Here’s a bit of news from the political front. In an email on another subject, I asked Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany: “And by the way, are you going for another term in the House in ’14 or do you have other plans?” His answer a few days later, on Sept. 22: “I do plan to […]
It’s hard to see the urgency that prompted Gov. John Kitzhaber to call the legislature to Salem for a special session on Sept. 30. The governor says it’s to boost education funding by $140 million “to restore lost school days and provide tuition relief for Oregon students this school year.” But that’s not likely, is […]
Governor Kitzhaber is pushing for a special session of the legislature that would raise taxes in order to restore teaching days and jobs in Oregon school districts. His statement confirms that where state government is concerned, enough is never enough. It always wants more — always for a good cause, of course. On Sept. 4 […]
Brian Boquist is a state senator from Dallas. He’s also a retired career Army officer and something of an idealist. He thinks there must be a way to reduce the costs and complexities of state government. After all, with fewer than 5 million people in Oregon, do we really need almost 80,000 state employees? When […]
A single member’s vote in the Oregon Senate may save Oregonians from having to pay even more for fuel than we’ll have to pay anyway in coming years. Betsy Johnson, a Democrat from Scappoose, voted with the 14 Republicans on July 6 to force a tie vote, 15-15, on Senate Bill 488, which would extend […]
The Oregon Senate on Monday failed to approve a record increase in the state school fund. The opponents, all 14 Republicans plus Democrat Chris Edwards of Eugene, said it wasn’t enough and the state could do better. The bill, Senate Bill 5519, proposed to set the school fund at $6.55 billion for the next two […]
Fast and legal (but not here)
The last time I was moving — being moved, rather — at more than 100 miles an hour was Monday in seat 4D of a Canadair regional jet on the runway at the Eugene Airport. A day before, it was on a German autobahn in the back seat of a BMW driven by my nephew. We were […]
Tags: autobahn, I-5, Oregon legislature, speed limit, traffic safety