New poll says Oregonians opposed to earned time extension
By Senate Republican Office:

Salem, OR - A new poll from Moore Information indicates that Oregonians would support a repeal of the 30% earned time law passed last session. The law, sponsored by Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene), Senator Chip Shields (D-Portland) and supported by Democrat leadership in the House and Senate, has allowed violent offenders guilty of felonies like home invasion, car theft, and encouraging child sexual abuse, to receive up to a 30% reduction in their sentence, turning Oregon's criminal justice system into a program of "catch and release." The previous limit was a 20% earned time credit.

"Oregonians need to know that they are safe in their homes, and that their children are safe in their neighborhoods," said Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). "The thirty percent earned time law installs a revolving door in our prison system."

CITIZENS FILE SUIT AGAINST THREE LANE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR VIOLATING OREGON’S PUBLIC MEETING LAWS
Press Release:

(Eugene, OR) -Two concerned citizens, Eleanor Dumdi and Edward Anderson, filed suit today in Lane County Circuit Court seeking to hold Lane County Commissioners Rob Handy, Peter Sorenson, and Bill Fleenor accountable for violations of Oregon’s public meeting laws. The lawsuit alleges the three Lane County Commissioners decided to spend tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars hiring new administrative staff after holding a number of private closed-door meetings. The lawsuit further alleges that Lane County Board of Commissioners is regularly violating Oregon’s public meetings laws and will continue to do so if a court does not intervene to stop them.

Oregon’s public meeting laws were enacted in the 1970’s following the Watergate Scandal that resulted in the demise of the Nixon administration. The laws require all meetings of a governing body, such as the Lane County Board of Commissioners, to be open to the public.

The President talks a good game about nuclear power, so let’s get busy. Let’s build some nuclear power plants. What’s holding us up?

There were a lot of things in the President’s State of the Union message that I didn’t like, but one of them I did like was when he said “let’s build some nuclear power”.

Now every time he uses that term “clean and safe nuclear power” it sounds to me he’s trying to figure a way out of building those plants. Why don’t we get busy?

Found from the Enterprise Blog

Oregonians deserve more than stop-gap jobless benefits
By Oregon Senate Republicans,

Salem, OR – Senate Republicans voted to pass an extension of jobless benefits to unemployed Oregonians on Friday, but urged their colleagues to finally take action and end the unemployment pandemic afflicting Oregon. More than 209,000 Oregonians are unable to find work in this blighted economy. “To come along side and help some of the Oregonians who are without a job is the very least we can do,” said Senator Bruce Starr (R-Hillsboro). “The long-term answer for struggling Oregon families isn’t another government check, it is a thriving economy that creates jobs and offers the opportunity for employment and advancement.” Despite loudly declaring last session “The Jobs Session[1],” Democrats have little to show for their efforts. Since January of last year, when the first borrow-and-spend stimulus plan passed the legislature, Oregon has hemorrhaged another 50,000 jobs. Meanwhile, Democrats borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars, raised $1.4 billion in new taxes and fees and increased government spending by more than 9%.

Superb Guest Column in The Oregonian
February 04
By Dave Lister

When I ran in the 2006 primary for a Portland City Council seat, I recruited one paid campaign worker. After we negotiated the terms and rate of his compensation, I dutifully had my accountant set up federal and state employer ID numbers so I could make the proper tax withholdings from his paychecks. I did this despite the advice of many that I pay him as a contractor. The reason was simple. To pay him as a contractor would have been illegal. Unfortunately, many campaigns and candidates make the choice, either through ignorance or indifference, to pay their staffers illegally. They also get away with it.

The IRS test for paying an employee as a contractor is not only stringent, but clear. If an employee is a contractor, you can tell him or her what to do, but not how to do it. You can't tell him when to come and go. He must provide his own work space and tools. He must provide similar services to other clients. In effect, he works for you when he chooses to and then bills you for it.

Boehner Taps Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) to Serve as House GOP Leadership Chairman
By Congressman John Behner,

Oregon Congressman Joins Republican Leadership Team, Assumes Post Previously Held by Former GOP Reps. Walker, Paxon, Portman

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today announced he has appointed Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) to join the House Republican leadership team as Chairman of the Republican Leadership, a leadership position previously held by former GOP Reps. Bob Walker (R-PA), Bill Paxon (R-NY), and Rob Portman (R-OH). Rep. Walden will immediately assume the post. Boehner made the announcement at his weekly press briefing.

“Greg Walden is a proven leader and a champion for smaller, more accountable government. We need him at the leadership table as we enter this critical year for our country, and I deeply appreciate his willingness to serve as our leadership chairman,” Boehner said. As Republican Leadership Chairman, Walden will participate in regular GOP leadership strategy meetings and direct key projects such as the House GOP Congressional Transparency Initiative, a reform project aimed at making the House more open and accountable to the American people. Walden will also continue to serve as a deputy whip and deputy chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

Democrats and Republicans vote to override veto on PERS bill
By Both Senate Democrat Office and Republican Office,

Salem, OR – The Oregon Senate voted this morning to override a veto of Senate Bill 897 from the 2009 session. Democratic and Republican Leaders agreed that the bill is crucial to protecting public employees from unfair retirement calculation errors. The bill passed the Senate 28 – 0 in the 2009 legislative session. “A retiree shouldn’t be responsible for state agency math errors,” said Senate Republican leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). “Under a policy advanced by the current administration and defended by Governor Ted Kulongoski’s veto, if bureaucrats screw up, retirees lose. That is wrong, and this bill sets things right.”

The bill is intended to protect fairness and encourage accountability in Oregon’s Public Employee Retirement System (PERS). The bill allows more PERS retirees to purchase health insurance benefits, allows all eligible service to be credited towards retirement, and allows a retiree to occupy the Board position designated for a PERS member. “Both Democrats and Republicans feel strongly that public employees deserve accountability and reliability when planning for their retirement,” said Senate Majority Leader Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin). “It’s a basic issue of fairness. A person who is retiring should know what their retirement will look like ahead of time and shouldn’t be surprised after the fact.”

House Republicans offer health care deduction plan
By Oregon House Republican Office,

SALEM—Rep. Ron Maurer (R-Grants Pass) and Rep. Scott Bruun (R-West Linn) today urged the House Health Care Committee to make health care more affordable by allowing individuals and families to deduct insurance premium payments from their federal taxable income. “We are offering a solution to make health insurance more available to thousands of Oregonians and their families,” said Rep. Maurer, the measure’s chief co-sponsor. “HB 3611 will expand access to care and empower more Oregonians to make their own health care decisions. Further, the bill offers relief to Oregonians who must pay the new tax on their health insurance premiums.”

HB 3611 will provide relief to the 200,000 Oregonians who purchase individual coverage plans but have seen their rates increase by 17 percent over the past year. House Republicans also say the bill will make individual coverage more affordable to uninsured Oregonians.

Senator Metsger Introduces Legislation To Create Transparency In Oregon Campaign Finance
By State Senator Rick Metsger, Press release

Salem, OR-- Senator Rick Metsger (D-Welches) today introduced amendments to SB 1058 which will reform the way campaign contributions are distributed in Oregon politics. The amendments effectively eliminate pass-through contributions from one political candidate committee to another.“This legislation doesn’t try to solve every problem with campaign contributions, but is narrowly crafted to address one essential component that impacts our democracy,” said Metsger. “Oregon citizens deserve to know that when they support a candidate with a contribution that their money will not be passed to another candidate whom the donor may not even support.”

Pass-through contributions are the act of one political candidate committee donating money from their campaign funds to another candidate’s campaign. “This is essentially money laundering that serves to obscure the true identity of a candidate’s supporters,” Metsger said. Campaign finance reform has long been an issue in Oregon. Current campaign law has no restrictions on the amount of contributions received, and limited laws related to how money may be spent. Reform has many facets, but has always met strong political opposition which has halted meaningful change.