On Monday, Jan. 10, TriMet reduced services on 20 bus lines to address the most severe bus operator shortage in the agency’s history.

All affected lines will have buses coming less often on weekdays, and some may run fewer hours of the day. TriMet first announced the service reductions in early December.

The following lines will have a service reduction:

4, 8, 12, 15, 17, 21, 30, 33, 35, 52, 54, 56, 62, 67, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78

Of these, lines 4, 12, 17, 21, 30, 33, 35, 52, 54, 56, 62, 67, 70, 71, 76, 77 and 78 will also have reduced hours of operation, which means buses may start later or end earlier in the service day.

Riders are encouraged to visit Trimet's website and plan any trips to see how the adjustments impact arrival, departure and transfer times.

Also, LIFT paratransit riders may experience longer ride times or differences in desired pickup or drop-off times, as the LIFT program provides service the same days and times as our fixed-route buses.

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TriMet says they are actively recruiting bus operators. They are offering newly hired operators a $2,500 hiring bonus, starting pay of $21.84 per hour and seven weeks of paid training. In addition to benefits including vacation, personal and sick time; health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance plans; and pension and retirement benefits, including a monthly employer retirement plan contribution of 8% of employee base pay. With pay increases guaranteed, full-time TriMet bus operators can achieve top pay in three years, earning an annual salary of at least $68,000 without overtime.

Training classes start every three weeks and can accommodate 26 people. For the past year, those classes have fallen short of that threshold, with as few as two or three people in some classes. All new operators must successfully complete the seven-week program, including receiving their Commercial Driver License (CDL), prior to heading out on the road.

Many observers are noting factors such as the controversial Covid vaccine mandate, that is likely a main contributor to the bus driver shortage.

TriMet says they have focused the adjustments on maintaining service in communities of color and areas where people of low income live and work. The plan was evaluated through a comprehensive Title VI analysis, which found no disproportionate impact on communities of concern within the service area.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2022-01-14 11:08:36

Last Update: 2022-01-14 11:35:22

As Oregon school districts struggle to keep schools open in the face of personnel shortages, Portland Public Schools administration has taken the Portland Association of Teachers -- the teachers' union, uder the direction of Elizabeth Thiel -- to task for their plan to coordinate teachers' absences in order to force a wider shutdown of in-person instruction at district schools.

The union describes the deterioration of communication between the themselves and the district on the Portland Teachers' Union Website saying

In August, we demanded to bargain with the District over the workload impacts of the pandemic. The District finally sat down to formally begin this critical discussion in November. By then it was clear that our untenable workload– exacerbated by the pandemic conditions– was creating a staffing crisis that threatens our ability to safely run our schools.

We clearly stated our goal of offering educators meaningful workload relief, and creating better systems of support for students before the winter break, so that our community could have time to adjust to any changes, and so that students and educators could come back in January with some confidence that things will get better.

After 5 sessions of bargaining, it became abundantly clear that the District wasn’t willing to offer any significant workload relief for educators, or any meaningful improvements in student safety or student academic/emotional support. Therefore, today, we informed the District we are withdrawing from these talks.

Portland Public Schools has warned educators that this behavior is unlawful and harms students and has put a School Closure Tracker on their website which shows that 161 teachers -- or about 3.5% -- have had to be isolated due to being infected or presumptively infected with COVID-19. With the rise of absences among students and staff driven by the omicron variant of COVID-19, PPS has moved some schools into temporary distance learning, with campuses closed.

State Representative and gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan (R-Canby) issued the following statement in response to a letter distributed by Portland Public Schools regarding reports of teachers and unions coordinating mass absences in an effort to close schools.

“It is incredibly alarming to hear reports of attempts to organize mass staff absences with the goal of closing our schools,” said Representative Drazan. “Our kids have been through enough these past two years. They’ve suffered from isolation, struggled to keep up with remote learning, and are now once again dealing with the anxiety of whether their classrooms will remain open. We simply cannot allow a small group of individuals to hijack our schools and force our students to pay the price.”

“We all know that good teachers are committed to their students and understand how important it is to keep kids in the classroom. Portland Public Schools is taking appropriate action to hold a limited number of bad actors accountable for their actions. Keeping our schools open full time and in person must be our shared priority.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-13 16:04:14

Last Update: 2022-01-13 16:22:57

At the January 4th meeting of the Boring Community Planning Organization, long time Boring community leader, Steve Bates announced his intention to run for Senate District 26.

Senator Chuck Thomsen (R-Hood River), who currently serves in Senate District 26 has stated he will not seek re-election.

Steve Bates advised the Boring CPO that the redistricting just completed by the state legislature has assigned an average of 141,241 residents to each senate district. He stated that "the Senate District 26 boundaries that take effect in January, 2023 have been changed dramatically. They stretch from The Dalles to Canby, taking in a portion of Wasco County, all of Hood River County, areas east of Troutdale in Multnomah County and, based upon 2020 census data, about 90,000 Clackamas County residents that include those living in the Mount Hood Villages, Sandy, Boring, Eagle Creek, Estacada, Beavercreek, portions of Oregon City and Canby."

Steve Bates stated "Of the estimated 141,000 residents of Senate District 26, about 70% live within a 35 mile radius of my home. I am in a very good location to properly represent all of the people of SD26. I have lived in Boring for 45 years and I recall most of the time, my Senator lived within a 30 or 35 mile radius from me."

As a result of his announcement at the meeting, the Boring Community Planning Organization voted unanimously to endorse Steve Bates for Oregon Senate District 26.

Steve Bates has been involved with the state legislature over the past several years advocating for the community of Boring and veterans issues. 17 pieces of legislation have been introduced at his request by several different legislators and over half of them received unanimous bi-partisan votes. Steve Bates said "I have developed relationships at the Capitol through the years and I look forward to expanding those relationships and adding to them as the Senator from SD26."

He plans to work on the following items which can receive bi-partisan support: Transportation Issues such as traffic congestion, Law & Order - funding for the Oregon State Police and County Sheriffs, Veterans Issues and Mental Health Advocacy.

Steve Bates has stated: "In addition to advocating for our veterans, I will also further the efforts to reclaim and activate the Willamette Falls Locks so that there is a navigable waterway from Portland to Salem in the event of a major catastrophe." He also intends to support issues such as community college funding, prioritizing vocational education and replacing the Clackamas County Courthouse.

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Marie Teune, an elected board member of both, the Oregon Trail School District Board and Mt. Hood Community College Board issued this statement: "Beyond a doubt, Steve Bates is the most qualified person to run for Oregon State Senate. Being his neighbor for 40 years, its been amazing to see how he has become an icon in our community. Steve exemplifies honesty, integrity, leadership, commitment and hard work for the community he cares so much about. We need Steve representing our Senate District."

"Through the years, it has been my privilege to advocate for my community and our veterans around the state. It would be my honor to represent and advocate for my hometown and my fellow residents of Senate District 26," Bates declared.

A registered Republican, Steve Bates will be on the May 17th Republican Primary Ballot.

The winner of the primary election will face the Democrat nominee in the General Election on November 8th.


--Bruce Armstrong

Post Date: 2022-01-12 07:49:30

Last Update: 2022-01-12 08:24:00

Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Kotek have announced that all committee meetings during the upcoming 2022 Legislative Session will be conducted virtually. The decision was made based on input from infectious disease doctors from Oregon Health & Science University and public health experts amid the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, despite the fact that nearly every other venue in Oregon is fully open to the public.

“We are committed to ensuring the legislative process is accessible and safe during the upcoming session,” Courtney and Kotek said in a joint statement. “The recent wave of cases and hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant is concerning. After conversations with OHSU infectious disease doctors, we decided to move our committees to a virtual format.” This as Omicron is becoming recognized as less severe than other variants.

The public will continue to be able to enter the Capitol building during regular business hours. The Presiding Officers are directing all employees who can work remotely to do so during the session to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the building.

Committee meetings will be livestreamed on the Oregon Legislative Information Site during the upcoming session, which begins February 1. Oregonians are encouraged to make their voices heard on issues they care about by submitting written testimony, or by signing up for video or phone testimony.

All individuals within the building must comply with public health guidance, including wearing a face mask, and are encouraged to follow best practices such as staying home when sick, maintaining six feet of physical distance, and avoiding large gatherings to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Due to the ongoing Capitol Accessibility, Maintenance and Safety project, certain areas in and around the Capitol are under active construction, including the front steps and State Street entrances. Visitors can use the North ADA entrances to enter the building. Seismic upgrades in the House and Senate wings have been completed and these areas will be open to the public during the February session.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-12 06:01:47

Last Update: 2022-01-11 16:27:01

State Senator Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer) announced that she would file paperwork for re-election in newly drawn Senate District 11 -- currently held by Senate President Peter Courtney (D-Salem), which includes the I-5 corridor from Keizer to Woodburn and much of Salem. Legislative Democrats drew Senator Thatcher out of her former district.

“As State Senator, I have always worked hard to be an advocate for taxpayers, small businesses, and hardworking families,” Senator Thatcher said. “The last few years have shed light on the true consequences of run-away government overreach. Problems facing Oregon families continue to get worse, while Portland politicians continue to push their radical agenda. Salem needs balance, I look forward to bringing my message to my current constituents and my new neighbors in the Woodburn and Salem area.”

Senator Thatcher has been trusted twice previously by voters from District 13, which runs from Keizer to South Hillsboro to represent them as their State Senator. She previously served 10 years in the House of Representatives.

“Oregonians want their families to feel safe, but skyrocketing crime and homelessness are knocking on everyone’s door. Inflation and increasing costs of living because of overregulation and taxation are threatening livelihoods. I look forward to talking to voters about my vision for a more accountable government that meaningfully tackles these issues, instead of continuing to throw more money at failed policies.”

Senator Thatcher has a long record of advocating for accountable state government. As a State Representative, she chief sponsored legislation to establish Oregon’s first transparency website. She has sponsored several more pieces of legislation to improve access to public records, including just last year making the Public Records Advocate an independent office, insulated from political pressures.

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Keeping with accountability, Senator Thatcher is introducing legislation in the upcoming legislative session that would require school districts to post education plans and curriculum on a publicly available website.

“This legislation is about putting parents in the driver seat of their children’s education and making local government more transparent and accountable to them,” Thatcher continued. “Parents deserve to know what is going on in their children’s classrooms. It’s time to bring education transparency into the 21st century by making this information more accessible.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-11 15:38:32

Last Update: 2022-01-11 16:01:47

In a letter address to Interim Oregon OSHA Administrator Julie Love and Department of Consumer and Business services Director Director Andrew Stolfi the Senate Republican Caucus has requested that "Oregon OSHA wait until all legal challenges are resolved to implement the rules." Oregon OSHA is organized under the umbrella of DCBS.

The letter, which says that "We do not believe the government should be mandating medical procedures. We believe it is an extreme overreach of government authority and a violation of Oregonian’s and America’s freedoms."

The current state of the pandemic does not warrant this kind of government overreach. Law and logic would demand evidence that the vaccine being mandated prevents the spread of the disease. OSHA, being in charge of workplace safety, would need to show that the vaccine would stop transmission in the workplace. For the current variant, there is no such evidence. Thus, the vaccine mandate is not substantially related to OSHA’s mission.

Because of high vaccination rates and the widespread availability of vaccines, the virus no longer poses the threat it once did. According to the Director of Oregon Health Authority, Patrick Allen, people are 50% to 70% less likely to be hospitalized by the current variant than previous variants. COVID-19 now has a similar risk to seasonal flu, a virus we do not mandate vaccinations for.

In concluding, the Senators "recommend that your agency not substantially change the language that has been given to you by the federal government. Virology and immunology do not change from state to state. Oregonians should be confident that there is a constant standard across all 50 states."

Nine members of the Senate Republican Caucus signed the letter. Senator Chuck Thomsen (R-Hood River) did not sign the letter. He is not running for re-election.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-11 15:07:36

Last Update: 2022-01-11 16:29:01

January 6 marked the one-year anniversary of the “insurrection” on the US Capitol. The question still remains, who plotted the “insurrection".

The Legislative Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) Caucus of the Oregon Legislature claims that: “One year ago today, violent insurrectionists sought to overturn the results of a free and fair election by storming the United State Capitol. These events were all too familiar after some of the same individuals attacked the Oregon State Capitol weeks before.”

A year later, everyone waits for accountability for those who organized, encouraged, and participated in seditious activities. More than 725 people have been arrested for storming the US Capitol building, and many are still being held awaiting their sentencing. So far, the median prison sentence for those processed has been 45 days. When the detention exceeds the sentencing, one should ask where is the justice?

Democrats want to place a figure on former President Donald Trump, including the Oregon State Legislaure's BIPOC Caucus. “When extremism goes unchecked, it emboldens hateful and violent activities. We call on the Oregon Department of Justice and their federal counterparts to use their full authority to address this growing threat,” said a member of the BIPOC caucus.

The Oregon BIPOC Caucus claims that “Politicians across the country continue to peddle debunked theories about the security of the election in areas with high turnout from BIPOC communities. These are blatant attempts to silence our voices and our hard-fought right to vote.” One may ask if their voice is being silenced by restricting voting or blotted out with voter fraud? Either way, the issue should always be to find the truth.

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BIPOC Caucus members Representative Teresa Alonso León (D-Woodburn) and Representative Wlnsvey Campos (D-Aloha) traveled to Washington D.C. in the summer of 2021 to advocate for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and urge Congress to prevent the rollback of voting rights protections across the country. The proposal requires certain state voting laws be pre-cleared by the federal government. The bill passed the US House of Representatives, but failed to pass the Senate.

BIPOC Caucus Members in the 2022 legislative session include: Senators: Lew Frederick (D-Portland), Kayse Jama (D-Portland), Akasha Lawrence Spence (D-Portland), and James Manning (D-Eugene). Representatives: Teresa Alonso León (D-Woodburn), Janelle Bynum (D-Clackamas), Wlnsvey Campos (D-Aloha), Andrea Valderrama (D-Portland), Mark Meek (D-Gladstone), Khanh Pham (D-Portland), Ricki Ruiz (D-Portland), Andrea Salinas (D-Lake Oswego), and Tawna Sanchez (D-Portland).


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-01-10 11:21:58

Last Update: 2022-01-12 21:04:14

Former State Senator -- and also former Democrat -- and now current independent gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson has assembled a large and rapidly growing war chest of $2,948,581.73, raised with the help and support of another monster fund raiser -- former State Representative and Gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler.

Her burn rate of just under a half-million dollars dwarfs many candidates in the race. She'll need it to talk both Democratic and Republicans out of voting their usual party lines and to urge Oregon's second-largest political party -- Non-Affiliated Voters -- to support her.

Johnson -- unlike her Democratic and Republican adversaries -- doesn't really have to campaign in a primary and one wonders whether the tired, wounded and broke Democratic and Republican nominees will have the strength after the primary to take on the popular former legislator in the November general election.

The grassroots support for Johnson is reflected in the name of her supporting Political Action Committee -- “Run Betsy Run.”

For Johnson, "Oregonians deserve better than the excesses and nonsense of the extreme left and radical right and that Oregon is ready to move to the middle where sensible solutions are found." She describes herself as "independent-minded pro-choice, pro-jobs." She's also known for her support of Second Amendment issues.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-09 19:45:38

Last Update: 2022-01-10 08:36:47

Two Newberg school board members have been targeted for recall by special interest groups primarily funded by sources outside of the community.

An Oregon congressional candidate is saying that this should be recognized as merely a political ploy..

Chair Brian Shannon and Vice Chair Dave Brown were both duly elected to their positions by voters in the Newberg School District.

"Like many school board members throughout the country, they’ve been fighting to make sure that children in the district receive the quality education they deserve," said Angela Plowhead, who is running for Oregon's 6th Congressional District. "They’ve done everything they can to represent the voters who put them into office."

"Many of those voters are parents", Plowhead continued. "They have long felt ignored by bureaucrats and members of the educational establishment. Those parents are understandably concerned that school officials are focusing too much on bombarding students with political ideology and agendas, rather than the fundamentals that will serve them well in their adult lives."

Dr. Angela Plowhead, who runs a psychology practice in Oregon, is running for congress as a Republican. She spoke in Newberg, in support of Shannon and Brown.

"For decades now, we’ve seen control of education shift further and further away from parents and the community", she said. "The creation of the federal Department of Education in the late 1970s was done in the name of improving outcomes. But despite billions of dollars being spent over the past four decades, there has been little to show for that agency’s efforts as American education outcomes regularly underperform those of other developed nations."

Plowhead also called out the complicity in the unions, "Even more shocking over the last few years is the transition to highly controversial curriculum created by advocacy and special interest groups and supported by unions into legislation. After years of record revenues flowing into Oregon’s education system and new taxes being proposed and implemented in the name of improving this system, Oregon now ranks 48th in the nation in education."

She points out that our kids are suffering. Not just academically, but emotionally.

"In my perspective as a clinical psychologist" she advised. "The damage that is being done to children in our public schools is unnecessary and completely avoidable. Rather than reading, writing and mathematics, they’re being hypersexualized and made overly anxious and depressed about their carbon footprints and whether they are victims or oppressors. Instead of being taught history, they’re being subjected to the bias of their instructors, who very seldom face scrutiny or consequences for the outcomes and results, although our children are more depressed and committing suicide at higher rates than ever."

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It seems to many observers that parents throughout the nation are pushing back. Education was a major issue in the recent Virginia governor’s race. One candidate essentially told parents that it’s none of their business what their children are being taught in schools. They responded by flocking to the polls in droves to ensure his defeat.

"It is this attitude of educators believing they know better than you what is best for your child that has dominated the local school boards, until parents have started standing up to them, which is what Shannon and Brown have done," Plowhead explained. "Shannon and Brown are being attacked for taking a courageous stance and giving parents in the Newberg School District a voice. They should be applauded for their attempt to get the district back to the basics that have been ignored for too long."

The recall election is scheduled to take place January 18th.

Plowhead stated that This is nothing more than a waste of time and money that would only undo the results of previous elections, where the community has already spoken and selected who they wanted.

"These same kinds of special interest groups that have disastrously dominated education at the federal and state level are trying to gain a foothold at the local level, " Plowhead stated. "However, we can still maintain some independent influence by pushing back against their attempts to override the voices of parents and our community at large. I strongly urge the voters of the Newberg School District to recognize this recall election for what it is and reject it outright. Vote “No” to the recall."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-09 14:05:29

Last Update: 2022-01-09 14:11:15

State Senator Bill Kennemer (R-Oregon City) announced one of his two priority bills for the 2022 short legislative session is a measure, which if passed, would create an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to allow voters to vote on whether freeway tolls could be enacted within a 15-mile radius of a voter’s home. The measure is a direct response to increasing voter frustration with plans to toll sections of Interstates 5 and 205, as well as the potential for tolling the entire freeway system in the tri-county Metro region.

“No matter where I go in the community, one of the most persistent concerns outside of the COVID-19 pandemic that voters relay to me is their opposition to freeway tolls,” said Senator Kennemer, whose district is entirely within Clackamas County and abuts Interstate 205. “As the cost of living, including commuting, continues to rise, freeway tolls on our already-paid-for interstates will drive up the cost to go to work, take your child to school, or run daily household errands. We certainly need to increase our infrastructure, but as planned, the current tolling scheme doesn’t address congestion, and will make traffic on local roads worse.” Kennemer said toll diversion on area arterial roads like Highways 43 and 99, as well as the Oregon City Bridge, could make local traffic a nightmare.

As a then-State Representative in 2017, Kennemer voted against HB 2017 which created permission for ODOT to begin implementing a tolling scheme. He believed the freeway tolling measures, as well as an escalating gas tax and a sales tax on bikes, would price families and seniors on a budget out of having fair access to transportation. “In just this past year, we’ve seen gas prices skyrocket to nearly $4.00 a gallon, with a new gas tax increase just this week. It’s too much for lower-income and working Oregonians to pay. Tolling would be a huge family budget buster, and voters should have a direct say on the transportation package, which opened the door to tolling schemes,” Kennemer stated.

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If passed, Kennemer’s legislative concept would go directly to voters in the upcoming November 2022 General Election for a statewide vote. If voters approve of the measure, then any plan to toll freeways where a toll was not already in existence before January 2018, would be required to go on a ballot to the voters who live in counties within a 15-mile radius of the proposed tolling corridor. In the case of freeway tolls on Interstate 205, that would include voters in Clackamas, parts of Multnomah County, and Washington County who would have a say on whether ODOT could enact new tolls.

Kennemer noted that freeway tolls particularly burden drivers in Clackamas County where as much as 70% of Clackamas residents commute outside of the county for work, as well as thousands of students who commute from around the region to attend Clackamas Community College. “The daily cost burden for using a freeway that benefits all Oregonians and people from out of state, shouldn’t fall to the residents who live closest to the freeway system. If we need to address infrastructure, then it should be a statewide discussion, not just a burden shouldered by a few for a road used by so many.” Kennemer highlighted that ODOT will be the beneficiary of over a billion dollars from the most recent federal infrastructure package. He believes those funds and other sources of revenue could be bonded against, negating the need to toll to modify the Abernethy Bridge and widen Interstate 205 from the Stafford Road exit to the bridge.

“Giving voters the power to halt these tolls isn’t going back to the drawing board for infrastructure plans. While I’m committed to working on other funding sources for infrastructure that don’t add costs for drivers, I’m more interested in giving voters the right to weigh in on key decisions like enacting freeway tolls which directly impact their checkbooks,” Kennemer said. Absent new legislation to protect drivers, Kennemer says ODOT has plans to enact tolls as early as the end of 2023.

The Oregon Legislature will meet again in session this February. Kennemer represents Senate District 20, which currently includes the cities of Oregon City, Oak Grove, Canby, Boring, and Estacada. The district will include parts of Happy Valley and Milwaukie after 2022, both of which will also be directly impacted by freeway tolls.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-08 10:40:35

Last Update: 2022-01-08 11:02:24

Mayor Stan Pulliam has announced his 2021 Fourth Quarter fundraising results. Here are the highlights:

• 4th Quarter Total Contributions: Over $400,000
• Number of 4th Quarter Donors: Over 500
• Cash on Hand: Over $410,000—more than any other Republican contender
• Total Raised: Over $900,000

"Unlike the big corporate and government union backed candidates in this race, our movement is powered by the Main Street business owners and grassroots donors who are concerned about government mandates, skyrocketing crime, and failing schools," said Mayor Pulliam. "These are everyday Oregonians who are voting with their dollars."

Mayor Stan's lead in both cash on hand and fundraising came through extensive small dollar fundraising via email, text, digital, and mail, as well as from numerous individual donors and Main Street businesses.

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His campaign was the first of any to launch a TV commercial for the 2022 election cycle. Next week, the campaign will embark on the first leg of its Main Street Heroes Tour, starting with over a dozen stops from Portland to Medford.

Stan Pulliam is the two term, nonpartisan Mayor of Sandy, Oregon.

He is running for governor of Oregon in the 2022 election.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-01-07 18:46:13

Last Update: 2022-01-07 18:53:21

The New Year’s Eve brings out what people want to remember or what they want you to remember. House Democrats tried their best to make lemonade out of a year that was more destructive than good. They claim the COVID-19 vaccinations are bringing some normalcy and stability while Governor Brown extends her emergency order and wants to make masking permanent. They have to divert any success from the economy since Oregon ranks in the bottom ten of U.S. States for after-tax personal income per capita.

House Majority Leader Barbara Smith Warner said, “Oregon has been able to weather the COVID storm better than most states, and that’s because we’ve all come together to do what’s right.” She is referring to legislating “to prevent thousands of Oregonians from getting evicted, provide drought relief to rural communities, and fund services for Afghan refugees.”

Former House Republican Leader, Christine Drazan reflects on 2021 as a tough year. “Mandates impacted schools, youth sports and businesses. Illness, whether it was COVID related or delayed access to care, impacted families and health care settings, while so many of our friends and colleagues left the state this year in search of more opportunity, greater affordability and a culture of state governance that has integrity with reasonable limits in its scope and purpose, that doesn’t crush hopes and dreams. For those of us who have chosen to stay and fight the good fight, we have seen firsthand that the State is a lousy parent, a terrible landlord and a bad boss.”

Smith Warner lists eleven bills they claim has rebuilt Oregon’s economy in a way that ensures that everyone is able to prosper. It might be helpful if she were to define “everyone,” but one thing is for sure, they do affect everyone. If you aren’t on the receiving end, you are on the giving end. Nearly all have a General Fund appropriation attached whether it is a direct allotment or growing government. Reading through the list one has to remember how many billions the state received in federal dollars that is still waiting to be distributed. She contributes a good economic forecast to these bills:

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• HB 2266 requires Business Oregon to make awards to lenders to fund the lenders' loan loss reserve accounts, and to establish a program to make loans to eligible businesses. The measure appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to each program.
• HB 2345 received bi-partisan support to establish the Oregon Rural Capacity Fund to assist in securing economic development grants for rural communities.
• HB 3073 makes the Early Learning Division into an independent state agency as the Department of Early Learning and Care, and transfers the Employment Related Day Care subsidy program currently managed by the Department of Human Services to the newly created agency.
• HB 2341, HB 3218, HB 2607, HB 3272 and HB 2289 received bi-partisan support to rebuild after last year’s wildfires: prorates property taxes, provides loans for replacement housing, exempt from construction taxes, and extends homeowner insurance coverage.
• SB 483 protects workers from retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions.
• SB 892 received bi-partisan support to provide $100 million in relief for farmers impacted by drought and wildfires.

Perhaps trying to make positives out of negatives works for those receiving handouts, but for a real look at how well the economy is thriving requires a look at the giving end. Two factors contributed to a good forecast that has nothing to do with legislating funding. The reprieve for the economy in 2021 can be attributed to the number of people that are ignoring mandates. The stores and businesses that are thriving are those that may post a sign of the mandates, but leave the choice to the customer.

The second factor is that added operating costs to businesses are passed through to consumers. Oregon’s inflation rate with rising costs of about 8% over a year ago eats up a lot of the extra money and in recent months inflation has begun to outpace wage gains, resulting in less earnings. As long as consumers can support inflation, the economy forecast will likely be positive, but that seems to be changing.

Representative Drazan gives a brighter outlook, “The good news is that we have made it through the worst of it—jobs are plentiful, schools are open and medical innovation has resulted in approved therapies to treat COVID-19. There is light at the end of the tunnel.” Jobs being so plentiful, what was the reason for funding a recovery that doesn’t appear to exist?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-01-07 06:20:41

Last Update: 2022-01-06 20:41:08