Oregon Right to Life, a PAC that focuses on electing pro-life officials in the state of Oregon, has now announced their endorsement of Darin Harbick. Harbick is challenging the incumbent, Representative Charlie Conrad (R-Dexter), in the 2024 Republican primary election for House District 12.

“Darin Harbick is a committed pro-life candidate,” said ORTL executive director Lois Anderson. “He has deep roots in the district, years of community involvement and business experience that will provide what he needs to be an excellent representative. I’m confident Darin Harbick will represent the values of the citizens of HD 12, and I’m proud to express my support.”

Earlier this year, ORTL PAC announced a campaign to defeat Representative Conrad due to his support for what ORTL says was dangerous abortion and assisted suicide legislation. Representative Conrad voted to pass House Bill 2002 and House Bill 2279 in the 2023 Oregon state legislative session.

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ORTL points out that as introduced, HB 2002 was a dramatic expansion of abortion in Oregon, going as far as making it illegal to notify parents if an abortion is performed on their child unless the child provides explicit written permission. Although the most extreme aspects of HB 2002 were removed following the Republican Senate walkout protest negotiations, ORTL says the bill that Conrad voted for and helped pass still weakens the parent-child relationship and creates virtual immunity for abortion providers who violate the laws of other states.

HB 2279 repealed the residency requirement for physician-assisted suicide in Oregon, making lethal prescriptions available regardless of where a person lives.

“Charlie Conrad’s votes on these bills are dangerous to vulnerable Oregonians,” continued Anderson. “A vote for Darin Harbick is a vote to protect the most vulnerable members of our society—unborn children and those who are pressured to end their own lives.”

According to Harbick's campaign website, he has successfully built, purchased, and founded several businesses located in the Upper McKenzie Valley. While managing his businesses and he served 14 years on the McKenzie School board, the Lane County Tourism board, and coached high school and college women’s basketball.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-09-30 08:38:09

Last Update: 2023-09-30 09:53:34

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Portland Central City Task Force Co-Chair Dan McMillan, president and CEO of The Standard, have now announced the launch of a Portland Central City Task Force (PCCTF) website, which features a public survey soliciting input.

Kotek says that the website also features more information about the task force, a page for progress updates from each committee as the work advances, news highlights and more.

“I want to hear from everyone,” Governor Kotek said. “When you have lots of folks weighing in, even if we don’t agree, I believe it helps us get better outcomes. We’re not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to solutions. So, Oregon, tell us what you think.”

“Between the full task force and five committees, we have brought together the collective experience and energy of over 120 people committed to implementing solutions. We intend to move with urgency, and welcome all actionable ideas to reimagine and revitalize Portland’s Central City,” Co-Chair Dan McMillan said.

The survey, which is anonymous, asks participants to name what they value most about the Portland area, what would bring them downtown more often, and for solutions to the challenges facing Portland’s Central City. The survey takes no more than 15 minutes. A summary of the results will be made public at a later date.

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The full PCCTF will meet Tuesday, September 26, and provide an after-action press release to the public following the meeting. The five committees, which include task force members and additional subject matter experts and community leaders, have started their work and will continue to meet regularly between task force meetings.

. Those who are interested in participating in the survey can find it online.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-09-30 06:39:59

Last Update: 2023-09-29 15:46:22

Oregon’s drug decriminalization experiment known as Ballot Measure 110, passed by the voters in 2020, has failed to address our state’s drug addiction crisis. Since its implementation, overdoses have skyrocketed and deadly drug use has increased. Meanwhile, according to some observers, law enforcement has felt alienated, and addicts haven’t sought the treatment they desperately need.

“Oregonians have spoken clearly. They don’t feel they were told the whole truth about Measure 110. Now it is the Legislature’s job to hear voters and respond to their concerns,” said Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp (R-Bend). “Communities across Oregon feel the drug addiction crisis worsening. We need a solution, and we need it now. The Senate Republican Caucus will ask the newly formed Joint Addiction and Community Safety Response Committee to consider a bill referring Measure 110 back to Oregon voters.”

Legislative Democrat leaders have created a Joint Interim Committee on Addiction and Community Safety. Senator Tim Knopp will represent the voice of Senate Republicans on the committee.

According to recent polls:

• 63% of voters would support bringing back criminal penalties for the possession of hard drugs.
• 65% of voters felt that Measure 110 has made addiction and overdoses in the State of Oregon worse.
• 63% of voters felt that Measure 110 has worsened the homelessness crisis.

House Republicans put out a statement saying that they "remain dedicated to advancing solutions to the crisis created by Measure 110. With the announcement of the Joint Addiction and Community Safety Response Committee, the Legislature will soon begin to create legislation meant to deal with the crisis. The same Democrat leaders and committee chairs who chose not to advance bills in the last legislative session to address Oregon’s drug and crime crisis are finally willing to deal with the pleas of desperate Oregonians. Ironically, the Democrats chosen to serve on this committee are the same members who refused to hear Republican solutions in their committees as chairs. While Republicans are happy to see movement on the issue, they are concerned it may too little, too late."

“The Democrat majority has allowed the drug crisis to worsen each day by ignoring nearly every opportunity to fix Measure 110 when we had the chance. I am relieved that Democrat leaders have finally recognized the responsibility we have to address a problem exacerbated by their failed policies and prolonged by their inaction. However, the same people who helped create the problem and continue to perpetuate the problem will not solve the problem. House Republicans are committed to hearing all potential solutions to fix Measure 110 and urge Democrats to do the same,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River).

In 2020, Oregonians approved Ballot Measure 110, bought and sold to voters as an experiment to address drug addiction from a public health approach instead of criminalization. It has had deadly consequences. Measure 110’s shortcomings have fallen most heavily on drug users in every community across Oregon. Since its implementation, overdoses rose 61% compared to 13% nationally. On average, 3 Oregonians die each day from unintentional drug overdose.

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Fentanyl, a drug that is 50 times stronger than heroin, has surpassed methamphetamine as the most frequent drug involved in overdose deaths in Oregon. For all ages, fentanyl overdoses surged nearly 600% between 2019 and 2021. And it kills Oregon’s teenagers at a rate higher than any other state. The Oregon Health Authority reports that the amount of seized fentanyl in Oregon's high intensity drug trafficking areas increased from 690 counterfeit pills in 2018 to more than 2 million in 2022.

Recognizing the urgent need to solve Oregon’s drug crisis, last session House Republicans proposed several measures fixing or reversing the most ineffective portions of Measure 110. They included:

• HB 2973: Referral to the People. Allows voters to decide whether Measure 110 is still Oregon’s chosen path to solve the drug crisis.
• HB 2310: Reestablishes criminal penalties for possession and distribution of hard drugs, including fentanyl, that were stripped by Measure 110, while still supporting funds that go towards expanding access to rehabilitation programs.
• HB 3549: Restores criminal penalties for possession of controlled substance offenses to level prior to enactment of Measure 110 when person has been previously cited for Class E violation for possession of hard drugs.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-09-29 16:19:04

Last Update: 2023-09-29 17:01:26

Going into an election year, the conversation is all about uniting – uniting the party, uniting the country, uniting the state, uniting the legislature. While they are busy campaigning for unity, bills are passed that do the opposite with a big price tag. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is a money guzzler that drives a wedge to divide.

Of deep concern is the amount of education funds that are spent on DEI. The Heritage Foundation has just published a study measuring how many Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) “instructors” there are at major public state universities. The analysts measured the size of DEI bureaucracies in the 65 universities that were members of one of the Power 5 athletic conferences (the Big Ten, the Big 12, the Pac-12, the Southeastern Conference, and the Atlantic Coast Conference) in 2021.

The study reported that DEI staff and departments urge students to embrace radical leftwing ideologies, including that people should be treated differently due to their race. Ideological indoctrination is utterly unacceptable at taxpayer-funded universities and the DEI bureaucracy should be abolished in state-funded schools.

DEI bureaucracies are better understood as an academic version of a political commissariat that articulates and enforces an ideological orthodoxy on campus. That orthodoxy tends to make many groups of people feel unwelcome, promotes division, and encourages conformity rather than diversity on various social and political issues.

Heritage analysts found that surveys of students reported worse campus climates—measured, for example, by how accepted or respected students feel at the campus—at universities with larger DEI bureaucracies than at those with smaller DEI staff.

The worst state is Virginia with 6.5 average DEI personnel for every 100 faculty members on the payroll that the researchers could identify. Oregon came in second with an average 4.6. However, University of Oregon exceeded all but the top two universities in Virginia at 6.2 DEI ratio. Oregon State University in the Power 5 conferences in 2021, has much smaller DEI bureaucracies pulling down the average with a 3.0 DEI. Both schools exceeds UCLA at 2.8 and U of O exceeds Cal Berkeley at 6.1 DEI.

For the academic year 2021-2022, the average undergraduate tuition & fees of 4-year Oregon colleges is $12,907 for in-state and $31,542 for out-of-state. Its tuition & fees are higher than the national average, which is $6,979 for in-state students and $12,905 for out-of-state students. Both Oregon State University and University of Oregon's undergraduate tuition and fees for the academic year 2022-2023 raised to $15,054 for Oregon residents and $41,700 for out-of-state students,

It isn’t enough that the University of Oregon provides services to help the underserved manage their way through college, but it operates five units in the DEI Division with 24 staff and 10 student staff. It runs a multicultural center and sponsors events and activities. It funds units and groups that offer grant opportunities to staff for professional development and external mentoring along with financial sponsorships for DEI programs.

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U of O operates DEI websites and working groups with resources that doesn’t have a uniting theme or scholarly benefit and are indoctrinating in general. For instant, the Deconstructing Whiteness Working Group (DWWG) consists of a number of employees who lead monthly self-work meetings to reflect on their complicity in white supremacy, anti-Blackness, and racism. In previous years, the group has facilitated a "What's Up With Whiteness?" retreat that aims to help participants find their place in conversations around race and systemic injustice in their own lives.

Then there are DEI groups with a philosophical bent: L.A.C.E. (Love, Authenticity, Courage, Empathy) embodies the universal tenets of Love, Authenticity, Courage and Empathy. These interlocking values represent the being and doing of individuals and the institutions in which they engage. Other strategies groups interact and advocates for issues within the community, which may be helpful if it’s a supporting role. But to often it is the opposite.

The Heritage study suggests that rather than raise tuition next year, states should defund DEI programs that drain resources from classrooms and instructions.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-09-29 13:15:27

Last Update: 2023-09-29 00:05:38

Oregon Democrats are crowing about making attending college easier and more affordable for Oregonians, but the reality may be that more funding creates more unfairness. And while getting a college education may mean more opportunities for some, it may mean more opportunities for failure for others.

In a recent press release, the Democratic Legislative offices said, "With many Oregon college and university students returning to school, Democrats today are reflecting on the 2023 legislative session’s higher education investments. Democrats passed critical legislation that will make it easier for low-income and historically underserved Oregonians to pursue higher education through financial support, including tuition relief and grant opportunities. With these investments, legislators are working to ensure more Oregon students have greater career opportunities and high paying jobs out of college."

"Education — from early learning, to K-12, to higher education and vocational training -- is the best way people can improve their lives and the lives of their families," said Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego). "I am proud the Legislature is stepping up to meet our obligation as a state to see that our education system is accessible by all and prepares our students for their futures."

“This is how we make sure Oregon’s economy stays competitive in the 21st century and help students gain the skills they need for good paying jobs without having to go into crippling debt,” said Representative Ricki Ruiz (D - Gresham), vice chair of the House Committee on Higher Education.

These efforts complement the Legislature's historic funding for K-12 classrooms and child care services for toddlers and infants signed into law last week by Governor Tina Kotek. Oregon’s Higher Education Opportunity Budget invests more than $3.7 billion responding to the college affordability crisis. It includes:

• More than $300 million for the Oregon Opportunity Grant;
• $24.2 million to continue the successful Tribal Student Grant program;
• $800 million for the Community College Support Fund; and
• $1 billion for the Public University Support Fund.

Many analysts say that Oregon is using taxpayer money -- potentially from taxpayers who never had the opportunity themselves to attend college -- to provide opportunity for students who failed to achieve enough academically in public schools to be able to succeed at college. They say that Oregon Public Colleges are too focused on "junk" degrees and not on knowledge that is useful for creating wealth in the real world.

Even as the legislature pumps more and more money into higher education, tuition rates have outpaced inflation. According to analysts, part of this unsustainable upward tuition spiral is caused by the legislature increasing funding for higher education. Simply put, if you are able to pay more for something, suppliers will charge more, and this is what is happening. $1 billion was allocated for the Public University Support Fund, supporting university operational expenses -- according to the release -- "with the goal of making sure students have what they need to get through school."


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-09-29 12:54:36

Last Update: 2023-09-29 15:42:09

Representative Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) was selected by House Republicans to serve as their new Leader. Also elected to the leadership team were Representative Mark Owens (R-Crane) as Deputy Leader and Kim Wallan (R-Medford) as Whip.

“It is both an honor and privilege to be chosen to lead our caucus,” said Leader Helfrich. “Oregon is in crisis. Residents are leaving because they can’t afford housing, they feel unsafe on our city streets and their taxes keep increasing. Inaction or failed action only makes the situation worse. The status quo must change.”

“Politics is a team sport, and our caucus looks forward to working together to bring forward new ideas and solutions to help everyday Oregonians.”

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Representatives Helfrich, Owens and Wallan for a while now and am excited for the future of Republicans in Oregon. Each of these representatives hail from different regions of the state and will represent us well in leadership,” stated Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville). “I am confident in Leader Helfrich’s ability to continue advocating for the interests of all Oregonians and look forward to his thoughtful leadership of our caucus moving forward.”

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“It is an honor to be chosen by my colleagues for this leadership role. I look forward to working with all of our caucus members for the benefit of all Oregonians.” stated Rep. Owens.

According to his bio, Representative Helfrich has been a public servant his entire adult life. He proudly served in the United States Air Force during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm before spending 25 years as a sergeant with the Portland Police Bureau. He and his wife are raising their two children in Hood River.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-09-29 11:33:21

Last Update: 2023-09-29 15:42:51

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has now announced the USDA Forest Service is to spend more than $1 billion in nearly 400 grant awards nationwide. They say that is intended to to increase access to trees and the social, health, and economic benefits they provide.

Of the total funding, the Forest Service awarded over $94 million to community-based organizations, tribes, municipal and state governments, non-profit partners, universities, and other eligible entities across the Pacific Northwest Region. The US Forest Service says that these investments will plant and maintain trees in disadvantaged urban communities, tackle the climate crisis, and support jobs and workforce development.

The funding, through President Biden's controversial Inflation Reduction Act, is part of a $1.5 billion investment in the Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program. The US Forest Service insists that this funding supports local communities and the organizations that serve them as they work to increase tree cover in disadvantaged spaces and boost equitable access to nature.

"These investments arrive as cities across the country experience record-breaking heatwaves that have grave impacts on public health, energy consumption, and overall well-being," said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. "Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are supporting communities in becoming more resilient to climate change and combatting extreme heat with the cooling effects of increased urban tree canopy, while also supporting employment opportunities and professional training that will strengthen local economies."

Projects in Oregon:

• Urban and Community Forest Health and Biodiversity for Long-term Resilience -City of Hermiston -$1,000,000
• Riparian Forest Rescue! Save our unique urban forest from the invasive ash borer -City of Hillsboro -$340,835
• Pendleton Urban Forestry Program -City of Pendleton Parks & Recreation -$2,000,000
• Building a More Resilient and Equitable Tree Canopy in Salem, Oregon -City of Salem -$1,000,000
• Portland/Vancouver Canopy Collective -ELSO Inc -$7,000,000
• Engaging low-canopy neighborhoods in community tree planting -Friends of Trees -$12,000,000
• Northwest Youth Corps NW Community Forestry Project -Northwest Youth Corps -$12,000,000
• Growing Equity in Oregon's Urban and Community Forests: Investing in Disadvantaged Communities -Oregon Department of Forestry -$22,857,196

Total spending in Oregon: $58,198,031

"These investments will not only contribute to the planting and maintenance of trees in disadvantaged urban communities, but they also assist with tackling the climate crisis and supporting jobs and workforce development,” said Chad Davis, Regional Director for State, Private and Tribal Forestry for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest and Alaska Regions. “This funding will help create more vibrant and healthy urban communities across the Pacific Northwest and the entire country.”

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The Urban and Community Forestry Program supports the Justice40 Initiative, which intends to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved, and lack access to trees and nature.

The US Forest Service says that all grant funding will flow to disadvantaged communities thanks to the applicant tool, which used the White House Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) to identify eligible communities. CEJST is a geospatial mapping tool that identifies communities faced with significant burdens, such as climate change, energy, health, housing, legacy pollution, transportation, water and wastewater, and workforce development.

The Forest Service says it supports vibrant and healthy urban communities through supporting healthy urban forests. More information about the funded proposals, as well as announcements about the grant program, is available on the Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program website.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-09-24 11:58:26

Last Update: 2023-09-25 11:41:47

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has now issued its opinion on school board stipends and it has apparently prompted some complicated philosophical issues for school board members serving in the state of Oregon.

Representative Ben Bowman, a Democrat and a former Tigard-Tualatin School Board member, sponsored a bill in the 2023 Legislature to allow compensation for school board members. Bowman said the time demands of school board service are preventing some community members from volunteering. He said the new law’s goal is intended to lessen the financial barriers and draw a more diverse pool of potential board members.

House Bill 2753 was passed into law on July 18th and removed the Oregon prohibition on school board compensation and allowed school board members to award themselves a stipend of up to $500 a month that would grow with inflation. Bowman apparently worked closely with OSBA to amend the bill to address the prohibition as well as a rule against paid district employees serving on their school board, but they are still problems with the new law.

According to Article II, Section 10 of the Oregon constitution, individuals are prohibited from holding more than one "lucrative" office at a time. As one example, this means that you can't be a legislator and a school board member.

HB 2753 allows a stipend as part of a school board member’s compensation package, but it does not address the conflict of interest disclosure requirements. Voting on a pay package is an “actual” conflict of interest according to Oregon statute, the commission opinion says, and thus school board members can’t participate in a vote on their own stipends.

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The commission proposed some workarounds, but OSBA leadership said they appear unworkable.

“We don’t see these suggested solutions as practicable,” OSBA Executive Director Jim Green said. “Instead, we will be working on a legislative solution in the short 2024 session. In the meantime, we are strongly urging that school boards hold off on considering the stipend issue.”

OSBA says they now encourage school boards to delay any votes on stipends, however the law, allowing school board members to receive a stipend up to $500 a month, went into effect July 18 and some school boards have already taken votes either accepting a stipend or saying no to it..

School boards that passed a stipend without using one of these methods may be violating Oregon statute and open to an ethics complaint investigation, the commission said. OSBA Policy Services Director Spencer Lewis plans to meet with commission staff to clarify the details and options. OSBA will issue guidance to help school board members sort it out, Lewis said.

Lewis recommended that boards that have already voted on stipends contact legal counsel or OSBA to consider their options. The ethics commission typically does not advise on past actions and contacting them could open an investigation, Lewis said.

OSBA Executive Director Jim Green said OSBA will talk with Bowman about a possible legislative fix.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2023-09-23 11:41:28

Last Update: 2023-09-23 13:57:02

The past two years has brought a makeover of new faces to the Oregon Supreme Court. As of the 2020 election, all seven justices on the Oregon Supreme Court have been appointed by Democratic governors. The Oregon Constitution establishes nonpartisan election as the mode of selection for state court justices. In the event of vacancies, justices are appointed by the governor until the next general election.

Nonpartisan candidates in a contested primary win outright if they receive over 50 percent of the vote in the primary. Justices of the Supreme Court serve six-year terms upon election, with two positions expiring each general election. Resignations have added three positions to the ballot joining the two expiring seats.

The two expiring positions are Rebecca A. Duncan and Meagan A. Flynn. Summaries of these justices are only a representation of their experiences and contributions.

Judge Duncan was appointed by Governor Kate Brown in 2017. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Justice Duncan served on the Oregon Court of Appeals from 2010 to 2017, including as Presiding Judge of Department Three from 2014-2017. She frequently presents at continuing legal education programs on topics including appeals, constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, and family law. Justice Duncan lives in Salem with her family, and she volunteers with Backpack Buddies, a hunger relief program for elementary school children, and Oregon Battle of the Books, a literacy program.

Judge Flynn serves as Chief Justice, elected by her colleagues. She was initially appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Kate Brown in April 2017, Before her appointment, she served on the Oregon Court of Appeals since November 2014. Her current extracurricular activities include serving as a member of the board of the Classroom Law Project and as a coach for the We the People team at Franklin High School in Portland and as a regular speaker on issues of professionalism for the Oregon Bench & Bar Commission on Professionalism.

Governor Tina Kotek appointed Stephen K. Bushong and Bronson D. James in January 2023, and Aruna A. Masih in September 2023. These positions will be voted on at the first general election - November 2024.

Justice Bushong was a Circuit Court Judge in Multnomah County from 2008 through 2022, including six years as Chief Civil Judge and four years as Presiding Judge. Justice Bushong serves on the Oregon Law Commission and has served on the Uniform Trial Court Rules Committee, the Oregon State Bar’s Uniform Civil Jury Instruction committee, and the executive committees of the OSB’s Litigation and Government Law sections. He authored chapters in the OSB publications on Civil Pleading and Practice (2012) and Oregon Constitutional Law (2022), and regularly submits articles on “Recent Significant Oregon Cases” featured in the OSB’s Litigation Journal.

Justice James operated his own law firm for six years, focusing on federal and state criminal defense, federal immigration representation, and civil rights litigation. He began his judicial career on the trial bench, at the Multnomah County Circuit Court. In 2017 he was appointed to the Oregon Court of Appeals. He currently chairs the Oregon Supreme Court Council on Inclusion and Fairness, sits on Oregon’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative Grant Review Committee, and is an adjunct professor at both Willamette University College of Law and Lewis and Clark Law School, where he teaches evidence. He volunteers with Classroom Law Project as a high school mock trial coach. Justice James is a frequent presenter on issues of digital privacy, search and seizure, and constitutional law.

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Justice Masih is the only Supreme Court appointee without prior justice experience. She worked for over 25 years in a variety of areas of civil law, including civil rights, employment, labor, professional licensure, contract, pension, elections, and constitutional law. She was a partner in the law firm of Bennett Hartman, LLP and served as an associate in the law firm of McKanna Bishop Joffe, LLP. Her work included appearances in state and federal courts, and before the legislature and administrative agencies. Masih serves on the Board of Directors of the Oregon Women Lawyers Foundation and is the founding member of the South Asian Bar Association of Oregon. She also coaches the McDaniel High School Constitution Team, and previously chaired the Oregon State Bar’s Labor and Employment Section and Advisory Committee for Diversity and Inclusion and received the Multnomah Bar Association’s inaugural Diversity Award in 2017.

Voters often have no choice in electing judges because they're routinely appointed by the governor and then run for election uncontested. Generally speaking, incumbents are reelected in Oregon. Many believe it is a contributing factor to when judges resign or retire deliberately creating the opportunity for a Governor appointee.

It’s really important that voters recognize how significant it is when there is a competitive race. A county judge can have a significant effect on individual cases, and an appellate court judge can have a significant effect on the law for years to come. Judges have some of the longest terms of any of the elected offices in the state. So it’s important voters do something more than just trusting your gut, or voting for the most appealing name. Voters can find candidate information at Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Project.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-09-22 12:30:23

Last Update: 2023-09-22 17:01:46

In a reverse turn of events, Governor Tina Kotek finds her agenda on the wrong side of her party. The Governor requested HB 3414, requiring local governments to approve certain adjustments to land use regulations for housing development within urban growth boundary. The bill was like a hot potatoe bouncing from committee to committee in the House ending up in Ways and Means where it was appropriated $10 million towards the $16.3 million needed, going straight through a work session forgoing a public hearing, then passing the House floor. In their rush, the Senate neglected to hold a public hearing and went straight to the floor where it failed.

In anticipation of a cooperative legislature, Governor Kotek issued Executive Order 23-04 on January 10, 2023, which outlined her plans to increase housing and established the Governor’s Housing Production Advisory Council. The Council was instructed to provide a framework April 1 from findings for policy changes and investments to meet the governor’s targets. Final report is due no later than December 31, 2023.

Considering the setback from HB 3414 failure, the Council identified many barriers that would lead to Oregon building fewer homes than needed to keep pace with growth, leading to higher rent and mortgage costs and more homelessness. They recommended cities expand their growth boundary once every ten years without going through the expansion process. Even if the Governor found a way to by-pass the legislature, the Council reported there aren’t enough construction workers to build the needed homes, cumbersome permit requirements make projects take longer and cost more and the state doesn’t have enough land ready for homebuilding.

Senator Findley and Representative Owen co-sponsored SB 70, which passed allowing Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Region to modify requirements for residential rezoning of lands.

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Bend seems to have found enough land using the 2021 law that allowed Bend to take in a 260-acre expansion as a model for statewide policies.

"Housing supply, not land supply, is at the crux of Metro’s housing crisis," said Metro's Legislative Affairs Manager Anneliese Koehler in testimony before the House Committee on Rules last summer.

There seems to be a cross-over between homeless and affordable housing that some see as the Governor flipping back and forth to manipulate her agenda.

The Council continues to meet twice-a-month by virtual webinar. Next meeting is September 29, 2023, at 1:30pm. Interested persons can register for upcoming meetings or view recordings.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-09-21 12:05:59

Last Update: 2023-09-21 02:21:38

State auditors found millions of dollars in questioned costs and serious control weaknesses at a number of programs receiving federal funds, according to a report released by the Oregon Secretary of State's Audits Division.

Every year, the division conducts two major financial audits: the 285 page Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and Statewide Single Audit. Auditors also draft and release a report summarizing both of these audits. The summary report for fiscal year 2022, called Keeping Oregon Accountable, has now been released.

The federal government requires audits of the state’s financial statements and compliance with federal program requirements for Oregon to continue receiving federal assistance. In the past, this funding has usually ranged from $11 to $12 billion each year. Since the pandemic, federal funding has ballooned — in fiscal year 2022, Oregon received $21 billion in federal aid.

“Our financial audits are a critical part of keeping Oregon government accountable to its people,” said Audits Director Kip Memmott. “This year’s statewide audits found some significant issues that we think are important to bring to the attention of Oregonians, the Governor, and the Legislature.”

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According to the Secretary of State's office, the audits are noteworthy for two reasons: more questioned costs, and far more modified opinions.

Questioned costs has a very specific meaning for auditors. It’s a term required by the federal Office of Management and Budget; when auditors question costs, they are referring to program costs that may or may not be allowed to be paid with federal funds.

“It serves as a flag for federal funding agencies to review the findings and then decide whether the costs are allowable,” said Tracey Gates, a principal auditor with the division.

In fiscal year 2021, auditors identified $10 million in questioned costs. For fiscal year 2022, questioned costs increased by more than $20 million, totaling $35.2 million at 10 programs in five agencies. Of that amount, $9.1 million were directly identifiable costs, while the remainder were likely errors, based on sample testing.

And then there are the modified opinions, several of which were issued in this year’s audits. “When an audit shows controls are sufficient and the program is generally in compliance with federal requirements, we issue what’s called an unmodified, or clean, opinion,” Gates said. “An unmodified opinion is a good thing. But if we have concerns about the quality of internal controls, we have to issue modified opinions.”

An adverse opinion was issued for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program at Oregon Housing and Community Services under the direction of Andrea Bell, meaning control weaknesses were pervasive enough that the controls would not prevent, or even detect, significant noncompliance.

Additionally, a disclaimer of opinion was issued for the Emergency Solutions Grant Program, also at OHCS. A disclaimer of opinion means there was not sufficient, appropriate evidence for auditors to even issue an opinion on program compliance.

Qualified opinions are less severe but indicate that internal controls are still inadequate to prevent or detect significant noncompliance. Auditors issued qualified opinions for five programs at three agencies: OHCS, DHS, and the Oregon Health Authority. Two of these programs -- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program -- have been issued qualified opinions for several years now.

What will happen as a result of these opinions?

“It’s up to the federal granting agencies,” Gates said. “They are responsible for following up on our findings and only they have the authority to enforce grant requirements. This could include sanctions or a change in future funding, but it could also result in a clarifying change to the requirements.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2023-09-20 11:57:55

Last Update: 2023-09-20 15:45:07

The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) and Oregon State University are working collaboratively to transform the Elliott State Forest into a publicly owned state research forest. The Elliott State Research Forest is poised to be the nation’s largest research forest at 91,000 acres – a place where scientists and managers work with Tribal partners to explore forestry’s role in addressing climate change impacts, restoring habitat and endangered species, and advancing responsible active management including timber and other forest products.

The State Land Board's vision for the Elliott is a public forest that has completed its obligation to funding schools, but will continue to contribute to conservation, recreation, education, local economies, and more as a research forest.

The Oregon Legislature in 2022 passed SB 1546, which established an independent public agency to oversee the forest, decoupling the forest from Oregon’s Common School Fund and prospectively appointing the first board of directors for the Elliott State Research Forest Authority, the new public agency that will be established in 2024 to oversee the research forest in collaboration with OSU.

The agency sets expectations for public accountability and transparency, and locks in the Elliott’s ongoing contributions to conservation, economic growth, recreation, education, and forest research. SB 161 passed in 2023 to updated the deadlines to 2024.

OSU continues to refine its draft of the Elliott State Research Forest Management Plan based on input from the Elliott State Research Forest Authority prospective board, government-to-government relationships with local Tribes, public input, and updates to the Habitat Conservation Plan.

The public can join an upcoming virtual listening session on September 21 from 6pm tp 7:30pm, to hear updates on the forest management planning process and learn more about the research design, followed by a forum to share input. Zoom links to join the listening sessions and more information about the forest management planning process can be found on the OSU College of Forestry website. September 22 the prospective board will hold a zoom meeting, 10am to 3pm, and meeting materials can be found here.

The prospective boards are completing final steps to create the research forest, including submission of a habitat conservation plan (HCP) to federal agencies, approval of a forest management plan, and approval of participation by OSU’s Board of Trustees. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently concluded a public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement for the draft Elliott State Research Forest HCP. The plan balances forest research and management activities with the conservation of rare species and their habitat in the Elliott State Forest.

The purpose of an HCP is to establish clear boundaries for management and harvest on the forest in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and to ensure conservation of at-risk species such as salmon, spotted owls, and marbled murrelet.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Operation headquarters for the Elliot State Research Forest will be based at the former site of Shutter Creek Correctional Institution. The 49-acre proposed headquarters site will include laboratory, classroom, dormitory and office spaces and may also house potential partnerships with local and Tribal entities.

“The Elliott is about to begin a new chapter as a world-class research forest, which created this opportunity for Shutter Creek to have a new beginning as well,” said DSL Director Vicki L. Walker. “I’m excited Shutter Creek will continue to contribute to the local area and economy through its connection to the nation’s largest research forest, right here on Oregon’s South Coast.”

Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Ron Wyden secured $4 million for site renovations and rehabilitation in Congress’s fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations package. The site is a former federal property previously deeded to Oregon Department of Corrections by the U.S. General Services Administration at no cost for correctional uses through the federal Public Benefits Conveyance Program (PCB). The State identified another qualifying PCB use for the property requesting a PCB program change of use from corrections to wildlife conservation.

Shutter Creek is within the traditional lands of the hanis (Coos) people. The Elliott State Research Forest is within the traditional lands of the hanis (Coos) and quuiich (Lower Umpqua) peoples. Descendants of the hanis and quuiich peoples are enrolled in the federally recognized sovereign nations of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.

Walker noted there is also potential for additional future partnerships on the site recognizing the history and future opportunity associated with this site.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-09-20 03:00:21

Last Update: 2023-09-20 01:33:23