained how they plan to advance the bill, or whether they have the votes to do so, leaving Republicans with significant leverage to kill proposals they have spoken out against as key deadlines approach.
Vote to move Oregon gas tax referendum date stalls as deadline looms
Statesman Journal | Anastasia Mason
At issue is whether Senate Democrats have the votes to pass the bill, which Republicans oppose and thousands of people have submitted testimony against.
At least one Democrat, Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, has said he will vote against it.
Meek, who has previously been at odds with Democrats over transportation bills, shared a post on social media Feb. 19 explaining his view.
Wagner could be seen leaving and entering the Senate floor and speaking with Starr who was a chief petitioner in the anti-gas tax referendum effort.
Shortly before 3 p.m., the Senate adjourned until 11 a.m. on Feb. 23.
Wagner briefly spoke from the dais before closing, acknowledging the "exhausting times," of short, 35-day legislative sessions.
Key vote in Oregon gas tax ballot measure moved to Friday
KOIN 6 | By Joey Vacca
The Oregon Senate approved a motion to move the vote on SB 1599 to Friday instead of Thursday, one day after Senate Republicans did not show up to the afternoon session. The bill would move the vote on the gas tax from the general election in November up to the primary election in May.
Editorial: A complete betrayal on campaign finance
The Oregonian Editorial Board
The League of Women Voters of Oregon isn’t known for foot-stomping tantrums or fanatical rhetoric. So, when a representative for the voter education group sits before legislators and denounces a bill as a “complete betrayal,” it’s worth listening up.
The betrayal in this case is House Bill 4018. The legislation seeks to delay and change portions of a 2024 campaign finance bill that had been negotiated by a coalition of good government groups, including the League, with House Speaker Julie Fahey, labor union representatives and business lobbyists. In exchange for passage of the contribution caps and disclosure requirements in that 2024 legislation, the coalition agreed to pull a developing ballot initiative that would have asked voters to impose limits. Most of the bill’s provisions were to go in effect in 2027 — presumably giving plenty of time to work out legislative or implementation issues.
Only now, legislators, lobbyists and the Oregon secretary of state are collectively saying, “Whoa.” HB 4018 — this time negotiated by Fahey behind closed doors without any good government representatives — would allow the contribution limits to take effect in January 2027 as originally planned. But it also seeks to delay donor disclosure requirements until 2031, doubles the donation limits in some cases and undoes protections that were central to the original legislation.
Shut out of campaign finance bill, good governance groups tell lawmakers to vote against it
Oregon Capital Chronicle | By Alex Baumhardt
Groups said a bill meant to provide technical tweaks to a 2024 campaign finance reform law is now full of changes that render contribution limits moot.
Calls grow for Rep. Greg Smith to resign as state Republican leaders stay mum
Salem Reporter | By Les Zaitz
A third county Republican committee is calling on state Rep. Greg Smith to resign his House seat over ethical lapses.
The Wasco County Central Republican Committee voted to do so on Monday, Feb. 16.
Broadman, GOP colleague speak out against initiative that would criminalize fishing, hunting and trapping
KTVZ | By Barney Lerten
The Senate co-chairs of the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, Senator David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) and Senator Anthony Broadman (D-Bend), spoke out Thursday in opposition to Initiative Petition 28, which they said "would make lawful hunting, fishing, and trapping illegal and turn nearly one million Oregonians into criminals."
Oregon Senate Unanimously Passes Senator Weber’s Bill to Help Families Rebuild After Disaster Strikes
Tillamook County Pioneer
The Oregon Senate today unanimously passed legislation brought by Senate Suzanne Weber (R-Tillamook) that ensures families who lose their homes to wildfire, flood, or other tragedies can rebuild without unnecessary bureaucratic delays.
Report: Husband of Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer Banned From Office Over Assault Allegations
Willamette Week | Andrew Schwartz
The New York Times reported that multiple Labor Department staffers told officials that Dr. Shawn DeRemer sexually assaulted them.
Education funding dance continues as end of Oregon’s short session nears
OPB | Elizabeth Miller
Oregon’s short session ends March 8. Will schools be any closer to avoiding deep budget cuts?
Every year it’s the same.
As school districts prepare to pass budgets for the next school year, they brace for news from Salem. Will there be enough money in the State School Fund to maintain staffing levels and academic offerings? Will new laws bring new mandates — and new costs? Will school boards have to balance budgets without final funding numbers from the state?
Oregon House votes to relax rules for urban expansion onto farmland
Capital Press | By Mateusz Perkowski
The Oregon House has voted to further relax the standards for cities to expand their urban growth boundaries under a “one-time” land use shortcut.
Oregon Senate advances bill to protect public lands
Oregon Capital Chronicle | Mia Maldonado
The Oregon Senate in a 17-11 vote Thursday advanced a bill meant to safeguard public lands against the threat of privatization.
Senate Bill 1590, sponsored by Sen. Anthony Broadman, D-Bend, would prohibit state agencies from using any funding, data, equipment or staff to help the federal government sell or transfer federal lands to private parties. The measure puts no restrictions on tribes.
UO implores lawmakers to keep wildfire cameras funded through the 2027 fiscal year
OPB | By Brian Bull
Almost half of the University of Oregon’s network of cameras to monitor wildfires is at risk of being discontinued, according to an administrator.
As Multnomah County braces for tight budget, 300 jail beds are on the line
The Oregonian | Austin De Dios
As Multnomah County enters the early stages of what will likely be intense belt tightening in its budget, the county sheriff proposed shuttering hundreds of jail beds to close a potential funding gap, documents show.
Preschool for All Advisory Group Says: Don’t Raise or Index the Tax
Willamette Week | Joanna Hou
The recommendations, which may still change, will guide county commissioners as they discuss the future of the universal preschool initiative.
Documents Show Portland Psychiatry Firm Received Tens of Thousands of Dollars From Jeffrey Epstein
Willamette Week | By Andrew Schwartz
The CEO of Pacific Premier Group, Dr. Paul Conti, said he met a woman in high levels of distress through Epstein in 2015 and has been her doctor ever since.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
We compared prices of 20 items at 8 grocery chains and discovered a staggering $76 difference
The Oregonian | By Aimee Green
There’s a staggering difference between prices at the Portland area’s major grocery store chains — one that can hit you hard in the pocketbook depending on where you shop.
Most Oregonians were born somewhere else: Here’s where we came from
The Oregonian | By Mike Rogoway
A little more than half of Oregonians moved here from out of state.
California, Texas, New York, Latin America. People come from all over.
And we move around a lot. Census data shows that, across all states, a little more than 40% of Americans live in a state other than the place where they were born.
| 
