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Republican legislators serving large portions of Oregon have tough time advancing their agenda
Two weeks into Oregon’s legislative session, Democrats are moving forward with plans to pay overtime to farmworkers, create job training programs targeted at people of color and protect school officials from being fired for following government mandates. If Republicans instead controlled the Legislature, the past two weeks would instead have been dominated by talk of […]
Dutch Bros founder’s Grants Pass gambling plans violate Oregon Constitution, attorney general says
The Oregon Constitution won’t allow the billionaire co-founder of a drive-thru coffee chain to add a casino-like resort to a Grants Pass horse track he owns, the state Justice Department said in a legal opinion released Friday. The 9-page opinion by Renee Stineman, chief counsel in the department’s General Counsel Division, responded to an inquiry […]
Oregon rent assistance program, racing commission will be audited
A rental assistance program that left thousands of Oregonians facing eviction and the commission that oversees horse racing will face extra scrutiny from state auditors this year. Each year, the Audits Division of the Secretary of State’s office picks a handful of state agencies or programs to audit. The division’s 2022-23 plan, released Thursday, includes […]
Oregon economic forecast: More money for lawmakers to spend, tax credits likely in two years
Higher wages for workers and more income for businesses is driving up state tax collections, creating the prospect for even more state government spending and then credits in two years for those paying income taxes, state economists announced Wednesday. The economists described a robust Oregon economy that they now project will put $1.5 billion more […]
Oregon lawmakers looking to make child care more affordable, available
As Portland resident Jasmine Casanova-Dean spoke to legislators at a hearing about child care last week, her 67-year-old grandmother watched her 2-year-old daughter in another room. Casanova-Dean can only afford professional child care two days a week, so every other day she’s left to shift her work schedule, seek help from family or friends or […]
Anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore seeks GOP nod for Oregon governor
Anti-tax activist Bill Sizemore entered the race for Oregon governor on Monday, marking his third attempt at Oregon’s top job. Sizemore, 70, was the Republican Party nominee for governor in 1998 and announced a campaign in 2009 before he was indicted on tax evasion charges. He told the Oregon Capital Chronicle he decided after looking […]
How should Oregon spend $400 million on roads and transit? State officials want your input
The Oregon Transportation Commission wants Oregonians’ thoughts on how best to spend more than $400 million, available as part of the recent federal infrastructure law. Oregon will receive more than $3.4 billion for roads over the next five years, with $1.2 billion going directly to the state Transportation Department and the rest being parcelled among […]
In final State of the State address, Brown touts victories, pushes spending plan
Gov. Kate Brown’s final State of the State address on Thursday served largely as a victory lap, while she challenged legislators to approve her plans to spend $700 million on job training, housing and child care. As she did last year, Brown gave her 30-minute speech virtually from her office instead of standing before a […]
Oregon Legislature gets to work with speeches, flowers and courtesy
Legislators returned to Salem on Tuesday to start the 2022 legislative session. The House elected a new speaker, Corvallis attorney Dan Rayfield, who was first elected in 2014. Rayfield urged his colleagues to work to understand each other’s motivations and recognize that they all want to do good for Oregon. Two new representatives – Democrats […]
Oregon legislators begin 2022 session with optimistic speeches, mask protests
The Oregon Legislature started its 2022 session on Tuesday with optimistic speeches about bipartisanship and warning shots over a farmworker overtime proposal as protesters rallied against vaccine mandates outside the Capitol in Salem. Leaders in the Senate and House gaveled shortly after 8 a.m., beginning a 35-day countdown to pass bills and spend about $1.5 […]
Oregon GOP frontrunner for governor embraces claims of election fraud
Sandy Mayor Stan Pulliam, one of the leading Republican candidates for governor, called the 2020 election “fraudulent” over the weekend and told the Oregon Capital Chronicle on Monday that he had doubts about the integrity of Oregon’s vote-by-mail system. Pulliam shared on social media a short clip of himself speaking to the East Clackamas County […]
Oregon 2022 legislative preview: What’s ahead that could affect your life as legislators gather
Oregon legislators will return to Salem on Tuesday morning with a long list of policies to change and pet projects to fund, and 35 days to do it all. Job training is top of mind for most lawmakers and Gov. Kate Brown as Oregon has more open jobs than workers to fill them. Illegal marijuana […]