Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently asked for public comments on rules for the Climate Protection Program (CPP). In December 2023, the Oregon Court of Appeals invalidated CPP for not complying with notice requirements. The new rules will:

• Reestablish a program to set limits on greenhouse gas emissions from significant sources in Oregon including large stationary sources, transportation fuels, and other liquid and gaseous fuels.
• Set an enforceable and declining limit, or cap, on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels used in Oregon, including diesel, gasoline, natural gas, and propane beginning in 2025.
• Prioritize equity by promoting benefits and alleviating burdens for environmental justice communities.
• Reestablish a climate program with comparable scope and emissions reduction ambitions as the previously adopted Climate Protection Program.

Oregon’s intense policy mandates based on human caused climate change has caused energy bills to sky rocket, and the elimination of fossil fuels is impacting transportation and costs of produce. Now, an inconvenient truth, a new study vindicates the human desire to be effective, efficient and economically minimal that challenges the theory that human emissions are the primary driver of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration.

It turns out that fossil fuel emissions have a negligible impact on atmospheric CO2 levels, especially when compared to natural phenomenon like natural fluctuations in sea surface temperatures according to research, published in the Science of Climate Change. The research shows that sea surface temperatures (SST) dictate atmospheric CO2 levels. This research calls into question every climate change agenda proposed by global governments and institutions.

Dao Ato, an independent researcher, Osaka, Japan, released his study comparing the impacts of sea surface temperature and human emissions on atmospheric CO2 concentrations derived from NASA and the UK-HADLEY Centre datasets, which has the most accurate predictors of CO2. The analysis spanned from 1959 to 2022 and employed multiple linear regression techniques to evaluate the influence of sea surface temperature and human CO2 emissions on the annual increase in atmospheric CO2. He built his research upon three other studies that established fossil fuel emissions had no impact on CO2 levels so much so that a 2009 study produced such a negligible impact on atmospheric CO2 that it was excluded having no impact on the planet.

The study conclusion reads:

The global SST has been the main determinant of annual increases in atmospheric CO? concentrations since 1959. No human impact was observed. This result indicates that human efforts to curb CO? emissions have been, at least in the past, meaningless. Moreover, the theory that modern global warming and climate change are caused by human-emitted CO? is also wrong, irrelevantly to the credibility of the story that modern warming and climate change are occurring more dramatically than those in the past.

Ato’s study also found that human methane emissions, despite rising dramatically in recent decades, have not contributed to rising methane concentrations in the atmosphere through the 21st century.

The study’s findings suggest that natural variations in sea surface temperature, rather than human activities, are the dominant factor influencing fluctuations in atmospheric CO2. This study challenges the prevailing narrative that human emissions are the primary driver of climate change, and should call into question all global government narratives surrounding the climate change agenda.

Oregon has been on its own planet for more than a decade, not stopping to do due diligence or research best practices. As early as 2009 a whistleblower leaked thousands of emails between scientists in high-ranking positions in the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These emails document their “unethical attempts to suppress contrary opinions and publications from climate skeptics.” He submits that climate change is a political hoax with no true basis in real science/data.

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

There are many Al Gore types that are calling these studies a hoax, but cannot disprove them. They have gone to great effort to tie CO2 levels to temperature changes and human activity and those ties are becoming weak. Now that fossil fuels aren’t increasing in the atmosphere as predicted, government is doing other activities to keep the pretense going. Most notably is adding to wildfires by increasing prescribed burns, and building windmill farms at sea to disrupt surface temperatures to increase CO2 levels inland.

Historically, climate changes in cycles, always has and always will. When government lacks due diligence with an independent scientific study, how much suppression and tyrannical control can a democratic republic tolerate?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-09-29 02:51:39

Last Update: 2024-09-29 10:56:52

Oregon measure 118 is far from being transparent and simple as they claim. The eye catcher is the $1,600 yearly income, which would be $6,400 for a family of four. There are very few restrictions on who would receive this windfall and will go to prisoner, drug addicts, undocumented residents, cartel traffickers, and anyone else living in Oregon. Under Measure 118, the current minimum corporation tax is replaced with a 3 percent gross receipts tax. It is being sold as a classic tax on big business, but it functions like an aggressive sales tax on consumers.

So where does all this money come from? They say big corporations need to spread their wealth back to residents of Oregon. And where do big corporations get their profits – from us, you and me. That family of four will pay approximately 12 percent more for purchases like groceries, clothes, entertainment devices, utilities, and general goods. They will also pay income tax on the added funds if they make over $40,000. Redistribution of wealth is the backbone of a socialist government, which has a history of failing. Is that where Oregon is headed?

The Tax Foundation says this scheme is a hidden sales tax, which voters have rejected 10 times. They calculate that a modest corporation of $50 million in Oregon sales would generally owe taxes of $294,000 on average profit margins of 6.6 to 7.6 percent. Under measure 118, paying 3 percent on gross receipt, they would pay $1.5 million, which is 37.5 percent on profits. You might say they can afford it, but that isn’t the whole picture. Unfortunately, this sales tax isn’t just imposed at the retail level. It’s also imposed on the same product at the wholesale level, and at each stage of the manufacturing process. The tax is embedded at every level of production. That creates what is called tax pyramiding, where the final price to consumers has embedded added tax costs so that each level of production is taxed on the higher added taxed price, effectively the consumer is taxed multiple times on the same item amounting to an approximate 10.9 percent sales tax.

The proposed tax is also regressive, since the highest effective rates are on consumer goods (where profit margins are often slim) and the lowest effective rates are in areas like information services, where profit margins are often larger. Typically, there are far more stages of production for retail goods than for services. Groceries, which have notoriously low margins, would be hit particularly hard. The Tax Foundation charted effective rates at a single stage of production for several different industry sectors, not even taking into account how many times the tax would pyramid for the goods and services provided by these industries.

If Oregon were to see the same levels of pyramiding as Washington State has documented, consumers could expect to see about a 12 percent price increase. It may not show up on the receipt, but a 12 percent sales tax would impact Oregon’s livability negatively. According to “Rich States, Poor States” (2024 edition), Oregon is currently ranked 42nd out of 50 states in terms of its economic outlook. This forward-looking forecast is based on the state’s standing in 15 important policy variables. A WalletHub report (August 2024) ranked Oregon among the top 10 worst states to live in, citing factors such as high cost of living, housing affordability, restaurants per capita, and job opportunities, which would all be hit harder by measure 118.

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

The pyramiding of taxes creates incentives for businesses to do as much of their production as possible outside Oregon borders, which is bad for Oregon’s economy. In 2023, Portland was fifth highest for large cities and Grants Pass was ranked 13th highest in the nation for unemployment. Increasing unemployment would put pressure on the legislature to increase the 3 percent tax, which could be done by a simple majority once the funding source (tax) is passed as law.

Will outside influencers be successful in deceiving Oregon voters that are so aversive to a sales tax?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-09-24 12:19:42

Last Update: 2024-09-23 23:40:31

Oregpn 4th District Republican candidate Monique DeSpain condemned Val Hoyle’s vote against H.R. 7909 Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which would make non-U.S. nationals (alien under federal law) who admit to or are convicted of domestic violence crimes and sex offenses, including conspiracy to commit a sex offense, inadmissible for entry and deportable.

“This past Thursday, Val Hoyle voted against the bipartisan Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act H.R. 7909, which would make it easier for law enforcement to deport illegal aliens who assault or rape women,” stated DeSpain. “Hoyle pretends she stands up for women’s rights, but when it comes to deporting illegal aliens who assault women, she stands with the rapists and abusers. Hoyle is nothing but a thoughtless administration rubber stamp who won’t even stand with Democrats who want border security and a safe country for their constituents.”

Hoyle rejects all bipartisan attempts to achieve national security. In early 2023, Hoyle voted against H.R. 2 Secure The Border Act, which would have:

• Restarted building the border wall
• Ended Biden catch and release policy
• Reinstituted the Remain in Mexico policy
• Deployed technology to the southern and northern border
• Increased the number of Border Patrol agents
• Strengthened the asylum process
• Reimbursed states for costs incurred while securing the border.

Earlier this year, Val Hoyle went to El Paso, TX, and praised open borders while lecturing her constituents who asked her, “Why don’t you just shut down the border?” explaining that “We need to have movement through the border and how much we need the workforce.” Seven weeks later, Texas National Guard Troops at an El Paso, Texas checkpoint were overrun and assaulted by foreign military-aged males forcing their way into our country.

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

As a result of the Biden Harris open border policies that Hoyle supports, lawmakers have fought to protect Americans by passing the following bills in Congress, all of which Hoyle voted against:

• H.R. 7511 Laken Riley Act requiring ICE to detain illegal migrants who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.
• H.R.7343 Detain and Deport Illegal Aliens Who Assault Cops Act requiring ICE to detain any illegal aliens who assault a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.
• HR 5283 Protecting our Communities from Failure to Secure the Border Act barring the housing of illegal immigrants in national parks, forests, and public lands
• H.R. 1371 Strongly condemning the Biden Administration and its Border Czar, Kamala Harris’s, failure to secure the United States border
• H.Res. 957 Resolution Denouncing Biden Border Crisis
• H. Res. 863 Impeaching Biden Secretary of Open Borders Alejandro Mayorkas for his role in causing this crisis and providing false testimony to Congress about it.
• H.R. 8580 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act included a provision that would H.Amdt.958 that would prohibit the use of funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs to process medical claims for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Health Service Corps, originally proposed under H.R.6744 - No VA Resources for Illegal Aliens Act.
• H.R. 8281 Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act requiring individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote in federal elections.
• H. R. 7109 Equal Representation Act to count and exclude the massive influx of millions and millions of illegal migrants during the Biden Administration in the next U.S. Census from Congressional Reapportionment.

“Val’s appalling support for the current administration’s disastrous open border and the devastating ramifications we all feel has led directly to unlimited illegal immigration, human smuggling, fentanyl trafficking, overwhelmed communities and law enforcement, and terrorist infiltration,” said DeSpain. “Representative Hoyle supports the interests of criminal illegal immigrants over law-abiding immigrants and other people severely impacted by crime every chance she gets by casting votes no reasonable person in the 4th District would approve. Voters, especially female assault victims, deserve a representative in Washington, D.C., who puts them first. I will.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-09-23 16:43:03

Last Update: 2024-09-23 17:01:34

Governor Tina Kotek has directed Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services to take additional proactive steps to protect the integrity of Oregon’s Motor Voter program. Her new directive follows an already-resolved data processing error in a set of records transmitted to the Oregon Secretary of State.

“The integrity of election systems is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy, and any error that can undermine our voting system must be taken seriously and addressed immediately,” Governor Kotek said. “Following round-the-clock corrective action on the part of Oregon DMV to address the known errors and ensure they will not impact the 2024 general election, I am now directing the agency to go above and beyond to ensure errors like this will not happen again.”

In a press release, Governor Kotek says that she has directed Oregon DMV to:

• Provide updated training immediately to all relevant staff on the full set of corrective actions in response to the errors.
• Undertake and complete a comprehensive After Action Report within 14 days to determine how the errors occurred, document the corrective actions taken, and provide an explanation of why the errors will not occur again.
• Initiate a full-scale data integrity review overseen by a panel of external data experts to produce preliminary recommendations for improved data management by the end of 2024. The recommendations must include staff training improvements to ensure staff have every available resource to succeed.
• Establish a data quality control calendar in coordination with the Oregon Secretary of State to ensure due diligence ahead of elections.

In response to Governor Kotek's press release regarding the Oregon DMV's automatic voter registration system errors which led to 1,259 non-citizens being wrongfully placed on voter rolls, Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) issued the following statement:

“While I appreciate Governor Kotek’s directive to the DMV to take proactive steps to avoid further errors with the state’s motor voter program, it’s not enough. The only reason we know about the DMV registering 1,259 non-citizens to vote is because a national think tank started asking questions. This tells me that there’s probably much larger, systematic issues at play. For Governor Kotek to suggest that this is the only necessary action to clean up our voter rolls suggests that she’s more focused on managing appearances than solving real problems.”

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

Leader Bonham emphasized that Governor Kotek still needs to direct the Secretary of State to audit all voter registrations to ensure that Oregon's voter rolls are accurate.

House Republicans also reiterated their call today for a public briefing on non-citizen voter registrations as the number of reported non-citizen registrations increased by over 400% over what was initially reported. Despite requesting the briefing multiple times, as of this release, House Republicans have not received a formal update on steps being taken to address this issue.

“A press announcement is no substitute for an open and public hearing,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River). “Oregonians deserve full transparency about how this happened. We must have a public hearing.”

“It is disappointing that we are all here in Salem this week to do our jobs, but we have no Legislative Rules Committee scheduled to hear from the Secretary of State’s office on this issue,” said Rep. Anna Scharf (R-Amity). “I have personally read in the papers conflicting reports of how this problem was even detected. We need clear answers from the Secretary of State on what the current plan of action is moving forward so that this never happens again.”

House Republicans will introduce legislation to safeguard our elections in the 2025 session.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-09-23 16:16:28

Last Update: 2024-09-23 16:43:03

Oregon Representative Court Boice (R-Curry) reports on his recent visit to the Arizona border and observed first-hand the ongoing chaos and sheer evil that continues to invade our country. “What I saw was shocking! Much of that destruction has brought havoc to Oregon as no state and no community is isolated from the last four-year consequences of horribly failed policies. American Citizens know and many are experiencing those negative and destructive impacts.”

The number of Illegal Immigrants in Oregon is growing. Of the estimated 11.4 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States, the estimated number living in Oregon in 2010 was 170,000 according to the 2017 Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) report. The FAIR report estimated that Oregon’s state and local governments spent $1.08 billion on services for individuals residing in the country illegally, and taxpayers funded $1 billion.

In 2018, the American Immigration Council indicated 239,261 were undocumented immigrants in Oregon. The top countries of origin were Mexico (36 percent of immigrants), Vietnam (6 percent), China (5 percent), India (5 percent), and the Philippines (4 percent). Approximately 186,460 people in Oregon, including 89,520 U.S. citizens, lived with at least one undocumented family member between 2010 and 2014.

Oregon has a sizeable community of immigrants, many coming from Mexico. One out of every ten Oregon residents is foreign-born, while one in nine residents is a native-born American who has at least one immigrant parent. More than two-fifths of Oregon’s farmers, fishers, and foresters are immigrants, as are over one-fifth of all production employees. Overall, Oregon’s immigrant population has become more diverse, with a growing Latino and Asian population. The population remains relatively young, with a high proportion of working-age individuals.

Because of the clandestine nature of the undocumented immigrant population, sources vary in their estimations based on how they draw their conclusions. Based on increasing naturalization rates, the increased presence of the undocumented is a given. According to the Census Bureau’s data, between 2010 and 2022, approximately 201,669 foreign-born individuals in Oregon became naturalized U.S. citizens with 28.4% naturalized since 2015.

Rep. Boice points out the obvious of mismanaging the increasing number of immigrants: “What we see today is a travesty in law breaking immigration. Perhaps as many as 16 million illegal aliens from all across the Third World have been enabled by the Biden-Harris administration to enter the United States of America. Tens of thousands find their way to our pristine regions with nothing in their pockets but problems that the American Taxpayers simply cannot afford to subsidize. The drain on our benevolence is profound.

“Most now come to America not to embrace opportunity but many come to commit horrific crimes; murder, rape, and human trafficking. All have been exploded as they push a bottomless surge of newcomers here, tragically with their hands out. Our environment, our economy, our law enforcement, our medical and educational systems are all under tremendous pressure as we witness this cruel enablement, even encouraged invasion. If we fail to correct, we can say goodbye to our special American memories of yesteryear. That's why we must unite, stand against and repel this onslaught.

“I and everyone I know supports legal immigration and always has. Legal entry is the lifeblood of our heritage. However, we must adhere to the rule of law and critical order! We need responsible, vibrant, and vetted immigration with those that want to respect and embrace our history and beliefs.”

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

Senator Tim Knopp (R-Bend) and Representative Vikki Breese-Iverson (R-Prineville) wrote a memo to Republican colleagues that Oregon has been “significantly impacted” by a surge of illegal entries at the nation’s southern border, “particularly through the influx of fentanyl and other illicit drugs…”

They plan to introduce legislation in the 2025 session that will roll back the so-called Sanctuary Promise Act. The Act passed in 2021 by Democrats to make it easier for local law enforcement agencies and other Oregon public officials to collaborate with federal authorities to enforce immigration law. But, by strengthening Oregon’s decades-old sanctuary protections, it created explicit prohibitions on local officials prohibing them from aiding federal immigration authorities. It gave illegals a pass to commit crimes, and if caught, they were allowed to escape from federal enforcement.

The fentanyl crisis has exposed the Sanctuary Promise Act for harboring criminal activity. The new recriminalization law, HB 4002, gives Oregon some hope that law enforcement will again pursue justice and reduce the undesired criminals out of the undocumented illegals entering the state.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-09-21 12:23:15

Last Update: 2024-09-21 00:41:00

Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) has called on Governor Tina Kotek in a letter to address urgent problems with Oregon’s voter registration system. Reports have revealed that the Oregon DMV registered over 300 non-citizens to vote, raising serious concerns about the accuracy of the state's voter rolls.

“Two weeks ago, we learned that non-citizens were getting $30,000 taxpayer-funded down payments for houses. Now, we’re finding out they’re being registered to vote, too,” Leader Bonham said. “Governor Kotek needs to make sure Secretary LaVonne Griffin-Valade gets on top of this and cleans up the voter rolls fast. Oregonians need to be sure the system is fair and accurate, especially with such an important election coming up.”

Leader Bonham also pointed to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent Executive Order 35, which prioritizes accurate voter rolls and addresses potential errors. “We need to follow Youngkin’s lead and get serious about fixing our system.”

Additionally, Leader Bonham is demanding that Governor Kotek ensure the Oregon Department of Transportation fixes the DMV’s process problems that led to these registration errors. “It’s important that ODOT reviews and enhances their procedures to prevent these kinds of errors in the future. Our elections need to be secure, and we can’t afford any more mistakes.”

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

House Republican Leader and Rules Committee Vice Chair Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) asked House Democrat Leader and Rules Committee Chair Ben Bowman (D-Tigard) to call a meeting of the House Rules Committee to receive a briefing from the Secretary of State and the director of the Oregon Department of Transportation on what is being done to catch and purge noncitizens from Oregon’s voter rolls.

“Only American citizens should vote in American elections, yet noncitizens have been discovered on Oregon’s voter rolls. Oregonians have a right to full transparency from the state as to the extent of the problem and what is being done to fix it before ballots go out next month. The legislature gathers next week; this provides an ideal opportunity for state officials to update the legislature on the steps being taken to ensure that Oregon’s elections are secure,” said Helfrich.

As of this time, the legislature has not received a formal update or notice of intent to provide an update from the secretary, nor has the House Republican Caucus received a response to its request for a hearing.

In response to a report that directly contradicted official statements about how Oregon detected non-citizens on their voter rolls, House Republicans also renewed their call for a public briefing on Oregon’s election integrity efforts.

“State election officials led us to believe they caught the problem through regular internal processes. That is not true,” said House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River). “Learning about this through the press is unacceptable. We need a public hearing as soon as possible so the Secretary of State and Department of Motor Vehicles can tell us directly what happened, why, and what is being done to fix it.”


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-09-20 13:23:36

Last Update: 2024-09-21 00:40:21

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) awarded Portland, Oregon, the league’s 15th franchise, which will begin play in 2026. The Portland team will be owned and operated by RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. Portland is the third expansion franchise awarded by the WNBA during this round of expansion, following the Golden State Valkyries and a Toronto franchise, bringing the league from 12 to 15.

Oregon’s franchise will play at the Moda Center, where Oregon Senator Ron Wyden made the announcement. Wyden inspired fans saying he has been in contact with Sabrina Ionescu, who will be a free agent in 2026. She played college basketball at the University of Oregon and became a local icon earning multiple player of the year awards. Ionescu has pushed for an Oregon franchise where she continues to have a fan base.

Governor Tina Kotek hails women’s sports in Oregon. “The decision to choose Portland for the next WNBA team is just as much a recognition of our past as it is about faith in our future. Portland has an unequivocal love of women’s sports. The National Women’s Soccer League made a smart bet on Portland twelve years ago with the Portland Thorns, now an unmatched cultural hallmark. The Rose City Rollers are among the founding members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, and later this year their national championship will take place in Portland’s own Veterans Memorial Coliseum. And you can watch it all from The Sports Bra, the nation’s first-ever sports bar dedicated to supporting and showing women’s sports.

“You can tell a lot about a community by where people find joy, and Portland just can’t help but break the mold. The next WNBA team is a great fit. Portland is back on the rise, and Oregon is aiming high with Portland. I look forward to seeing you at the first tip off.”

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

Signing Sabrina Ionescu to Portland would give the franchise a starting boost. While sports news has Ionescu going toe-to-toe with Stephen Curry at the NBA All-Star weekend, she wouldn’t just be bringing attention to the new Portland franchise, but her launch of Sabrina 2 Nikes could help with a much-needed boost to Oregon’s Nike business.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-09-20 12:19:48

Last Update: 2024-09-19 19:44:09

The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) followed Governor Tina Kotek’s lead by updating groundwater rules after Kotek declared a drought emergency. Kotek first declared a drought emergency in Jefferson County in June, her first use of her emergency authority for drought. She recently extended the emergency to Lake County.

The Basin Outlook Reports show these two counties to be on the low end with Lake County’s two reservoirs being at 41% capacity compared to 29% a year ago at this time. Jackson County Willow Creek reservoir was at 64% capacity when the emergency drought was declared in June, and is now at 37% capacity compared to last year it was at 27%. Overall, Oregon basin index is at 61% of capacity compared to a year ago it was at 53%, with a current median capacity of 97% compared to 91% a year ago. The underlying question is why did it take over a year to recognize this need.

After decades of groundwater declines, OWRD is responding to limit further depleting groundwater resources. OWRD has adopted what they consider science-based rules for issuing new water rights. They have used a forward-looking approach that considers the needs of future generations. OWRD is committed to safeguarding existing surface water and groundwater users and the livelihoods they support, while managing groundwater resources more sustainably.

The updated rules detail how OWRD determines if water is available to support new groundwater rights. The rule changes are not intended to impact groundwater applications in the agency queue at the time the new rules become effective. The new rules also do not affect exempt groundwater uses, existing water rights, or water rights transfers.

The updated rules clarify, and update key terminology used for decision-making when issuing new groundwater rights. Under the updated rules, water is considered available if the groundwater levels are reasonably stable, the proposed groundwater pumping does not further deplete an already over-appropriated surface water source, and the aquifer can produce the water at the full amount requested. If the Department is not able to make site-specific determinations based on existing data, a finding will be made that no water is available for the requested use and the application will be denied. In practice, this means overall fewer new water right applications will be granted. There are some underlying messages in how to accomplish using less water while growing Oregon’s population. Future water uses will likely require alternative pathways such as water sharing and designing for water reuse and reclamation that walkable communities offer. Recently, New Spirit Village opened in Medford modeling a walkable community.

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

In 2015 a campaign was started to raise $30 billion to bring a proposed interstate undersea water pipeline from the mouth of the Columbia River on the Oregon–Washington border to California. Should Oregon support our neighbors when our water levels are depleting?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture shows Oregon has 35,000 farms and ranches with 15.2 million acres, mostly locally owned and operated, which the Oregon Farm Bureau estimates are directly and indirectly responsible for $50 billion in goods and services. Water is the lifeblood of these operations and demands eighty-five percent of our state’s supply. For comparison, municipal and industrial sectors (combined) consist of a mere fourteen percent of the water demand. Over the next thirty-four years, this ratio will remain essentially the same, according to OWRD.

OWRD has identified a complicating factor in Oregon’s trend is temperature. By 2050, the OWRD projects an average increase of eight degrees. However, this year’s weather pattern started out colder than normal, which seems to be reflected in the increased water levels.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-09-17 09:11:20

Last Update: 2024-09-17 00:55:56

Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade has ordered updates to 0.01% of voter registrations today after the DMV determined in an internal audit that they sent a small number of inaccurate customer records to the Elections Division.

The Secretary of State’s Office was made aware of the issue late on September 12 and acted within 24 hours. Residents impacted by this issue were noncitizens at the time they were erroneously registered. They will be notified by mail that they will not receive a ballot unless they demonstrate that they are eligible to vote.

Only 2 individuals in this universe have a voting history. Their citizenship status at the time they voted is unknown, according to the Secretary of State's office. The Secretary of State will do additional due diligence in these cases.

The error occurred at the DMV when staff entered information into their system. DMV customers are required to present an identity document when they request a new driver’s license or ID. The error occurred when DMV staff entered information about the type of identity document provided. One example is entering “U.S. Passport” when the document was actually a foreign passport. The other example would be entering “U.S. Birth Certificate” when the document was actually a foreign birth certificate. When such an error occurred, the customer’s information was then transmitted to the state’s voter registration system. No individual took action to register inappropriately.

The DMV’s initial review of the error shows that it impacted 0.01% of voter registrations in the state of Oregon. The DMV is working around the clock to ensure that any additional records with the error are identified and corrected. According to the Secretary of State's data, there are 3,025,132 registered voters in Oregon. 0.01% of that is about 303 persons

The Secretary of State's office issued a statement saying, "While this error is regrettable, the Secretary and the Elections Division stand by automatic voter registration and its many benefits. For the vast majority of eligible Oregonians who were registered through Oregon Motor Voter, this has increased access to our democracy. Oregon elections officials are firmly committed to ensuring eligible voters have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote."

“Safeguarding the integrity of our elections is my top priority,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “When my office was made aware of this error, we moved quickly to update the voter rolls. I am also personally calling on the DMV to take immediate action to improve its processes to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

“Automatic voter registration has been hugely beneficial for thousands of eligible Oregon voters to ensure access to our democracy,” said Secretary Griffin-Valade. “I’m confident the DMV is rectifying this error and improving their process, so it doesn’t happen again.”

Oregon House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich (R-Hood River) responded.

“Republicans warned over and over that Oregon’s election laws were too relaxed, and Democrats dismissed our concerns. Now, hundreds of noncitizens were found on Oregon’s voter rolls, and the state can’t say how many there are. This threat to election integrity is unacceptable. The Secretary of State must immediately inform the legislature as to the full extent of this problem and what is being done to fix it before ballots go out next month,” Helfrich said.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-09-13 23:27:33

Last Update: 2024-09-14 00:07:13

Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) is calling for urgent reform in how Oregon’s school performance report cards are presented. A recent report highlighted a significant lack of transparency in these report cards, making it difficult for parents to understand the true educational performance of their children.

The Oregon Department of Education is Directed by Charlene Williams, but Oregon's governor, Tina Kotek is the Superintendent of Public Instruction, according to the Oregon Constitution.

“Parents deserve clear, honest information about how schools are performing,” said Leader Bonham. “The current lack of transparency in our school performance report cards undermines their ability to make informed decisions about their children’s education. We need to ensure that these report cards provide a true and accurate picture of school performance so that all families can be empowered to support their children’s educational journey.”

The report, entitled State Secrets: How Transparent Are State School Report Cards About the Effects of COVID? was produced by CRPE. According to it's website, the Center on Reinventing Public Education is a research organization at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College where transformative ideas are rigorously examined and tested, and research informs action

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

Senator Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City), member of the Senate Education Committee, also weighed in on the issue. “Transparency in school performance reporting is crucial for accountability and improvement. Our goal should be to make sure that parents and communities have the information they need to advocate for better educational outcomes. It’s time for parents and local school boards to demand better reporting standards that truly reflect the quality of education our children are receiving.”

According to a recent release, Senate Republicans are committed to advocating for reforms that will enhance the transparency and reliability of school performance report cards, ensuring that every student in Oregon has access to a quality education.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-09-06 06:21:34

Last Update: 2024-09-05 16:44:11

How long will it take for Oregon voters to see that leadership has propped up the economy to save their jobs. The Revenue Forecast for September shows inflation is still above target levels but the insufficient growth indicates private industries continue to struggle to keep doors open, according to Josh Lehner, Economist.

Every employment increase was government or government related. The highest increase was in Health Services followed by State Government. Only Transportation Equipment in the private sector reported a 0.7 employment gain.

In Lehner's final report he attempts to be encouraging, “The labor market is expected to improve as well following the past year where slower hiring has led to a rising unemployment rate, despite layoffs remaining low. While imminent recession fears appear misplaced, the longer high interest rates remain, the probability of recession rises as economic growth slows… For now, the economic forecast remains essentially unchanged compared to recent outlooks.”

The forecast report is mostly laced with “potential” platitudes to cover the leadership’s agenda. The “data could be the first indication that Oregon’s patterns of growth have shifted out of the pandemic era lull, and back toward something more like the typical expansion. However, they could also be more noise than signal. Only time will tell.”

“Looking ahead to the 2025-27 biennium, available resources are revised lower by $66 million compared to the previous forecast. Increases in corporate, estate, and interest earnings are not enough to fully offset the larger personal kicker being paid out. That said, when looking at the state budget and the combined resources of 2023-25 and 2025-27 the General Fund forecast is raised $610 million.

Another indication that the private sector is not fairing as rosy as the forecast is that “consumption-based tax collections for the corporate activity tax, the lottery, and recreational marijuana in the current 2023-25 biennium are lowered at a combined $27 million (-0.5%) compared to the prior forecast, and lowered a similar $34 million (-0.6%) in the upcoming 2025-27 biennium.”

The forecast can be viewed as a “state of the government” address. It doesn’t speak for three-fourths of the state where wheat is being piled on the ground as there is no overseas market, stores are closing, shelves are thinning, and people moving. Since 2010, the population under age 19 dropped 22.882. Even though the ages for bearing children increased, Oregon’s policies on abortion and push towards transgender is impacting Oregon’s future prosperity.

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

Senator Brian Boquist (R-Independence, candidate for State Treasurer) stated that at the State Economist revenue forecast meeting, it was said that “20-25% was closer to the real inflation needed to balance state budgets. Oregon's budget is well over $100 billion. I see nobody who works for a living that can afford 25% more in taxes for state government to get another $25 billion. None. What about you?”

Boquist continues, “It is election season. Are you better off today than two or four years ago? Is your grocery bill lower? Is your power bill lower? Do you even have insurance anymore? Is your rent or mortgage lower today? Do you want to pay unrealized capital gains tax on your house? Can you afford to pay extra to the US Government for say corporate profits or Ukraine pensions or Israeli weapons? If you don’t want the status quo of five decades of decline in Oregon, then speak with your vote and encourage others to vote as well. It is a citizen’s duty if you want a free country.”

Lehner indicates a lot of what happens in Oregon is resting on what the federal government does. If that is true, Oregon is in for a shock if Donald Trump wins and Oregon is unprepared to brake ties to the federal IRS, which he has slated for elimination.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-09-05 20:23:28

Last Update: 2024-09-05 21:08:56

Members of the “Oregonians Against Wind Turbines” PAC have successfully convinced the commissioners of Coos and Curry County to put an advisory vote on the ballot for the upcoming November General Election. This marks the first time in the nation that a county has decided to seek voter opinion on a wind energy project in their area.

On August 06, 2024, the Coos County Board of Commissioners passed a measure to place an advisory question on the ballot, asking voters if they wanted the board to oppose the offshore wind energy project. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has established two call areas off the coast of southern Oregon available for lease.

The wind turbine advisory question on the November General Election ballot reads:

“Should County Commissioners work to oppose the installation of a 95 square mile, deep floating wind farm off our coast?”

A ‘YES’ vote means voters want Coos County Commissioners to work in opposition to the Offshore Wind Energy Project, while a ‘NO’ vote means voters do not want the Commissioners to oppose it.

In a significant turn of events, Coos County Commissioner John Sweet, who initially stated he would vote against placing an advisory question on the ballot, changed his mind after listening to passionate public comments. This decision was seen as a testament to the power of civic engagement.

The following day, on August 07, 2024, the Curry County Board of Commissioners passed a similar measure to put an advisory question on the November ballot.

The Curry County ballot question reads:

“Should offshore floating wind turbine development along the Curry County, Oregon coast be stopped?”

A ‘YES’ vote means voters want the wind turbine development to be stopped, while a ‘NO’ vote indicates support for the offshore wind turbine development.

Despite unanimous support from the Curry County Commissioners, the Chair of the Board highlighted concerns raised by Ryan Nelson, a political and legislative representative with Labors International Union of North America Local 737. According to Nelson, the county has no legal authority to ban an offshore wind project, as the areas under consideration are entirely within federal waters. This could lead to costly legal challenges should the measure be referred and passed by voters.

Economic Impact

The development and operation of offshore wind farms present significant challenges. The turbines, costing billions of dollars, will be constructed by foreign workers outside the USA. This could replace local permanent jobs with temporary construction jobs filled by workers from outside the area. U.S. taxpayers will bear the financial burden, with locals unable to use the energy generated by the turbines. Additionally, the higher costs associated with offshore floating turbines could result in increased energy prices, affecting low-income households and small businesses.

OAWT describes the impacts of offshore turbines.

Environmental Impacts

There are several environmental concerns associated with offshore floating wind turbines:

• Destruction of marine ecosystems
• Decline in populations of whales, porpoises, dolphins, and crabs
• Reduction in coastal biodiversity
• Negative changes in wind, wave, and atmospheric patterns
• Habitat destruction and disruption of the food chain
• Electromagnetic field effects from power cables
• Pollution of seawater, beaches, and the food chain from toxic materials
• Noise pollution
• Increased navigation risks
• Social & Cultural Impacts

Offshore wind farms could lead to significant disruptions in coastal communities:

• The fishing industry may suffer due to restricted access to fishing grounds and habitat disruption.
• The visual impact of turbines could harm tourism.
• Eminent domain could threaten public and private land, affecting social and cultural heritage.
• The towering structures will mar the natural beauty of coastal areas.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-09-05 12:44:24

Last Update: 2024-09-05 13:16:39