County Commissioners Select Daniel Bonham for House District 59 State Representative
Filling Vacancy Left By Departure of Rep. John Huffman
Wilsonville, OR – Meeting together at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Madras yesterday, three County Commissioners from each of Deschutes, Jefferson, Wasco, Wheeler Counties selected Daniel Bonham for House District 59 State Representative filling the vacancy left by the departure of Rep. John Huffman.
The three Republican nominees considered – small business owner Daniel Bonham, director & chair of the Redmond Patriots Bob Perry, and Jefferson Co. Commissioner Mae Huston – were chosen from a total field of five candidates by a vote of the Republican Precinct Committee Persons comprising House District 59 at a special nominating convention held by the Oregon Republican Party on Saturday, November 11th in Madras, Oregon. In making the appointment yesterday, commissioners interviewed the three Republican nominees and cast their votes which were weighted according to the number of voters from their counties registered within the boundaries of State House District 59.
“Thank you to all three Republicans for stepping up to be considered for this appointment. I offer my best wishes to all of the candidates and my congratulations to Representative-designate Bonham,” said Bill Currier, Chair of the Oregon Republican Party.
Bonham will be officially sworn in as the House District 59 Representative by the Speaker of the House Kotek before the next Oregon Legislature session starting February 1st, 2018. This seat is one of four vacated, Republican-held legislative seats to be filled prior to the 2018 session.
On October 30th, 2017, Republican Representative John Huffman resigned from office to take a position with the Federal Department of Agriculture leading the agencies overseeing rural development in Oregon. Huffman’s replacement will serve for the remainder of the two-year term, which, in this case, is until January 13, 2019.
“We thank Rep. Huffman for his service to Oregon and look forward to Representative-designate Bonham carrying on the vital work of advancing Republican solutions as an alternative to the failed Democrat One-Party-State in Salem,” added Chair Currier.
The Oregon Republican Party is the state’s arm of the Republican National Committee. Its Chairman and officers are dedicated to promoting Republican principles within the state of Oregon and to improving the lives and livelihoods of Oregon’s working families through economic freedom and equal protection under the law.
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Daniel Bonham appointed as State Representative for House District 59
OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
Small business owner and The Dalles resident eager to make an impact in Salem
Madras, Ore. – Daniel Bonham has been appointed by a vote of Wasco, Jefferson, Deschutes and Wheeler County Commissioners to serve as the State Representative for House District 59. Bonham, 40, is a resident of The Dalles and a small business owner. He will fill the remainder of former Representative John Huffman’s term in office after Rep. Huffman vacated to seat to accept a federal appointment.
“It is truly an incredible honor to have the opportunity to represent my friends and neighbors as their state representative in Salem,” said Bonham. “I am humbled to have earned the support of Republican precinct committee persons as well as the county commissioners. While I know I have big shoes to fill, I believe my desire and passion for helping people in conjunction with my business background will make me an effective leader in Salem. I am excited to get to work on behalf of the residents of House District 59.”
Prior to his appointment, Daniel served as a member of The Dalles city budget committee as well as urban renewal budget committee. He and his wife, Lorilyn, are active volunteers in The Dalles community. In 2014, Dan and Lori rejuvenated The Dalles Booster Club, raising over $100,000 in two years to enhance the high school athletic experience for local student athletes. They are also active in their local church and have participated in recent mission trips to Guatemala and Thailand.
“Daniel’s background as a small business owner and leader in his community will make him a great addition to the Legislature,” said House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte). “House Republicans are excited to welcome him to our caucus and look forward to serving alongside him.”
Daniel and Lori have lived in The Dalles for the last decade. Together, they have two children, Jennifer and Jack.
House District 59 includes the communities of Culver, Fossil, Madras, Maupin, Metolius, Mitchell, Mosier, Sisters, The Dalles, as well as unincorporated areas of Wasco, Jefferson, Deschutes and Wheeler Counties.
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House Republicans announce leadership team for 2018 session
OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
Salem, Ore. – Oregon House Republicans today announced their leadership team for the 2018 legislative session. House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte) will continue serving in his role as caucus leader, surrounded by a cast of veteran lawmakers who have a record achieving results in the Legislature.
“House Republicans are excited to get back to work on behalf of Oregonians in 2018,” said House Republican Leader Mike McLane, who has served as caucus leaders since 2012. “We have an excellent leadership team in place headed into the February legislative session and I look forward to working alongside them and the rest of my colleagues in the Republican caucus to restore some common sense to our state government.”
2018 House Republican Leadership Team
- Rep. Mike McLane, Republican Leader
- Rep. Greg Barreto, Republican Deputy Leader
- Rep. Duane Stark, Republican Whip
- Rep. Sherrie Sprenger, Assistant Leader
- Rep. Carl Wilson, Assistant Leader
- Rep. Cliff Bentz, Assistant Leader
Leader McLane and Deputy Leader Barreto were re-elected and elected to their respective positions in November 2016. Whip Stark was elected to his position on Monday after the previous Republican Whip, Rep. Jodi Hack, stepped down as part of her transition out of her legislative service. Assistant Leaders are appointed by Leader McLane on a rolling basis.
The 2018 legislative session will begin February 5, 2018.
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Daily Clips
HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
NOVEMBER 15, 2017 DAILY CLIPS
STATE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Treasurer discusses OregonSaves rollout at AMEA meeting
Portland Tribune
“We are doing something no other state is doing — taking on Oregon’s retirement crisis,” Read said. “I want to help every Oregonian achieve financial security.”
Spurred by Mosier derailment fire, Oregon Legislature takes on oil trains
Statesman Journal
Oregon has the weakest oil train regulation among West Coast states. Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, has vowed to change that. He plans to introduce a bill in the 2018 session to bring the state up to par with its neighbors. “Washington is way ahead of us in the area of protecting the public and the environment, as well as first responders,” Courtney said.
Oregon Spent $260,000 For Military Backup During Eclipse
Oregon Public Broadcasting
The agency’s deputy director, Dave Stuckey, told members of the Oregon Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee that the bulk of money paid Oregon National Guard soldiers called into active duty. “We activated 155 soldiers and Air Guard personnel,” he said. The costs also included the use of military equipment. “Forty-eight Humvees, two Blackhawk helicopters, two Lakota helicopters,” Stuckey said. “We wanted to be able to respond and help just in case.”
Mail Tribune
Rep. Duane Stark, R-Grants Pass, has been elected by his peers to serve as the Republican caucus whip, according to a release from the Oregon House Republican Office. Stark said in the release that he looks forward to forging “bipartisan cooperation with our colleagues on the other side of the aisle.” “There is a lot at stake in the 2018 legislative session, and I am excited to get to work,” he said.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Oregon Capitol staffer faced sexual harassment, records show
The Oregonian
A former Capitol staffer who filed what is so far Oregon’s only formal sexual harassment complaint lodged with legislative officials says she was unsatisfied with the way her complaint was handled and upset that her harasser was subsequently hired by another legislator.
Stories Of Sexual Harassment In Salem Suggest Training Isn’t Working
Oregon Public Broadcasting
The Oregon Capitol, like others, has a process in place for reporting harassment. And lawmakers receive regular training in how to avoid inappropriate behavior. But the accounts of Gelser and other women in Salem suggest the current structure isn’t working.
JOBS & THE ECONOMY
Economic Woes Linger In Oregon Communities Scarred By Wildfire
Oregon Public Broadcasting
“Businesses in these areas had sales drop by 30 to 60 percent in their peak time,” said Jason Lewis-Berry, the jobs and economic policy advisor to Gov. Kate Brown. Lewis-Berry cited an analysis from the Oregon Employment Department that found at least 600 seasonal jobs ended “much earlier than usual” in communities affected by wildfires.
Advocates outline fire season’s harm to Oregon economy, seek legislative aid
Statesman Journal
Shipping, lodging, major outdoor events and small businesses tied to tourism were all hurt by wildfires this year, continuing a damaging trend the state needs to address, Oregon business advocates and lawmakers said Tuesday. “This wasn’t the first season that we’ve had fires, it won’t be the last,” said Jason Lewis-Berry, director of the governor’s Regional Solutions program. “We really need to think about economic resilience in communities that could be affected by fires in the future.”
The Associated Press
Oregon employment rebounded from a sluggish late summer by adding 11,600 jobs last month.
The state Employment Department said Tuesday that October’s gain was the largest monthly increase since February.
State gains jobs as October unemployment rate holds steady
Portland Tribune
Oregon added about 11,600 jobs in October as unemployment held steady at about 4.3 percent, from 4.2 percent in September. State employment officials said October’s job gains were the largest monthly increase since 14,100 jobs were added in February. The state’s professional and business services (up 5,300 jobs) and leisure and hospitality (up 3,800 jobs), led the way.
September smoke made measurable dent in Bend tourism
Bend Bulletin
Dugan said late tax payments may still come in, but likely not enough to lift the month out of its record-ending slump. Board member Erick Trachsel, director of sales and marketing at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes hotel and convention center, said business there softened slightly even into October before picking back up.
EDUCATION & HIGHER EDUCATION
OSU-Cascades seeking $39 million
Bend Bulletin
A coalition of politicians, educators, business people and students made the case for the 4-year campus in Bend during a hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on Education at the state Capitol. Their message: A wave of K-12 students is building in Central Oregon. They need a university. Businesses are locating and growing in the Bend area. They need qualified workers and future business partners.
Bend-La Pine says new elementary school will be in north Bend
Bend Bulletin
The new, yet-to-be named elementary school will be built on 10 to 12 acres the district still needs to purchase for about $1 million to $1.2 million, paid for with bond money approved earlier this year.
ELECTIONS
Bonham finalist for Huffman seat
The Dalles Chronicle
Daniel Bonham, owner of Maupin’s Stoves & Spas in The Dalles, is excited to be one of three finalists to replace John Huffman as the representative for House District 59. “I’ve always wanted to do this, and I think the timing is right with my family,” said Bonham, 40, about filling Huffman’s unexpired term, which ends in November 2018.
Tenant Advocates Are Determined to Bulldoze a State Senator Who Is Also a Landlord
Willamette Week
No Oregon politician has a target on his back like Monroe does. Advocates say he has been a crucial vote blocking housing reforms in the Senate. And he’s also a landlord, owning the 51 units of Red Rose Manor along Northeast Glisan Street at the eastern edge of Portland.
LOCAL NEWS
Metro to pursue November 2018 affordable housing measure
Portland Tribune
Metro announced Tuesday that it will start talking with local elected leaders and others about placing a regional affordable housing measure on the ballot as early as November 2018. The announcement followed the release of a poll conducted in October that found a majority of voters in the region believe more affordable housing needs to be built and are willing to support a $500 million bond measure.
OPINION
Editorial: The unaffordable burden of funding every good cause
The Oregonian
Instead voters should look at the long list of commitments they have already made before jumping on the bandwagon of the latest good cause. They should sharply examine measures to see if they address a specific need or are sprawling requests designed to score popularity points. And they should weigh whether the agency seeking the measure is the right steward for such money. Funding every good cause only leaves us less able to fund the ones we absolutely need to.
Editorial: Drilling for tax cuts
Register-Guard
Proposals to drill for the oil that may lie beneath the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are hardy perennials in Congress. These proposals have generally been debated and defeated on their merits. But the Arctic refuge is now in danger of becoming a ricochet casualty of congressional Republicans’ drive to cut taxes, mainly for corporations and the wealthiest Americans. Only through bad procedure could such a bad policy pass into law.
Guest column: Fuel reduction may not save places from wildfire
George Wuerthner is an ecologist who has published 38 books
Wildfire in your neighborhood is a bad thing that can be reduced or prevented with reasonable building codes and mandatory fire-wise regulations. Wildfire in the forest provides the dead snags and down wood critical to healthy forest ecosystems.
Daily Clips
November 12, 2017 Daily Clips
GOVERNMENT
The veterans who serve in Oregon’s Legislature
Bend Bulletin
House Minority Leader Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, said that while they play very different roles in American society, there are parallels of purpose between the military and the Legislature. “It’s a focus on mission,” said McLane, a lieutenant colonel in the Oregon Air National Guard. “The military ingrains into you the focus on mission, both for the small units and broader force. You learn to focus despite distractions.”
Whistleblowers, audits critical of ODOT division, lawmakers mostly unaware
Statesman Journal
Exactly how much money was wasted was never determined, but the overall cost to taxpayers certainly exceeded several hundred thousand dollars. The whistleblowers claimed the figure was closer to $1 million. The investigations culminated as the Oregon Legislature was debating a $5.3 billion transportation infrastructure funding bill — and ODOT’s ability to manage it. Yet key lawmakers in that discussion told the Statesman Journal they either didn’t know about the investigations at the trucking division or were told by ODOT Director Matt Garrett that they involved only a personnel issue.
Carbon bill highlight of next week’s Oregon legislative days
Statesman Journal
Oregon legislators return to Salem for three days of committee meetings next week as they gear up for the 2018 session. The topics, including Medicaid overpayments and oil train safety, are a good preview of the session’s hot issues. Perhaps hottest of all: An attempt to curb Oregon’s carbon emissions by creating a “cap and invest” program.
Kate Brown travels to Germany to support climate agreement
The Oregonian
The governor’s office won’t know the total cost until after the trip, but the state also is not footing the entire bill, Hockaday wrote. Private groups are covering part of the cost for a “delegation of U.S. states” including Oregon to attend, according to the governor’s office.
West Coast Democrats Behind ‘Great Blue Wall’ Push Progressive Climate Agenda
OPB
Oregon is a small state,” Brown said. “We’re only four million people, and our ability to work with states like Washington and California — and frankly the (Canadian) province of British Columbia — enables us to move further and faster.” Brown said the three states and Canadian province can work with each other to “replicate best practices” along the West Coast.
Privatizing Oregon’s Largest Universities? Intriguing But Unlikely
OPB
Gov. Kate Brown isn’t too keen on the idea. She more or less dismissed it outright in the press release announcing the task force report, saying she has “serious concerns” about the concept. Thanks to the task force, anyone who brings it up in the future will have some sense of the enormous challenges involved with it.
Portland’s Bureau of Development Services building $800,000 communications team
The Oregonian
The Portland bureau charged with issuing building permits and enforcing city codes is on track to hire a nine-member communications team at a cost of as much as $800,000. The Oregonian/OregonLive asked Eudaly Thursday afternoon how the development service bureau’s communications plan fit into her strategy for her two bureaus. She called the new communications team “vital.” She declined to elaborate further, saying she was “extremely busy.” She dismissed the need to explain the big boost in hiring, suggesting it was obvious.
POLITICS & ELECTIONS
Less Than Two Weeks After His Hire, Jefferson Smith Resigns From Oregon Center for Public Policy
Willamette Week
Jefferson Smith, the newly named executive director of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, has resigned, according to two people with direct knowledge of his decision. Smith was unavailable for comment. OCPP board chair Will Neuhauser attributed the decision to the ill-health of Smith’s parents and an in-law, however there were also clearly other factors at work. The stunning news comes just a day after the board of the left-leaning think tank received a letter signed by 20 people—15 women and five men—that was highly critical of Smith’s hiring, which OCPP announced last month.
Ballot measure would apply term limits retroactively, Oregon Supreme Court says
The Oregonian
A proposed ballot measure would impose term limits on Oregon legislators and those limits would apply retroactively in most cases. If voters were to send that measure to the ballot and then approve the limits, it would spell a major change for the Legislature. About two-thirds of senators would be prevented from running again, including Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem. In the House, more than quarter of members would be affected, among them Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland.
State senator Chuck Riley to open Hillsboro office Nov. 17
Portland Tribune
Hillsboro’s state senator has plans to open a legislative office in downtown Hillsboro later this month. Chuck Riley, a Democrat representing District 15, announced on Tuesday that he will open an office at 122 E. Main St., on Nov. 17.
HEALTH CARE
Medicaid repayment could have impact on Umpqua Health Alliance
Roseburg News-Review
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced this week that she has decided to seek repayment of $64 million that was misspent by the Oregon Health Authority on patients that were not eligible to receive Oregon Health Plan benefits. The decision will have an impact on the Umpqua Health Alliance, Douglas County’s only Coordinated Care Organization that caters to about 26,000 Oregon Health Plan members in the county, said Umpqua Health’s Director of Marketing and Communications Mark Tsuchiya.
Proven treatment for opioid addiction underused
Bend Bulletin
But as opioids themselves, these medications remain tainted by the stigma of addiction. Many in the recovery community consider their use as trading one addiction for another, and tell those taking the medications they aren’t really clean. Most doctors remain unwilling to prescribe them in fear of filling their waiting rooms with addicts or facing the scrutiny of federal law enforcement officials. And when doctors do choose to offer the treatment, they face significant regulatory and insurance barriers. As a result, there are nearly a million fewer treatment slots than there are individuals with opioid addictions.
WOLVES
Conservation groups ask governor to reopen wolf killing investigation
Register-Guard
The letter claims that police misinterpreted the evidence. The groups say a public records request revealed photographic evidence that contradicts the official report done by police about the incident.
VETERANS
Feds accuse Northwest Trustee of illegally foreclosing on veterans
The Oregonian
The U.S. Justice Department has sued the largest foreclosure trustee in the Pacific Northwest, claiming it illegally foreclosed on at least 28 military members or veterans in the past six years. The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Seattle was prompted by the case of Jacob McGreevey, a longtime Marine who lost his Vancouver home to foreclosure between his third and fourth tours of duty in the Middle East.
OPINION
Editorial: ODOT Motor Carrier safety issues, contract handling speak to state’s lack of transparency
Statesman Journal Editorial Board
Is this Gov. Kate Brown’s idea of government transparency? This week, Statesman Journal senior reporter Tracy Loew reported that leaders of the Motor Carrier division of the Oregon Department of Transportation refuse to answer to the public, are ignoring their own employees’ complaints about unsafe work conditions and practices, and yet, they still have their jobs.
Editorial: Oregon lawmakers shouldn’t promote their favorite causes
Bend Bulletin
But if it’s OK for the Legislature to dictate the OLCC taking a stand for a worthy cause, where does it end? Shouldn’t equal treatment be given to the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which continues to fight against the evils of demon rum? Or those who want to protect the Second Amendment? Oregon lawmakers should not be using state government to publicize their pet causes, no matter how deserving.
Guest: Oregon keeps a promise to veterans and military families
Rep. Paul Evans
During this past Legislative session, Measure 96 provided an opportunity for an historic increase in funding for the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs and critical programs for military families. The result is a budget demonstrating the commitment of Gov. Kate Brown, both chambers of the Oregon Legislature, and the people of Oregon to keeping faith with the men and women we ask so much of.
Column: “Extreme risk” laws earn support on both sides of gun control debate
Tim Nesbitt
Focusing on “extreme risk,” as Washington and Oregon have done, can help to counter the extremism that has plagued our politics on this issue. Advocates of this approach have proven that they can overcome the opposition of the National Rifle Association, which opposed both the Washington and Oregon laws.
NATIONAL NEWS
McAuliffe, top Democrats dismiss impeachment talk
POLITICO
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who also attended the breakfast, said she has no position on impeachment, which she said is “something that Congress is going to deal with.” California Gov. Jerry Brown was also dismissive.
Why politicians got away with sexual misconduct for so long
The Washington Post
But Sen. Bob Packwood of Oregon was a textbook case of “everyone knew” when I served as press secretary for his 1992 challenger, Les AuCoin. I watched with dismay as our campaign and the press corps covering the race grappled with the knowledge of Packwood’s sexual misconduct — well beyond the adulterous realm of Gary Hart — without knowing what to do about it.
Oregon GOP Chair Demands Brown Release Her OHA Records
Will Governor Provide Transparency When It Truly Matters?
Wilsonville, OR – With the Oregon Health Authority again facing scandal for misusing $74M in taxpayer dollars and the Governor claiming that she was totally unaware of it until a few weeks ago, Kate Brown is now facing calls from news media across the state to release her office records relating to the scandal. Though she staked her public reputation on being a transparent Governor, Brown has failed to release these records.
“Oregonians deserve more than a Kate Brown press release. It’s time for the Governor to take questions from the press, and most importantly, to release the records on her administration’s involvement and potential complicity in concealing the overpayments from the public.”
The timeline as it is known so far is deeply troubling. The Oregonian reports:
”Top officials at the health authority, including then-director Lynne Saxton, knew about the overpayments for months, including some who learned of it more than a year ago.”
If this is true, then why was Governor Kate Brown not aware of the overpayments until mid-October? And why did she only speak up about it after the Oregonian began its own investigation?” asked Oregon GOP Chairman Bill Currier.
When briefly confronted about the shocking revelations by KOIN 6 News, Kate Brown gave a commitment to provide taxpayers an explanation as to why the money was misspent, but the interview was then abruptly cut off, and the Governor ushered away from any further comment.
“Taxpayers deserve to know what the Governor knew and when she knew it. It’s time for Kate Brown to show she cares about government transparency when it truly matters and proactively release her administration’s records and internal communications related to this latest scandal at the Oregon Health Authority,” added Currier.
“We all remember the other Oregon Governor who recently tried to conceal or destroy public records that would have exposed corruption during an election year, and he is now a disgraced EX-Governor. Come clean Kate Brown or join Governor Kitzhaber in shame.”
Link to Online Posting:
https://oregon.gop/orp-chair-demands-kate-brown-release-her-oha-records-2017-11-09
The Oregon Republican Party is the state’s arm of the Republican National Committee. Its Chairman and officers are dedicated to promoting Republican principles within the state of Oregon and to improving the lives and livelihoods of Oregon’s working families through economic freedom and equal protection under the law.
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DAILY CLIPS
HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
NOVEMBER 9, 2017 DAILY CLIPS
STATE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Sources Say: West Coast Dems plot ‘blue wall’
Portland Tribune
Democratic politicians in Oregon, California and Washington are working together to create a political “blue wall” along the West Coast and pass progressive legislation, including a coordinated carbon tax.
West Coast Democrats Behind ‘Great Blue Wall’ Push Progressive Climate Agenda
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Oregon is also considering a proposal to cap the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. “Oregon is a small state,” Brown said. “We’re only four million people, and our ability to work with states like Washington and California — and frankly the (Canadian) province of British Columbia — enables us to move further and faster.” Brown said the three states and Canadian province can work with each other to “replicate best practices” along the West Coast.
Whisnant appointed to interim session education committees
KTVZ
“I look forward to serving on all these committees,” Rep. Whisnant stated in a news release Wednesday. “With the additional committee assignments, I will be serving on all the education policy and Ways and Means committees concerned with early education learning, PK-12, and Higher Education issues. I have served on the House Education Committee in previous sessions when the committee addressed all education issues. I was vice-chair twice.”
Willamette Week
A police report WW obtained today under Oregon’s public records law sheds new light on a strange episode involving state Sen. Jeff Kruse (R-Roseburg) and a grainy YouTube video that Kruse says was being used in an attempt to extort money from him.
HEALTH CARE
COFA Islanders Rush to Enroll, but Face Obstacles in Special Insurance Program
The Lund Report
A tight deadline has insurance brokers working overtime to help a group of Pacific Islanders to get insurance, but a rule requiring them to pay deductibles upfront has some members facing collection agencies.
JOBS & THE ECONOMY
Fresh layoffs at SureID, now called Fortior
The Oregonian
The Hillsboro company formerly known as SureID is laying off 25 more employees this week, according to a notice it filed with the state. Including these cuts, the company has reduced its Oregon workforce by more than 80 percent since May. The new layoffs included customer service positions and perhaps jobs in other parts of the business, according to two people who lost their jobs. The company, now called Fortior Solutions, did not respond to a request for comment.
LOCAL NEWS
Portland, not waiting for Amazon, moves forward with Post Office plan
The Oregonian
Even if Amazon chooses another city for its second headquarters, Portland has big plans for the Pearl District Post Office site – including affordable housing and living-wage jobs.
Portland to spend $12 million surplus on police, homeless, roads and new positions
The Oregonian
The city of Portland has a $12 million surplus from last year’s budget, and it plans to spend much of it to add to the city’s police force, operate homeless shelters and complete infrastructure projects. The new spending, approved Wednesday, will be on top of the $516 million spending plan for 2017-18 that the City Council approved in May.
OPINION
Editorial: Medicaid error is another reason to vote against new taxes
Bend Bulletin
We already know the taxes themselves are bad policy; they apply unevenly and target struggling hospitals and consumers with already climbing premiums. The problems at the OHA add another reason to vote against them. The situation calls for transparency from the governor, not political posturing.
Editorial: Block of appointment may hurt Oregon
Bend Bulletin
They’d lose, too, as would all Oregonians, if President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination and appointed a judge from Idaho or another securely Republican state to the court, as some Republicans have hinted he might. The tradition that says two judges will come from each state would be ended, and Oregonians’ influence there diminished as a result.
Register-Guard
Eugene’s bike rental program is getting ready to roll and, if it’s done properly, should benefit not just the riders but also motorists, businesses and local taxpayers.
Guest column: Huge defense budgets but still not taking care of veterans
Ric DeMarco lives in Bend
“America First” seems to be a constant rallying cry from both the left and the right. However to date, we’ve spent over $4 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Surely America can afford to respectfully and properly care for our veterans and their families. Let’s truly appreciate and applaud our veterans by honestly and properly taking care of them. By the way, a trillion seconds is about 32,000 years.
DAILY CLIPS
HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
NOVEMBER 8, 2017 DAILY CLIPS
STATE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Brown calls for Medicaid repayment
The Oregonian
In her directive Tuesday, Brown requested that Allen submit a written report on the issue every two weeks and develop a dedicated website on which to publish public records requests and related documents. She commended Allen for being “dogged and transparent” since taking the top job at the health authority in August.
Management problems endemic at OHA
Portland Tribune
“OHA has been in deep trouble now for years, and this feels like just a continuation of problems that are endemic to the organization,” said Jim Moore, director of the Tom McCall Center for Policy Innovation at Pacific University. The fact that the governor was reportedly not informed of the issue when it arose last year may speak to those problems, Moore said. “There’s clearly an organizational problem,” Moore said. “As soon as this was known by anybody who met regularly with the governor, they needed to tell the governor.”
Oregon greens cheer Brown’s orders on energy efficient buildings, electric vehicles
Portland Business Journal
An array of green groups — Earth Advantage, Climate Solutions, New Buildings Institute, NW Energy Coalition, International Living Future Institute and the Zero Energy Project — cheered the moves, and used the occasion to say they were coming together to form the Oregon Zero Energy Buildings Coalition. The coalition said it will be “providing technical and research support to state, local and school district officials, as well as to private-sector developers, designers and builders, to support the implementation of the standards established in Governor Brown’s executive order.”
The ‘big deal’ in Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order on electric vehicles
Portland Business Journal
“The commitment to use 15 percent of the Volkswagen money on EV charging is a big deal,” the executive director of Forth (formerly Drive Oregon) said. It’s a big deal because EVs had so far been left out of plans for spending the $72.9 million that will come to the state in the carmaker’s diesel-emissions cheating settlement. “The original direction from the Department of Environmental Quality was to use zero for charging infrastructure,” Allen said. “So this is a big course change.”
Willamette Week
“NAYA did not expect that fair housing laws would be as constraining and inflexible with regard to implementation as it turns out they are,” he says. “This was coupled with the complexity of Native families with difficult backgrounds who just could not get their applications approved. We found the application and lease-up process frustrating and made even more difficult by the holidays and prolonged extreme winter weather.”
Oregon Legislature Could Take Up Mandatory Reporting Issue
NW News Network
An Oregon lawmaker said she’ll introduce a bill next year to clarify that consensual sex between teenagers does not need to be reported to state authorities. Democratic Sen. Sara Gelser made the announcement in a Facebook post Tuesday.
ELECTIONS
Former State Rep. Greg Macpherson Seeking Appointment to Richard Devlin’s Senate Seat
Willamette Week
Former state Rep. Greg Macpherson (D-Lake Oswego) announced today he will seek appointment to the Senate District 19 seat that currently held by Sen. Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin). Macpherson served in the House from 2003 to 2009 and chaired the House Judiciary Committee. A longtime pension benefits lawyer who recently retired from the Stoel Rives firm, Macpherson served as the point man for Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s 2003 cuts to the Public Employees Retirement System.
Springfield police levy leading in early election returns
Register-Guard
City voters Tuesday night were overwhelmingly endorsing a property tax increase to pay for police and jail services.Springfield voters were passing Measure 20-273, a five-year extension of the city’s police and jail property tax levy, with 68 percent in favor and 32 percent opposed with most ballots counted at 8 p.m.
Portland Community College’s $185 million workforce training bond passes
The Oregonian
Mark Mitsui, PCC’s president, said the bond will mean a lot to students, families and the entire community surrounding the workforce center in Northeast Portland in particular. “This provides the resources we need to help pull families out of poverty in the Cully neighborhood,” he said.
Passage of $4M school bond means repairs to Lowell schools
Register-Guard
Early results showed that voters in the Lowell district overwhelmingly passed the bond measure 513 yes votes to 217 no votes as of 8 p.m.“I was pleasantly surprised to see those first numbers,” he said. “But it looks like the community came out strong in support of our schools, and that’s encouraging.”
Crooked River Ranch rejects tax to fund more law enforcement
Bend Bulletin
Nearly 86 percent of Jefferson County citizens living in Crooked River Ranch voted against a measure that would have established a law enforcement district. Only 270 votes received were in favor of the measure compared to 1,603 against it, according to unofficial results late Tuesday night on the website for the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.
Sherwood voters just say no – again – to marijuana
Portland Tribune
Unofficial results as of Tuesday night show voters turning down sales of marijuana for second time in a year.
EDUCATION & HIGHER EDUCATION
PSU’s Four Years Free program attracts more full-time Oregon freshmen
Portland Tribune
Portland State University officials say a growing percentage of its freshmen are now first-time and full-time students since beginning its tuition-free program to eligible high school graduates.
LOCAL NEWS
City backs timber high-rise with $6M in affordable housing funds
Portland Business Journal
The Portland project being billed as the first new high-rise in the country constructed out of wood has landed $6 million from the Portland Housing Bureau for the building’s 60 affordable housing units.
Crook County Wants Local Voices To Have More Weight In Public Lands
Oregon Public Broadcasting
Commissioners held a meeting Monday night in Prineville, Oregon, to gather public input on the proposed plan. They plan to vote on it Wednesday. The document lays out the history and economy of Crook County, emphasizing timber, mining, grazing and agriculture as mainstays in the central Oregon community. It also lays out county priorities for how federal public lands in Crook County should be managed.
OPINION
Editorial: Brown is not queen of Oregon
Bend Bulletin
Brown’s executive orders should worry liberals and conservatives. Oregon’s government is structured so no one individual, no one agency of government, can make important policies unchecked. Brown’s action deserves rebuke.
Editorial: Brown should appoint independent investigator into $74 million flub
The Oregonian
It’s great that Brown is confident. The public, on the other hand, has witnessed too many meltdowns at the agency, from the never-launched Cover Oregon fiasco to the inclusion of tens of thousands of people who were no longer eligible for Medicaid to feel that confidence. Even with Allen’s solid reputation. Not to mention, Allen and his team oversee a massive operation that won’t allow them the focused attention they need to pin down the whos, whats and whys of the overpayment flub. And as a political appointee, Allen inherently lacks the independence that’s critical for the credibility of any review, particularly of such a politically sensitive issue as this.
Certainly, Buehler’s making political hay with his call for an investigation. But that doesn’t mean he’s wrong. Brown should cut her losses, confront the controversy and appoint an independent investigator.
Editorial: Taxpayers need real answers in Medicaid mess
Democrat-herald
And here’s a question that voters will be asking themselves when they receive their ballots for Measure 101 in January: How can taxpayers be sure that these tax dollars will be spent in a proper and prudent fashion? Let’s start the debate on this measure with answers to these questions. And it falls to the governor to provide the answers; from what we can see, the new staff at the Health Authority has its work cut out for it in the near future.
Editorial: Class sizes grow with PERS crisis
Portland Tribune
All of the alternatives require sacrifice – including from PERS-covered employees who are still in the work force. In many ways, that’s unfair. But the alternative is to divert more and more money away from services and into PERS.
Editorial: Oregon makes needed restoration of its constitution
Bend Bulletin
If you’re one of the 100 or so Oregonians who pledged money on the Secretary of State’s Office website to restore this state’s constitution, pat yourself on the back. If you gave when the document was on display a couple of years ago in the state Capitol, do the same thing. Ditto if you’re among the schoolchildren around the state who also raised money for the project.
You got the job done.
Editorial: Our veterans deserve more than parades
Portland Tribune
Remembering is not enough. We, as a country, need to do more. This is not a Republican issue, nor a Democratic issue. It is an American issue.
Editorial: Protect Cascade-Siskiyou
Register-Guard
The Trump administration’s plans to drastically shrink the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southern Oregon — and three other national monuments in other states — are disturbing enough. What’s even more disturbing is the secrecy that continues to surround these plans.
DAILY CLIPS
HOUSE REPUBLICAN OFFICE
NOVEMBER 7, 2017 DAILY CLIPS
STATE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Unclear why leaders weren’t told of OHA over payments
Portland Tribune
The Oregon Health Authority can’t say who the federal government told in 2016 that it wanted repayment of $74 million in health care funds, or why that information wasn’t shared with top managers or the governor until last month. “I don’t know what informed the decision to share and not to share,” said OHA Spokesman Robb Cowie.
Knute Buehler calls for investigation into Medicaid overpayments
Bend Bulletin
“The effective delivery and transparent administration of providing health care to Oregonians should not be a source of partisan division,” Buehler wrote in a letter to Brown. Buehler said he supports Medicaid and the expansion of the health insurance program for the poor under the Affordable Care Act. But Oregon’s problems administering the program have chipped away at the state’s reputation for health care innovation and undermined public trust in state government, Buehler said.
Knute Buehler calls for special counsel to investigate Medicaid overpayments
Portland Business Journal
“If that isn’t bad enough, officials within your administration were aware of the overpayments for over a year, did not disclose this information to the public or legislators and chose to do nothing about it. This is an unacceptable situation. The time has come for truth and accountability.”
Kate Brown adopts broad green building mandates and electric vehicle goals
The Oregonian
The goal of Brown’s two executive orders is to “drive the state’s efforts forward in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” she told reporters after the event. “Buildings, both residential and commercial, consume about 30 percent of Oregon’s energy use.”
Oregon lawmaker resigns to lead business lobbying group
The Oregonian
In a statement, Johnson, who had a career as a general contractor, said he is grateful for the relationships he made with Capitol colleagues and constituents. “I continue to believe that if we can set aside the partisanship and focus on doing right by the people of Oregon, there is no limit to what we can accomplish regardless of the role we are serving in,” said Johnson, 60.
Trump fills 2 top fed jobs in Oregon
Bend Bulletin
The tempo of Trump administration appointments in Oregon has received a long-awaited jump start, but two key top jobs remain open 10 months after the president took office.
Former Legislator From The Dalles Wins Job With Trump Administration
Oregon Public Broadcasting
John Huffman, a Republican from the Dalles, has received one of the plum political appointments from the federal government. Huffman left the Oregon House in October after 10 years to become Oregon’s director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Embattled Oregon lawmaker says he is victim of blackmail campaign
The Oregonian
State Sen. Jeff Kruse said Monday he is the victim of an extortion campaign related to a YouTube video that appears to show him engaged in a video chat with a partially-clad woman.
State Sen. Jeff Kruse Claims He’s the Victim of an Extortion Attempt Involving a YouTube Video
Willamette Week
“This was a private conversation between two adults, which appears to have been captured and altered by a third party in an attempt to extort money,” Kruse tells WW via email. “This video has been reported to the Oregon State Police.”
ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT
Environmental groups sue over Willamette basin dams
Statesman Journal
The Native Fish Society, Wild Earth Guardians and Northwest Environmental Defense Center issued a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over what they’re calling the agency’s failure to improve dam passage for adult and juvenile fish. They say the corps has consistently missed deadlines or dragged its feet in meeting requirements to improve habitat conditions following a 2008 legal agreement.
MARIJUANA
December deadline for medical marijuana
Bend Bulletin
“We’re going to have to track everything in our system,” said Mark Pettinger, spokesman for the OLCC Recreational Marijuana Program. The Oregon Legislature during this year’s session imposed the deadline and tracking requirement as part of Senate Bill 1057, which requires medical marijuana produced and transferred within the medical marijuana program to be tracked by the state Cannabis Tracking System.
OPINION
Editorial: Looking for leadership, not more excuses
East Oregonian
Bad news keeps rolling out from the Oregon Health Authority. But instead of taking responsibility, Gov. Kate Brown not only ducked it but also tried to spin it as positive news. The issue is that OHA paid too much to regional health-care organizations, collected too much money from the feds as a result, and might have to repay all of it.
Register-Guard
“Women who don’t think they’re qualified don’t think about running for office. Men who don’t think they’re qualified still think about running for office.” And, history suggests, too often wind up running, winning and embarrassing themselves — and letting down their constituents — through power grabs, sex scandals or plain ineptness. If, as Lawless suggests, the issue is not voters — they’ll happily back a female candidate who’s qualified — then let’s hope the Seattle surge of women candidates is a catalyst for others. America is hungry for good leadership — perhaps as never before — and can only benefit from women’s willingness to step up and provide it.
Editorial: Congress should pass a narrow bill to end fire borrowing
Bend Bulletin
The Oregon delegation, Democrats and Republican, must agree to work for legislation that at least just ends fire borrowing this session. They all know that without that shift, there’s no chance of serious improvements to forest health.
OREGONIANS IN CONGRESS
Wyden presses UO over its handling of Bigby-Williams rape allegations
Register-Guard
Oregon’s senior U.S. senator, Ron Wyden, is demanding more information from the University of Oregon on how it handled a rape allegation leveled last year against one of its basketball players. “If these reports are accurate, they raise major questions about the university’s commitment to creating and maintaining a safe campus environment,” Wyden wrote.
Willamette Week
Wyden went on to say that the university’s response to allegations against Bigby-Williams raises questions about the sincerity of the university’s pledge to more effectively address campus safety and sexual assault. “Time and again, colleges and universities demonstrate to policymakers, students, the general public and especially to victims that too often they are acting to protect their own self-interests.”