On this day, August 22, 2002, President George W. Bush proposed to end the government's "hands-off" policy in national forests and ease logging restrictions in fire-prone areas.
Also on this day, August 22, 2014, the State of Oregon filed a $200 million suit against Oracle Corp. and several executives over the company's role in creating the troubled website for the state's online health insurance exchange.
Also on this day, August 22, 2020, demonstrators faced off in Portland with the two sides -- one aligned with a "Back the Blue" rally and the other a Black Lives Matter counter-demonstration -- reportedly largely ignoring police warnings. Ultimately, Department of Homeland Security officers deemed the gatherings unlawful and moved through the plaza, forcing the crowd to disperse.
The Oregon Governor commands a great deal of power
The Governor of Oregon is undoubtedly the most powerful elected official in Oregon. In addition to the bully pulpit and the ability to veto bills, the Oregon Governor commands a great deal of power.
Executive Appointments
Most large and medium-sized state agencies set policy based on a commission. These commissions are all
executive branch commissions made by the Governor. This is a tremendous amount of power. Additionally, the Governor appoints agency heads.
Is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife going to concern itself more with providing hunting and fishing opportunities for Oregonians, or are they going to be focused on conservation? Is the Department of Environmental Quality going to be focused on helping industry comply with regulations or are they going to crack down and issue as many fines as possible? Is the Department of Human Services going to be focused on getting people off assistance and on to self-sufficiency or are they going to be recruiting more people into the system?
Line item veto
Unknown to many, the Oregon governor has a line item veto on spending bills. Though it may not be used often, its threat can have a chilling effect on appropriations. Article V, Section 15a of the Oregon Constitution says ,"The Governor shall have power to veto single items in appropriation bills, and any provision in new bills declaring an emergency, without thereby affecting any other provision of such bill."
Call Special Session
Article V, Section 12 authorizes the governor to call special sessions of the legislature. It says, "He may on extraordinary occasions convene the Legislative Assembly by proclamation, and shall state to both houses when assembled, the purpose for which they shall have been convened."
Negotiating with Public Employees
The Governor unilaterally negotiates with government employee unions, including pay, benefits and working conditions. The legislature is left to come up with whatever money is necessary to fund what the governor has promised.
--Staff Reports| Post Date: 2022-11-13 11:12:07 | Last Update: 2022-11-13 20:29:11 |
