Hasso Hering

On my way with OReGO, maybe

Written July 15th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

After a confused start, my part of Oregon’s new road tax system may be on its way after all. We’ll see in a couple of days whether my newly installed mileage reporting device actually reports mileage, as my OReGO account manager assures me it will.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Azuga, mileage tax, ODOT, OreGo, Oregon road user charge, Sanef

Oregon and the “sanctuary” issue

Written July 14th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 2 responses.

The Center for Immigration Studies, an independent research organization in Washington, claims Linn County and most of Oregon offer “sanctuary” to illegal immigrants. Does this make Oregon just like San Francisco, where a felon from Mexico in this country illegally was allowed to go free and then shot a young woman dead on July 1? I can’t say, but […]

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, Linn County jail, Linn County Sheriff, sanctuary

Tax limits are safe — for now

Written July 13th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 3 responses.

If there was any good news from this year’s Oregon legislatve sessions, it is this: Lawmakers failed to advance any of the attempts to weaken the taxpayers’ protections against even bigger jumps in the property tax.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Measure 5, Measure 50, Oregon legislature, property tax

Truax Island: Foreboding vibes

Written July 12th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

Little has changed at Truax Island on the Willamette River since I last looked at the place a year ago, except that with its algae-choked water holes and abandoned gravel pits it looks even more foreboding than before.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Oregon State Parks, Riverside Drive, Truax Island, Willamette Greenway

Hwy. 34 path: What it costs, and saves

Written July 11th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: no responses.

The answer is $1.1 million. And the question, posed by reader Gary Womack in an email a few days ago, was: ” I would also like to know how much money this bike path will be costing the taxpayers (me),so that a very few people can ride their bikes.”

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: bikeway, Delta Construction, Highway 34, multi-use path, ODOT

OReGo, slow go or no go: First steps

Written July 10th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 6 responses.

My adventure with OReGO is off to an uncertain start. The lights don’t blink the way they should, and for the weekend the help desk is closed.

Posted in: Commentary, News
Tags: Azuga, gas tax, mileage reporting device, ODOT, OreGo

Historic bridge piers: In the way

Written July 9th, 2015 by Hasso Hering

Comments: 3 responses.

From the Department of Thinking Up Problems That No One Has Raised: When is somebody going to do something about those piers that mess up Albany’s Monteith Riverpark? Probably never, but that doesn’t mean we can’t think about it.

Posted in: Commentary
Tags: Monteith Riverpark, River Rhythms, Steel Bridge