It’s no secret that technology has advanced rapidly in recent years. Because of it, new conveniences like cell phones and Internet technology are making the world a smaller place. But against this backdrop, the global War on Terror that we’ve waged since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has given the federal government unprecedented powers. That, [...]
I can still remember the first time I voted. It was 1972, two years after I returned from a tour of duty in Vietnam. Back, then, the voting age was 21. I had recently reached that milestone, and was eager to exercise my rights as a U.S. citizen. The reason I’m sharing this anecdote is [...]
One of the most important roles of government is to help society’s most needy. But it’s also critical to ensure that the resources intended for those people aren’t squandered through waste, fraud and abuse. An audit conducted in May by the Secretary of State’s Office identified nearly $3 million in erroneously paid benefits. In those [...]
When is a tax not a tax? It depends on who you ask. This week, we took a vote on House Bill 3477. The stated purpose of this bill was to close tax loopholes for out of state banks. But like many issues, this is more complicated than that. In the 1990s, there were around [...]
Less than 24 hours before the release of the state’s latest revenue forecast, Gov. Kitzhaber held a press conference, in which he expressed support for higher taxes on Oregon business. This comes after a bad month for many big businesses throughout the state. Integra is moving its corporate headquarters from Portland to Vancouver, Wash. The [...]
Ever so often, a piece of legislation is required to correct a situation, even though it should never have been necessary in the first place. On May 2, the Oregon House of Representatives passed House Bill 3434 on a unanimous 56-0 vote. I sponsored this bill in response to a specific issue in Medford. A [...]
A bill drafted in response to an important local issue is making its way through the legislative process. House Bill 3013 was inspired by the controversy surrounding the Cherry Creek Development in Medford. The property involved was purchased by the Jackson County Housing Authority, at which point the zoning was changed to a higher density [...]
We read with interest the Legislative Outtakes column in the Sunday paper by our colleagues, Sen. Alan Bates and Rep. Peter Buckley. The headline proclaimed “Legislators team up to fight for farmers.” We’re not sure most Rogue Valley farmers would agree Sen. Bates and Rep. Buckley are on their side in the debate about SB [...]
Civil society is based on the concept of rule of law. But the rule of law means less when laws can be deliberately ignored – when people are given permission to disobey the laws. Senate Bill 833 is a good example of this, as it essentially rewards illegal behavior. If passed, SB 833 would create [...]
In their quest to generate new state funding, the House Committee on Revenue is pursuing numerous proposals that would undermine the recovery of Oregon’s real estate market. The latest proposal attacking the real estate industry and our economy, House Bill 3433, would eliminate the tax benefits of like-kind (1031) exchanges. Currently, a ‘like-kind’ exchange allows [...]
