On December 19, 2024, Attorney General-elect Dan Rayfield announced the establishment of the Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet. He says it is designed to support the Attorney General-elect and his team’s work to defend and advance Oregon’s values and the rule of law. What he is really saying is he intends to continue Ellen Rosenbaum’s anti-Trump policies on steroids, and work in conjunction with the Secretary of State in pursuing censorship on local media.

Rayfield states, “The Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet will bring together legal, policy and community leaders to establish an innovative partnership between the Oregon Department of Justice and key communities in Oregon’s work to defend against potential federal impacts on the state and its people.”

A few of the "key communities" he wants to protect against President Trump's policies are sanctuary state defunding, the deportations of criminal illegals and drug cartels, homeless destructive activities, free abortions, DEI child abuse and CRT in a failing school system.

"In an era of uncertainty, we must be proactive in our outreach efforts and work to protect the interests and values of Oregonians," said Attorney General-elect Rayfield. "The leaders serving on the Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet create a critical nexus between what is happening on the ground in communities throughout our state and the work we are able to do at the Oregon Department of Justice to defend all Oregonians."

Attorney General-elect Rayfield will chair the cabinet and has appointed Dustin Buehler to direct the Federal Oversight and Accountability Cabinet and co-lead with Fay Stetz-Waters. Rayfield has appointed the following members:

• Joe Baessler, Executive Director, Oregon AFSCME
• Sandy Chung, Executive Director, ACLU of Oregon
• Prof. Greg Dotson, University of Oregon School of Law
• Julie Hanna, Associate Vice President of Government Affairs, OHSU
• Dr. Sara Kennedy, CEO, Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette
• Kyndall Mason, Executive Director, Basic Rights Oregon
• Isa Peña, Director of Strategy, Innovation Law Lab
• Jeremiah Rigsby, Chief of Staff, CareOregon
• Lindsey Scholten, Executive Director, Oregon League of Conservation Voters
• Graham Trainor, President, Oregon AFL-CIO
• Melissa Unger, Executive Director, SEIU 503
• Prof. Norman Williams, Willamette University College of Law

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“We stand ready to defend the rights and values of the people of Oregon,” said Sandy Chung, executive director of ACLU of Oregon. “We appreciate Attorney General-elect Rayfield’s partnership in these efforts, as well as his recognition that we are stronger together.”

“The who’s who of unions and donors sounds like January 6th except it is Democrats,” says Senator Brian Boquist. “Apparently, they do not want federal funding … so are they proposing secession? The U.S. Supreme Court is clear, the USG can block funding to states when they violate federal laws. In fact, Oregon is arguing over hundreds of millions right now … hence the special session a week ago.”

The special session passed funds to pay the feds portion of the wildfire expenses. It’s intended to be a loan waiting for federal funding, but will we ever see those funds, particularly after Rayfield has waged war against the Federal Government. Did Oregonians really vote for an Attorney General to go rogue committing violations of federal and state constitutions? Oregon’s AG filed opposition briefs in Chevron then lost. The AG’s understand the supremacy clause and therefore has no legal argument so why are they jeopardizing the receipt of billions in federal funds? This issue goes well beyond immigration.

The US Supreme Court decision affirms the federal government's right to deport undocumented immigrants regardless of local opposition. In addition, the Supreme Court decided earlier in favor of three cases of federal deportation policies reinforcing a strong approach to immigration enforcement. The question for Oregon citizens is Rayfield's justice following federal and state constitutional law?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-12-28 17:26:14

Last Update: 2024-12-30 13:16:01

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) released the following statement following the announcement that Governor Kotek and her team failed to secure essential federal investment in Oregon’s semiconductor industry prior to year-end, under the Biden administration:

“The criteria for CHIPS Act R&D site selection was not simply, ‘do you have dirt to build on?’ The fact that Oregon is likely to have missed out on nearly a billion dollars’ worth of investments and good-paying jobs means that competing states not only had available land, but they also had the ecosystem to support the investment long term. We did not.

“Oregon has earned a reputation as one of the most anti-business states in the nation. We have thrown more money at bike lanes than we have invested in tax credits for research and development. We have focused more on enabling drug use than investments in higher education. Our leaders continue to pursue fiscal policies that make Oregon unserious as a competitive economic powerhouse. This was made abundantly clear when we attempted to compete head to head with states who are serious about investment and growth. Our beautiful state is squandering its potential as business leaders and everyday Oregonians alike tell politicians that our state has become unaffordable and over-regulated – yet their concerns fall on deaf ears.

Drazan exposed the expected tension between the Kotek administration in Oregon and the incoming Trump administration,

“Governor Kotek’s oppositional approach to the incoming Trump administration makes it even more unlikely she will work with them in pursuit of a much-needed transformational investment in Oregon’s economy. This will hamstring Oregon for a generation as Kotek and her colleagues look for opportunities to spit and claw at the incoming administration rather than work with whoever is in the White House to serve the needs of all Oregonians.

“To take the first step in turning our state around, I am calling on Governor Kotek to issue a moratorium on new regulations and roll back existing regulations that are uniquely impacting affordability and investment in Oregon’s economy.”

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-12-27 23:53:56

Last Update: 2024-12-28 00:30:19

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 5801 passed in Special Session to allocate $218 million to the Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) for costs associated with the 2024 wildfire season. ODF will receive $191.5 million and OSFM will receive $26.6 million. But not without opposition.

Jennifer Hamaker, President of Oregon Natural Resources Industries, grew up in the family business of logging. She informed legislators on how ODF went broke, what it is that broke ODF, and the mismanagement and disinformation plaguing ODF:

"From the outside looking in it's hard to tell whether something is incompetence or fraud. Incompetence is accidental fraud. Fraud is intentional incompetence.

Regardless, the effects are often the same: a waste of resources and of taxpayer dollars. And, likewise the outcomes should also be the same: be it incompetence or fraudulent the people doing it should be removed from office.

The Oregon Department of Forestry was established in 1911 and, until now, to operate they generated their own revenue through timber harvest revenue. They have now literally defunded themselves.

Which is why they are here today asking for $218 million when net fire costs are $122 million.

Before I get to the mismanagement and incompetence that has led to the ODF begging for the money that it should be generating on its own, let's look at what has led to this disaster.

ODF recently adopted a Habitat Conservation Plan (or HCP) that closes down 57% of our state forests to timber harvest, for 70 years. You don't have to be a math wizard to know that if you owned a farm, shutting down 57% of your land for 70 years is more likely to result in bankruptcy rather than profitability. Your mortgage hasn't decreased. The payments on your tractors and other equipment and cars and trucks haven't decreased. Those are all the same. but taking 57% of your land offline means that you will very quickly need the government to come in and bail you out after you made the reckless decision to shut down the majority of your land where your revenue comes from.

ODF is operating as a rogue entity, no longer following our constitution or the laws of our state.

By implementing the Habitat Conservation Plan over a year before it was approved by the Board of Forestry, ODF staff bypassed their governing body’s authority and obligated future legislatures. Now we have staff writing state policy and for seven decades of legislatures will have to deal with this reckless and irresponsible decision that stripped the state, counties and ODF of future revenue long after all of us are gone. ODF staff wrote and implemented state policy with no vote from the people, no authority from the legislature, and against the Forest Trust Land County’s opposition. It's one thing to encumber the next generation with piles of debt, this strips them of the means to pay for the forest they are obligated to protect.

What is the message we are sending by giving ODF, this rogue bureaucracy, $100 million more than the fire costs?

I should also point out that ODF’s failure to include Greatest Permanent Value in their HCP, ODF’s failure to include the Forest Trust Land Advisory Council in their planning, scoping, and steering committees, ODF’s failure by side stepping Board approval, and ODF’s failure by obligating future legislatures all goes against Oregon statutes and Oregon law.

As a governing body, entrusted by the people of Oregon, do we support lawlessness and incompetence and hand them $100 million to continue doing whatever they want?

ODF is now insolvent, in large part because of the HCP that shuts down 57% of our state forests for 70 years and drastically reduces timber harvest volumes by at least 34%. Which is why they are here today asking for more money. They will be here again in future bienniums or special sessions asking for more when if they had just followed the law, included Forest Trust Land Counties and set their bias aside to economic impacts when creating the HCP, they would be bringing us money rather than demanding it from us.

Coming here today is an admission of complete failure. I sincerely hope it’s only incompetence.

And despite those failures, ODF is here asking for $218 million when what they ought to be asking for is forgiveness.

We know forests under ODF's watch have gone up in smoke. It turns out so does the money under their watch. According to submitted documents, net emergency fire costs are $122 million but ODF wants $218 million, and they’ve already received $47.5 million from the E-Board. The combined total is $265.5 million. When ODF receives reimbursement from the federal government, they will have received well over half a billion dollars. ($265.5M+47.5M+$152M+$186M=$651M)

To put this into perspective, according to an E-Board analysis, the 10-year annual average for gross fire cost is $69 million – meaning that the 2024 fire season cost almost 5 times more than the 10 year average.

That seems a tad excessive don't you think? As I say I hope it's only incompetence.

At the very least, a complaint should be filed with the Inspector General (IG) immediately against ODF’s leadership, State Forester Cal Mukumoto, Board of Forestry Chair Jim Kelly, and State Forest Division Chief Mike Wilson for all of the above. And do so before any additional money is given to them.

If you do not think there is already plenty to investigate before handing them more money, brace yourself. There’s more. Because before we even think about handing them any money let's look at the record.

Unmanaged forests allow fuels to accumulate, adding fire risk which is a lot of what we experienced during the Labor Day fires. Unmanaged forests have unintended consequences and indirect costs.

Since the Labor Day Fires are still fresh for most of us, let’s look at the impacts.

• Labor Day fires killed 9 Oregonians while burning through our rural communities of Gates, Detroit, Phoenix, Talent, Blue River, Vida, Mckenzie, and others.
• 1 million acres burned destroying 5,000+ homes and businesses.
• The Labor Day fires burned over 15 billionboard feet of lumber worth more than $30 billion of end-product value that could have built 1 million family homes.
• That staggering loss of timber will be felt for decades. The loss of timber will reduce future harvests by 115 to 265 million board feet per year over the next 40 years, and economic impact of $5.9 billion.
• The estimated $5.9 billion total net economic impact of the Labor Day fires is even more significant when compared to the $12.7 billion annual output of the Oregon forest sector – meaning the total negative impact is equal to 46% of the forest sector’s annual output.
• And that's just the cost of the timber. It will also cost Oregon’s forest industry sector 1,200 to 3,000 jobs over the next 40 years. Not including wage growth or inflation and assuming an average forest-sector wage of $68,200 for each one of those jobs, that is a net economic loss of $82million to $204.6 million per year. For a grand total loss between $3.3 billion to $68.2 billion over 40 years.
• And those are just some of the timber and economic impacts.. The governor and the ODF claim they are concerned about carbon emissions. The carbon released in just the first few weeks from the 1 million acres of burned timber was more than Oregon’s entire annual transportation and energy sectors combined, normally, Oregon’s largest sources of carbon emissions. Given that, Oregon doesn't need to drive fewer cars, we need to burn fewer trees.
• A single large-fire year can emit up to 15 million metric tons of carbon, which is equivalent to a quarter of Oregon’s annual human-caused emissions and twice as much carbon as all the vehicles in Portland emit each year.
• Out of the 1 million acres burned, only about half will be replanted. We need salvage harvesting to clean up our forests and trigger the law for reforestation. Salvage harvest can help offset firefighting costs.

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ODF should do the work it was created to do not write state policy with bias and blinders toward economic impacts. ODF should not be here asking for money to operate when its statute gives it the means to create their own revenue.

Under ODF's management the forests are costing us money rather than generating money. Through well-known forest-management practices, developed right here in Oregon and practiced for generations, Oregon experienced only 1 forest fire in excess of 10,000 acres between 1952-1987. Even as recently as 2011, we had only 11,000 acres burned instead of what has become the new norm of an average of 650,000 burned acres annually, lost to incompetence.

Heat, fuel and oxygen are the elements needed to make fire. We cannot control the oxygen or the heat, but we can absolutely control the fuel. And we should absolutely control ODF and deny any additional funding for operations until they are investigated. Otherwise it won't just be the forest going up in flames it will be the money we hand them.

ODF, the Board of Forestry and our State Forester has turned a $6 billion asset into a liability that is bankrupting ODF until the Legislature becomes their accomplice."


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-12-18 15:08:17

Last Update: 2024-12-19 18:09:43

In 2023, Jeff Myers, Save Oregon Schools, teamed up with Dr. Bruce Gilley, Professor of Political Science at Portland State University, to do a comprehensive review and fact-checking of the Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) research report on high-school graduation requirements, publishing two articles covering fraudulent research in ODE’s 2016 Chronic Absenteeism Statewide Plan and the 2021 Ethnic Studies Advisory Group Report.

They found a surprising disinterest among elected officials in harm to students. Meeting with Representative Courtney Neron, Chair of the House Education Committee, resulted in no action, which troubled Myers considering her background as an Oregon teacher for many years.

Myers said, “It shouldn’t take new legislation to ensure our state agencies produce and share factual research, but this glaring 'loophole' demands a solution. We also need to establish clear jurisdiction and a reliable process for reporting cases of fraud. Over the past 12 to 15 months, I’ve been repeatedly redirected, with every agency and office claiming it’s someone else’s responsibility to address these issues. This broken system needs repair, and it’s become evident that new legislation is the way forward.”

This week legislators held Legislative Days in preparation for the 2025 session. Meyers was focused on one critical issue: tackling the root cause of our struggling public education system—research fraud. What we’re being told the problems are is a conflict between the narrative versus reality.

The current narrative from school district leaders, teachers’ unions, and our elected officials is that we’re dealing with a funding problem. They regularly use phrases like “fully funding education”, yet we’ve been steadily and significantly throwing more money into our school system for years.

Adjusted for inflation, Oregon has increased the spending per student by over 46% from 1999 to 2021. Education-funding

Source: U.S. Public Education Dashboard, by Save Oregon Schools

After fluctuating in the first 14 years, you see a sharp, steady rise since 2013. Given the influx of money from the pandemic and Oregon’s Corporate Activity Tax, we likely will see the trend continue when the figures for 2022 and beyond are released. If you’re wondering how Oregon funding compares to other states, you can see for yourself in my U.S. Public Education Dashboard. For reference, Oregon per student spending is above California and the U.S. Average, but is below Washington.

So what are the results of this rising funding? Declining achievement for our students. Below is a snapshot from my Oregon Student Assessment Results dashboard, which uses data from the Oregon Department of Education on annual assessments.

Source: Oregon Student Assessment Results dashboard, by Save Oregon Schools

As you can plainly see in the dashboard, student achievement was on a slight downward trend until the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which resulted in a significant drop across the board. As the Oregonian reported earlier this year, Oregon was the only state that hadn’t shown any improvement in reading or math skills since the pandemic.

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Ensuring our public agencies produce factual research is not a partisan issue—it’s something everyone should agree that integrity in public research is essential. This is about holding our institutions accountable and restoring trust.

Myers puts forth a legislative concept and draft of his proposed “Public Research Integrity Act.”

Problem Statement

This proposed legislation addresses the growing concern over fraudulent research produced or disseminated by public officials in Oregon. Such research, which includes falsified data, manipulated conclusions, and omitted facts, undermines public trust, misguides policymaking, and diverts resources from critical state priorities.

By creating strict penalties and incentives for whistleblowers to report fraudulent practices, the law seeks to uphold the integrity of research used to inform public policy and governance. The legislation ensures accountability, transparency, and adherence to evidence-based standards, safeguarding the public from the harmful consequences of deceptive practices in government research and communications.

Proposed Solution

The proposed legislation, the "Public Research Integrity Act," establishes a comprehensive framework to combat fraudulent research by public officials in Oregon.

• Criminalizes the creation, dissemination, and approval of deceptive research or documentation, imposing penalties for violations, including classification as a Class A felony and permanent disqualification from public office.
• Introduces mechanisms for whistleblower protections and incentives, offering compensation to eligible individuals or organizations who report fraudulent activities.
• Ensures robust investigation processes led by the Oregon Department of Justice, with transparency in findings.
• Mandates the use of standardized definitions for research-related terms across agencies to enhance consistency and accountability.

This multi-faceted approach promotes transparency, deters misconduct, and reinforces public trust in government practices and policies.

Cost / Benefits

The proposed "Public Research Integrity Act" is expected to have minimal implementation costs, primarily associated with establishing a mechanism within the Oregon Department of Justice to receive and investigate complaints. These costs can be offset by fines collected from individuals or agencies found guilty of violating the Act, with a portion allocated to compensating whistleblowers to offset their costs for identifying the fraud and to reward them for providing a valuable service to all Oregonians.

The benefits, while challenging to quantify in monetary terms, are significant. By deterring fraudulent research, this legislation aims to reduce wasteful spending, prevent misguided policies, and ensure public funds are allocated based on accurate and reliable information. This will lead to more effective governance and better outcomes for Oregon’s citizens, particularly in areas like education, where fraudulent research has resulted in many harms against students and staff alike. The Act ultimately fosters public trust in government processes and reinforces the accountability of public officials to the people they serve.

Meyers’ draft legislation for “Public Research Integrity Act” can be viewed here. He says: “What is at the root of our unique struggles in Oregon? Research fraud of course!”


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-12-14 14:01:30

Last Update: 2024-12-14 23:42:35

“Public Research Integrity Act”

An Act Relating to Fraudulent Research by Public Officials; Creating a New Crime; and Prescribing Penalties

SECTION 1. Short Title

This Act shall be known and cited as the "Public Research Integrity Act."

SECTION 2. Findings and Purpose

The Legislative Assembly finds that:

1. The integrity of research, reports, and guidance issued by public agencies and officials is essential to maintaining public trust and ensuring effective governance.
2. Fraudulent research undermines legislative priorities, deceives stakeholders, and erodes public confidence.
3. To protect the public and uphold transparent government, it is necessary to establish strict penalties for public officials who knowingly engage in fraudulent research practices.

The purpose of this Act is to create criminal penalties for any Oregon public official who knowingly creates, participates in the creation of, or disseminates fraudulent research in official reports, guidance, or documents intended to inform public policy, agency action, or legislative mandates.

SECTION 3. Definitions

As used in this Act:

1. "Public official" means any person elected or appointed to any office, position, or employment within the state government, including but not limited to state agencies, departments, commissions, boards, and authorities, as well as employees of local government entities.
2. "Fraudulent research" means any research report, analysis, study, guidance document, agency plan, or other official documentation or communication that:

a. Is intended to mislead or deceive others by containing material misrepresentations, falsified data, or intentionally manipulated conclusions.

b. Omits relevant facts or data with the intent to mislead.

c. Is created or disseminated with the knowledge that it does not accurately represent the evidence or information required to address legislative priorities or agency responsibilities.

SECTION 4. Prohibited Conduct

1. It shall be unlawful for any public official to:

a. Knowingly create, authorize, or contribute to the creation of fraudulent research as defined in Section 3(2) in response to:

i. Reports or analyses requested by legislation or by a legislative committee.

ii. Agency plans or documents aimed at addressing priorities or requirements set by the legislature.

iii. Guidance documents intended for agency staff, local agencies, or the public.

b. Participate in, or knowingly approve, the dissemination of such fraudulent research or documentation.

SECTION 5. Criminal Penalties

1. Any public official who violates Section 4 of this Act shall be guilty of a Class A felony.
2. Upon conviction, the official shall be subject to penalties provided for a Class A felony under Oregon law, including but not limited to imprisonment, fines, and a permanent ban from holding any public office within the State of Oregon.

SECTION 6. Additional Remedies and Enforcement

1. Any agency or individual directly affected by fraudulent research may seek an injunction or other equitable relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the dissemination or reliance on such research.
2. Nothing in this Act shall preclude additional administrative penalties or civil remedies as permitted under Oregon law.

SECTION 7. Severability

If any section, subsection, sentence, or clause of this Act is held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the remaining portions of this Act, which shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 8. Effective Date

This Act takes effect on [date], and applies to all actions of public officials occurring on or after that date.

SECTION 9. Reporting and Investigation

1. Reporting Allegations:

   Complaints or tips regarding violations of this Act shall be submitted directly to the Oregon Department of Justice.

2. Investigation Authority:

   The Department of Justice shall conduct preliminary assessments of complaints to determine if a violation may have occurred.

   If the complaint is substantiated, the Department of Justice shall initiate a formal investigation and may involve other relevant agencies as needed.

3. Confidentiality and Whistleblower Protection:

   The identity of individuals reporting suspected violations shall be kept confidential, and any person providing information or testimony shall be protected from retaliation.

4. Public Disclosure of Findings:

   Upon completion of an investigation, findings shall be reported to the public unless confidentiality is required by law.

   SECTION 10. Standard Definitions for Consistent Use by State Agencies
   
   To ensure clarity and consistency in government research practices, the following terms are defined and shall be applied uniformly across all public records, research reports, agency plans, guidance documents, and official communications by state agencies and public officials:
   
   
   1. Research-Based:
      
      

      Definition: Refers to practices, programs, interventions, or educational strategies that are directly founded on or derived from scientific research or evidence, establishing a direct link between research findings and the approach.

      Example: A "research-based" teaching method is developed based on educational psychology studies, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving student learning outcomes.

      Order of Process: Conduct research ? Develop lessons ? Implement in classrooms.

   2. Research-Supported:
      
      

      Definition: Indicates that there is empirical evidence or scientific studies supporting the effectiveness of a particular approach, practice, or intervention. This does not imply direct development from research but that existing research validates the approach's use.

      
      
      

      Example: A "research-supported" program is created independently but validated by studies showing its effectiveness in meeting educational goals.

      Order of Process: Create lessons ? Validate through research ? Implement in classrooms.

   3. Research-Aligned:
      
      

      Definition: Refers to programs or practices that generally align with principles or strategies recommended by relevant research. This term does not imply a direct evidence base or specific empirical support for the program itself.

      Example: A "research-aligned" curriculum incorporates strategies research suggests are effective, even if the curriculum itself has not been the subject of specific studies.

      Order of Process: Review untested research ? Develop lessons ? Implement in classrooms (with students as the initial subjects).

   These definitions shall be utilized in all communications and documentation related to educational programs, practices, and interventions to maintain transparency, uphold standards, and ensure a shared understanding across all public agencies in Oregon.
   
   Additional Components for Further Consideration
   
   This section highlights supplementary ideas that should be considered when drafting the full legislative bill. While the core legislative concept is kept straightforward, these components provide valuable detail to address potential gaps, enhance transparency, and mitigate risks.
   1. Appeals Process: Establish a mechanism for reporters to appeal if they believe the Oregon Department of Justice has failed to meet required timelines, issued an incorrect ruling, or mishandled the process. This ensures an additional layer of accountability and fairness.
   2. Justification for Financial Incentives: Include a detailed rationale for financial incentives. Reviewing and validating research is often time-intensive, requiring meticulous verification of information from potentially hundreds of citations in a single report. Financial incentives offset these costs, encouraging individuals and organizations to undertake this vital work.
   3. Penalties for False Reports: Introduce penalties for submitting false reports of research fraud, particularly when done maliciously or with the intent to disrupt legitimate research. These penalties could include fines or compensation to the authors of the research for costs incurred in defending their work.
   4. Public Reporting of Fraud Investigations: Require the Oregon Department of Justice to maintain a publicly accessible database of research fraud reports. This should include the date of the report, the research in question, examples of the alleged fraud, the agency's status on the investigation, and the final outcome. Reporters should have the option to remain anonymous or have their name/organization listed publicly.
   5. Expedited Review for Related Reports: Establish a process for expedited review when fraudulent research is identified in reports that share similarities with others issued by public bodies across the country. Reporters could link their findings to previously identified fraudulent reports to streamline the review and investigation process.
   
   
   Examples of Research Fraud
   
   These are just two examples of research fraud in Oregon. These articles identify the instances of fraud, primarily by the Oregon Department of Education, and how they have led to misguided programs, practices, and content that are causing issues in our public schools today.
   • Unveiling Oregon Department of Education's ontroversial Methods: A Deep Dive into Research Flaws and Lack of Oversight
     
     

     In September 2022, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) delivered a research report on high-school graduation requirements to the legislature in response to Senate Bill 744 (2021)

     ODE’s report misrepresented evidence, made unsubstantiated claims, and contained plagiarism

     When the legislature didn’t take immediate action on their report, ODE bypassed them and went to the State Board of Education in late 2023 to implement some of their misguided recommendations

     
     
     

     This report continues to influence legislation and policy decisions and has not yet been retracted

   • Another "F" Grade for the Oregon Department of Education - Fact-Check Finds 2016 Chronic Absenteeism Plan is Biased and Flawed

     This December 2016 “Chronic Absenteeism Statewide Plan” and its related research report were created in response to House Bill 4002 (2016)

     Like the previous example, there were many falsehoods, biased statements, and fraudulent representations of research

     Chronic absenteeism has continued to get worse in schools around the state, which is no surprise given the plan was not research-based but instead manipulated by its authors to implement radical, unproven programs and practices

     --Donna Bleiler
     
     

     Post Date: 2024-12-14 14:00:00

     Last Update: 2024-12-15 17:20:27

     
     

In the House Rules Committee’s hearing on election integrity, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade’s testified that many Oregonians experienced issues in receiving the ballots on time or at all this election cycle.

House Republican Leader Christine Drazan state, “I want to encourage the Secretary of State to continue to press the United State Postal Service to deliver answers and solutions for the Oregonians who experienced delays in receiving their ballots, or didn’t receive them at all.

“However, today’s testimony from the Secretary of State’s office did nothing to give Oregonians confidence that the errors that allowed non-citizens to register to vote in Oregon have been fully identified and corrected.

“Automatic voter registration must remain suspended until we can confidently tell Oregonians that only eligible voters are registered through our automatic voter registration system, safeguards have been implemented to verify citizenship at the point of registration, and that regular audits will be performed in perpetuity to remove ineligible voters from the voter rolls.

Janice Dysinger, election expert and founder of Faithful Elections, agrees. "Vote by Mail misses 4 out of 100 people automatically to start with for mailing problems. Every election there are people looking for their ballots to come on election day. I hear from them and direct them to their clerk. Often they become disenfranchised voters.

"Our voter rolls include dead and inactive voters as no-one has removed these voters per recent Oregon law changes. Now we learned, as we suspected, that non citizens are on our voter rolls. So Oregon elections are being decided by non citizens, dead voters, people who have moved and the people who vote those ballots.

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Dysinger says we should do more than monitor for non-citizens. "Our voter rolls change every election. They are an exploited plot to control the outcome. It all takes place in the dark. Oregonians need to take back their elections and return to the precinct, vote in person with ID on paper ballots that are counted in that precinct that day. Absent voters need to apply each election with proof of ID as military and real Oregonians should do. Machines make our elections a farce as recent court cases show. Count the vote under 'Sunshine laws' that requires, out in the open under televised video surveillance where all can see the count.

"Precincts should be small enough to count votes in one day. More precincts is the solution to counting and posting results to the elections office that same day. No one should be allowed to turn in their ballot late. Election day should be a holiday for voting. Real elections take effort. Oregon did it for 145 years when it was a trusted process, and Oregon can do it again," Dysinger concludes.

Rep. Drazan says: “As elected leaders we have a duty to strengthen our election system, provide transparency for Oregonians, and ensure the continued trust in our elections.” Will she be a leader to pass solutions?


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-12-14 12:37:18

Last Update: 2024-12-14 23:42:06

Governor Tina Kotek has announced that she will appoint Jeffrey D. Auxier to the Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Auxier fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Judge Amy Baggio. In an announcement of her appointment, Governor Kotek indicated that Auxier received the most votes in the November 2024 general election and that "the appointment reflects the will of the voters in Multnomah County." The appointment is effective immediately. Article V, Section 16 of the Oregon Constitution says that "[W]hen at any time a vacancy occurs...in the office of judge of any court, the governor shall fill such vacancy by appointment"

In this case, an election did precede the appointment, but it need not, and in nearly all cases, judges resign partway through a term and -- as provided in the Oregon Constitution -- the replacement appointment is made by the Governor. Nearly all Oregon Governors are from the west side of the state, and an even higher percentage from the Willamette Valley. Since 2014, Oregon Governors (Brown, Kotek) have hailed from the Portland metro area. This has a disruptive effect on the regional ties judges have to their communities in other parts of the state.

Jeffrey Auxier's left-leaning credentials are unquestionable. He was a member of OHSU Gun Violence Review Commission.

In an interview with the Oregonian Editorial Board prior to the November 2024 elections, Auxier said:

In July of this year, I served as the lead prosecutor in State v. Rahnique Jackson, a murder case in which a man was stabbed to death for defending his transgender friend. The case lacked meaningful surveillance footage or forensic evidence, and relied heavily on eyewitness testimony. I biked around Portland to meet my witnesses after they got off work at bars and restaurants. Connecting with Portlanders of varying gender identities and racial backgrounds who wanted to help their community and honor Colin’s life deepened my connection to the city and strengthened the case.

This case was rigorously and publicly prosecuted by then-Multnomah County DA Mike Schmidt.

Again, from the same interview,

As district attorney of Columbia County, I made several decisions that were not always politically popular but they were the right thing to do. Following my appointment as DA in 2017, I inherited the case of State v. Daniel Butts, in which the defendant was charged with murdering the chief of police in Rainier. Many members of the community wanted me to pursue the death penalty in that case, but after working closely with law enforcement and the family of the victim, I gained their support to pursue a life sentence, which better accounted for the defendant’s mental illness.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2024-12-04 14:38:57

Last Update: 2024-12-04 15:28:23

Oregon's Governor Tina Kotek released her 2025-2027 recommended budget entitled “Building on Progress”.

Governor Kotek says she continues to consult with the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, and these conversations have helped inform her approach to decision making. She states: “My approach to being your Governor will always be grounded in truth, pragmatism, and a relentless pursuit of equitable outcomes for all Oregonians. The December revenue forecast projects stability for Oregon, and I am pleased to share that my budget does not lay off people or cut services, and instead strategically deepens our commitment to building progress on Oregonians’ top priorities while remaining disciplined when it comes to new programs. I fundamentally believe the Legislature needs to pass budgets for the next two years that build on the progress we have achieved together.”

Governor Kotek made housing and homelessness a top priority in 2023-24, and continues down that path.

The Homelessness budget includes infrastructure to stabilize partnerships. Her 2025-2027 budget shows resolve toward continuing a progressive plan committing more than $700 million, including:

• $217.9 million to maintain Oregon’s statewide system of shelters. The Oregonians who are still spending the night on our streets are relying on statewide support and we cannot afford to allow our progress to stall.
• $188.2 million to maintain current efforts to transition Oregonians out of homelessness and into housing. The Oregon Rehousing Initiative gets Oregon families into safe, stable housing, and keeps them there.
• $173.2 million to maintain services to prevent Oregonians from becoming homeless in the first place. The most cost effective strategy to combat our homelessness crisis is to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.

The failed Housing Program she says takes persistence, and her 2025-2027 recommended budget continues to focus on increasing Oregon’s housing supply in every part of the state by committing more than $1.4 billion including:

• $880 million new bond authority to build more affordable housing and homeownership pathways. The recommended budget reflects a dogged commitment to meet the state’s housing production goals and includes $780 million to build affordable rental homes and $100.9 million for new homeownership units.
• $100 million to establish a new housing infrastructure program. These new funds will establish a new housing infrastructure program to fund water, sewer, stormwater, and transportation infrastructure linked to new housing development to unlock thousands of new affordable and market rate rental and homeownership units.
• $57.6 million to continue efforts for supporting first-time home buyers and Oregonians looking to buy an affordable home. Homeownership is out of reach for many working families, keeping Oregonians from building wealth over the long term. This investment supports homeownership development and homebuyer assistance.

Not all agree with Governor Kotek’s proposal. Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) criticized Governor Kotek’s proposed budget for lacking a bold vision to address Oregon’s worsening housing crisis, highlighting her administration’s failure to meet its own housing production goals.

“When Governor Kotek took office, she set an ambitious goal of building 36,000 housing units per year to address Oregon’s severe housing shortage. Yet, the latest report shows that only 18,000 units were built in 2023—less than half of her target and even fewer than the 20,000 units built in 2022,” said Bonham. “This failure reflects the shortcomings of the policies she continues to champion.”

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“Under Governor Kotek’s leadership, housing policies have been largely driven by bureaucracy and ideology, prioritizing government-subsidized projects over real solutions to increase supply, reduce costs, and empower working families. Her new budget doubles down on the same failed strategies that have left Oregonians behind. It's time for a new vision—one that focuses on affordability, homeownership, and economic opportunity for all,” added Bonham.

Senate Republicans are committed to delivering a housing policy that works for every Oregonian. This means focusing on increasing housing supply across the spectrum, reducing regulatory burdens that drive up costs, and addressing the skyrocketing energy prices that make it harder to build and maintain homes.

“Oregonians don’t need more empty promises or half-measures. They need real solutions to bring housing within reach. Senate Republicans will continue to fight for policies that deliver the American Dream for Oregonians,” concluded Bonham.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-12-03 17:01:20

Last Update: 2024-12-03 19:13:12

Oregon's Governor Tina Kotek released her 2025-2027 recommended budget entitled “Building on Progress”.

Governor Kotek says she continues to consult with the Governor’s Racial Justice Council, and these conversations have helped inform her approach to decision making. She states: “My approach to being your Governor will always be grounded in truth, pragmatism, and a relentless pursuit of equitable outcomes for all Oregonians.” Voters could ask how her council, her biggest influence, represents “all” Oregonians.

She touts that her “budget does not lay off people or cut services, and instead strategically deepens her commitment to building progress on Oregonians’ top priorities while remaining disciplined when it comes to new programs.” As Oregonians deal with inflation, growing government isn’t even on Santa’s wish list. “I fundamentally believe the Legislature needs to pass budgets for the next two years that build on the progress we have achieved together.” The majority of Oregonians are scratching their heads to list what she has accomplished.

Governor Kotek made housing and homelessness a top priority in 2023-24, and continues down that path dedicating $700 million for homelessness after the 2023 legislature recriminalized drug laws. It took a 210 percent increase in fentanyl-related deaths for the legislature to correct a failed policy that increased homelessness. Kotek is also asking for $1.4 billion for housing supply after the prior attempt failed in accountability. (See companion article on homelessness and housing funding.)

Funding for Behavioral Health includes aligning treatment capacity with workforce capacity to close gaps in services. Since day one, Governor Kotek has been working to make her vision for Oregon’s behavioral health system possible: access to care no matter where you live or what you can afford. The 2025-2027 Governor’s Recommended Budget focuses on building treatment capacity and supporting a strong behavioral health workforce by committing more than $330 million, including:

• $90 million in General Fund backfill of ARPA investments for capacity building. The Governor’s budget includes a $90 million investment towards capacity building for adult mental health services, substance use disorder residential treatment, and withdrawal management.
• $50 million General Fund backfill from ARPA to strengthen workforce investments. Governor Kotek is focused on increasing the supply and distribution of a diverse and culturally responsive behavioral health workforce by investing $25.7 million in behavioral health education and training programs, wrap-around supports for students, and tuition assistance and scholarships, and investing $24.3 million in graduate stipends, loan repayment, and peer and manager support for the community mental health workforce.
• $40 million to continue deflection services through the Criminal Justice Commission. The funding supports deflection coordinators, peers and counselors who give individuals struggling with addiction the opportunity to avoid legal consequences and to seek treatment instead.

Governor Kotek’s vision for her Children and Youth funding is to invest for a stronger, healthier future. Building on her education initiative work, she is advancing a multipronged approach to supporting Oregon’s children and youth for a better future in Oregon by committing more than $835 million, including:

• $600 million increase to strengthen the State School Fund Current Service Level (CSL) for a total of $11.36 billion. The Governor is recommending a three-pronged approach to adjusting funding for the State School Fund to move the needle on student outcomes and provide more accurate and predictable funding for K-12 public education across Oregon, along with adjusting the calculation to account for the recent PERS rate increase.
• $205.5 million to provide additional targeted funding to help more students get on track for success. By recommending $127 million to maintain and strengthen previous early literacy investments and $78.5 million to expand and make ongoing investments in summer learning programs, Oregon’s students will get more help to overcome pandemic learning loss.
• $25 million for youth behavioral health investments. Governor Kotek is recommending new investments in targeted residential and community-based behavioral health and substance use disorder capacity, expansion of mental health services, prevention services for school-based health centers, and funding to expand youth suicide prevention work.

"The Department of Transportation is asking for an additional $1.7 billion per year. The Governor’s budget leaves a massive hole that will likely be filled with new taxes. It’s time for the legislature to live within its means and prioritize essential services—just as every Oregonian is forced to do in this struggling economy.”

“Oregonians are sending a clear message that they want a state where everyone has the freedom and opportunity to succeed. House Democrats will protect what makes Oregon special and show that this state is for everyone. We take this responsibility seriously,” said Majority Leader Ben Bowman (D-Tigard, Metzger, S. Beaverton). “In the 2025 session, we will improve the lives of all Oregonians with a focus on affordability, making government work, and keeping Oregonians safe. It’s time to get to work delivering results for working people and protecting Oregonians’ basic rights and freedoms.”

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In response to Governor Tina Kotek’s 2025 budget proposal, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) stated: "Budgets express priorities and it is clear Governor Kotek's priority is to protect the status quo. This budget has no new ideas and no new vision. What was put forward today is more of the same from Governor Kotek. The Governor proposed a budget that is unsustainable without implementing substantial new taxes, that Oregonians cannot afford and do not support.

“Whether it’s schools, addiction, roads or public safety, under Governor Kotek’s leadership, this budget means Oregonians can expect to pay more, but get less,” Drazen concludes.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-12-03 12:03:17

Last Update: 2024-12-03 19:12:24

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced that she is using her constitutional authority to call a special session of the Oregon Legislature, to begin on Thursday, December 12, for lawmakers to appropriate funds to pay for the historic 2024 wildfire season. A record 1.9 million acres burned this wildfire season, far exceeding the state’s 10-year average of 640,000 acres per season and incurring costs upwards of $350 million. While over half of the costs will eventually be covered by disaster relief funds from the federal government, the state needs to pay its bills as expeditiously as possible.

“The unprecedented 2024 wildfire season required all of us to work together to protect life, land, and property, and that spirit of cooperation must continue in order to meet our fiscal responsibilities,” said Governor Kotek. “I am grateful to legislative leaders for coming to consensus that our best course of action is to ensure the state’s fire season costs are addressed and bills paid by the end of the calendar year.”

The Governor is asking the Legislature to release a combined total of $218 million to the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) and the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to address all costs for the season assumed to date. This includes meeting the state’s financial obligations to small, medium, and large contractors who worked tirelessly to protect and support Oregonians for more than five months.

“Fighting wildfires of the magnitude we saw this season required a tremendous level of resources that even wildfire experts couldn’t foresee,” said House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-West Eugene & Veneta). “Now, as we approach the end of the year and the holiday season, we need to make good on our commitments and pay our bills so that the contractors who fought fires in Oregon can be made whole. Convening now will enable us to do so, and to chart a bipartisan path forward to address our state’s most pressing needs.”

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Wildfires this season destroyed at least 42 homes and 132 other structures, and caused severe disruptions and damage to transportation facilities, utility infrastructure, and natural resource economies. In July, Governor Kotek declared a State of Emergency in response to the threat of wildfire and invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act a state record 17 times to mobilize structural firefighting resources coordinated by OSFM to local communities and thousands of wildland firefighting personnel and resources coordinated by ODF.

Oregonians are perplexed over the number of acres burned. If 86% of wildfires are man caused, why are the blaming climate change? How many of those man made fires were prescribed burns? The National Forest Service intents to repeat prescribed burns every five years. The trees that survived the 2021 prescribed burns are now dead hit by current wildfires that had the potential of two billion board feet of timber harvest.

According to ODF, the state’s share of 2024 fire season net cost is $123 million. Net costs are gross costs minus reimbursements from federal or other state agencies. The September 2024 emergency funds provided for 2024 net costs was $40 million, leaving $83 million. ODF intended to request the $83 million from the December Emergency Board, which is the remaining portion of the state’s share (net) of wildfire costs for the 2024 fire season. The gross cost will eventually be reimbursed by sources such as FEMA and USFS, but ODF has to carry that debt and pay those bills in the meantime. After the most expensive fire season in Oregon’s history, it’s clear that ODF needs financial help to make it until federal funds are received for reimbursements.

Will Governor Kotek enforce a 2010 administrative rule mandating that ODF harvest enough timber from state forests to fulfill its obligations to manage the forests. As chief of the Land Board, her decision to advance HCP, cutting production by over 50% is putting a bigger burden on taxpayers to cover wildfire costs, and having total disregard for rule of law.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-11-26 17:39:28

Last Update: 2024-11-26 19:15:37

The 2024 election has left Oregon Senate Republicans in a superminority position. With Republicans taking control of the White House, U.S. House, and U.S. Senate, there’s a concern that the Oregon Democrat Majority may pursue an increasingly extreme agenda. The Senate Republicans Caucus released their priorities for the 2025 legislative session advancing common-sense policies, and safeguard the interests of Oregonians. They state, “we’re prepared to stand firm, and… ready for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in this new political landscape.”

The areas they want to prioritize that will impact Oregonians the most are:

1. Strong Economy
2. A Safer State
3. A Better Future for Oregon’s Children
4. A More Accountable Government

The Oregon Senate Republican Caucus is focused on practical solutions that make life better for all Oregonians. Whether it’s improving public safety, making life more affordable, or supporting good jobs and schools, they are committed to building a safer, stronger, and more affordable Oregon for everyone. They aren’t just focusing on the problems, they are asking for input to make a real difference in people's lives.

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December 10-12 are Legislative Days where committees hold informational hearings on potential legislation, review updates on past bills, and hear reports from state agencies.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-11-26 17:30:46

Last Update: 2024-11-26 19:28:39

School Board elections could not come soon enough for St. Helens parents. Following the arrests of two teachers on sexual abuse charges, the St. Helens School District has placed its superintendent, Scot Stockwell, and high school principal, Katy Wagner, on paid administrative leave. The district has also accepted the resignation of its school board chair, Ryan Scholl.

On November 12, 2024, the St. Helens Police Department arrested Eric Stearns, a 46-year-old choir teacher at St. Helens High School facing seven counts of second-degree sex abuse and one count of third-degree sex abuse involving six students, according to police. Mark Collins, a 64-year-old former math teacher, arrested on two counts of second-degree sex abuse and one count of attempted second-degree sex abuse. The allegations against Collins involve three students, police said. The arrests came after a two-month investigation.

Parents and students are protesting and want to know why the board didn’t take action in 2019 when they were informed of abuse allegations against Stearns, and didn’t notify authorities.

• November 12, 2024: Stearns and Collins were arrested on sexual abuse charges.
• November 14, 2024: Principal Katy Wagner was placed on administrative leave.
• November 15, 2024: School Board Chair Ryan Scholl resigned.
• November 16, 2024: Superintendent Scot Stockwell was placed on paid administrative leave.

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Eric Stearns has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually abusing six students between 2015 and January 2024. Mark Collins has pleaded not guilty on sex abuse involving three minors between 2017 and 2023. The district is also being investigated for not forwarding the report to law enforcement.

Moving forward, the district has stated its goal is to ensure a safe and positive learning environment, with clear steps to address the concerns of students, families, and community members. St. Helens School Board appointed an acting superintendent to address the rapidly escalating crisis.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2024-11-26 16:10:08

Last Update: 2024-11-26 19:29:10