The Liftoff: Kotek cleans house
PLUS: Rene Gonzalez' controversial move; Ted Wheeler's confidence; what Oregon’s three new Congresswoman have been up to; Adrienne Nelson makes history; Oregon's newest newspaper; and more!
Welcome back to The Liftoff! First off, Happy President’s Day!
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1. A change of tone and policy in Portland—and more metro area news
Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzales temporarily banned the Portland Street Response (which is part of Portland Fire & Rescue), from handing out tents and tarps, reports The Portland Tribune. In Gonzales’ press release, Portland Fire Marshal Kari Schimel said that Portland Fire has responded to more than 1,000 tent or tarp-related fires in the last two years.
A few days later, Multnomah County released its annual “domicile unknown” report, reporting that 193 homeless individuals in the Portland area died in 2021.
The Oregonian dug into new data from Multnomah County, showing that “of the roughly 1,700 homeless Portlanders offered shelter during city sweeps of encampments over the past 10 months, just 11% remain in some form of temporary shelter and fewer than 1% are permanently housed”.
Portland’s Blanchet House, which serves people experiencing homeless, responded to the Portland Street Response’s new ban, tweeting:
In related news, check out this searing lede from the O in a profile of Mayor Ted Wheeler:
Seven years ago, Ted Wheeler ran to become mayor of Portland and led with one audacious pledge: He would eliminate unsheltered homelessness in Oregon’s largest city by the end of 2018. He utterly failed to deliver, however, and today an estimated 3,000 individuals reside in hundreds of encampments all around the city.
Later in the article, Wheeler said: “I actually believe that I was made for this moment.”
Portland Public Schools board member and former Nike lobbyist Julia Brim-Edwards on Thursday entered the race for the open seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Brim-Edwards’ entrance into the race sets up competitive (and likely expensive) contest—Ana del Rocío is already running and starts with an impressive list of endorsements.
The Fund-Race: In November of last year, Brim-Edwards loaned her campaign account $17,000. Del Rocío has a little over $4,000 in her account.
Two big headlines this week for the Portland Police Bureau:
The fight over body cams: The Portland Police Bureau is the only police force of the 75 largest departments in the country that does not use body cameras. As Jonathan Levinson of OPB describes it, “the years-long standoff between the City of Portland and the Portland Police Association…over federally mandated body cameras ended in a stalemate this week.” The sticking point? The police union wants officers to be able to review recordings from their body cameras before writing a report, starting an investigation or providing testimony. The issue now goes to an arbitrator to make a final decision.
Police stops: The Portland Police Bureau released its quarterly report on police stops. The report showed officers stoped a higher share of people of color compared to white drivers. For example, between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2022, Black drivers represented 21% of stops by Portland police, up from 16.3% during that period in 2021. White people were 58.2% of stops, a drop from 65.3% in 2021.
2. Pappygate continues to unravel—and more state government news
Whiplash! It’s been another doozy (or would that be boozy?) week for the beleaguered OLCC. Here’s where things stand:
On Tuesday, The Oregonian’s Noelle Crombie again broke news, reporting that one of the managers involved in the Pappygate saga was hospitalized in 2019 for alcohol poisoning while attending the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association Administrators Conference in Denver. The manager kept his job.
The OLCC’s seven-member board finally met Wednesday and unanimously appointed Craig Prins, currently the top watchdog at the Oregon Department of Corrections, as interim director. Prins was recommended by Gov. Kotek for the job.
During that same meeting, OLCC board chair Paul Rosenbaum, defended the 7-member citizen board. The Oregonian called his remarks “a defiant and at times confusing defense.”
Less than 24 hours later, Rosenbaum issued a statement through a Portland PR firm saying he had resigned at the request of Governor Kotek.
By Friday, OPB’s Dirk Vanderhart reported that state lawmakers want to look at a new OLCC warehouse and headquarters project in Canby that “has ballooned by an eye-popping amount. The price tag rose by 133% between 2019 and 2022 — from an estimated $62.5 million to $145.7 million. It has risen higher since.”
BONUS: The Oregonian asked all returning lawmakers whether or not they received special treatment from OLCC. Every senator said no. Every House Democrat said no. Only one House Republican directly said no.
Governor Kotek selected a new Superintendent of the Oregon State Police—and it might be a name you remember: Casey Codding.
Shots fired by the Oregon Court of Appeals: Voters in Columbia County approved measures in 2018 and 2020 prohibiting the enforcement of nearly all Oregon gun control laws. But, the court ruled Wednesday that the county’s "Second Amendment Sanctuary Ordinance” is void, finding that it is preempted by state law, and can't be enforced.
3. Are non-affiliated voters being disenfranchised? Michael Calcagno joins The Bridge
Michael Calcagno joins The Oregon Bridge to talk about All Oregon Votes. The ballot measure seeks to end partisan primaries, a proposal that has failed in the past. Michael talks about why this time could be different.
4. Sponsored Message from Harrang Long P.C.: Harrang Long’s Government Relations Practice
This message is from our sponsor, Harrang Long P.C.
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5. The Way: Christian nationalism and why actions matter most
Oregon Way contributors Gary Conkling and Mark Hester have two very different pieces for you this week. Hester takes a look at Christian nationalism, which has been gaining attention lately, while Conkling argues that the actions of politicians matter more than their words. Give them a read. Do you have a piece you’d like us to consider? Reach out!
6. News from DC and Salem
Oregon’s three new congresswoman have been busy! Here’s a look at their headlines:
Rep. Andrea Salinas penned an op-ed in The Portland Tribune cementing her support for abortion rights.
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer commented in a Q/A with The Oregon Capital Bureau Kevin McCarthy’s path to becoming Speaker, saying “I was sworn in Saturday morning around 1:30 a.m. My husband was there in the gallery. I was very proud to represent Oregon….So another 96 hours wait didn't seem like that big of a deal." Later in the week, Chavez-DeRemer joined Speaker McCarthy for a visit on the southern border.
Rep. Val Hoyle visited Oregon State University last week and sat down with Portland’s Fox 12 while she was there, talking about wave research, funding for the Port of Coos Bay, and more.
The next phase of the abortion debate: Even in Oregon (which has no legal restrictions on abortion), the fate of medication abortion is in doubt. At issue is a federal case in Texas that could cut off access to abortion medications. Senator Ron Wyden spoke to Rolling Stone last week saying, “You’ve got this one judge making a mockery of the rule of law, stomping all over the privacy rights of millions of American women.”
The same day, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum led a letter with 23 state attorneys general to CVS and Walgreens pharmacies (which have over 100 locations in Oregon) supporting their decision to begin offering abortion medication in their stores.
OPB’s health reporter Amelia Templeton put the Texas case into context:
The future of Oregon outdoor recreation, and who is liable for injuries, was front and center last week. SB 754 “would essentially restore the legal power of liability waivers — an agreement that a person assumes the risk of a ski area or mountain bike park if they get injured,” writes outdoors reporter Zach Urness. The bill faces opposition from the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, who say the bill will make it harder for victims who are injured, paralyzed or even killed due to shoddy jumps or facilities to get needed money to pay for medical expenses.
Many parts of Oregon are in a childcare desert. In a bipartisan vote of 27-3, the Oregon Senate on Wednesday passed SB 599, which would allow child care services to operate in rental homes when tenants meet certain requirements. The Oregon Capital Chronicle has all the details.
Panic buttons for schools? A bill in Salem, HB 3101, would “require a ‘panic button’ system at schools that would send out a mass notification to law enforcement and other emergency response agencies that supporters say would speed response times in life-or-death situations,” reports The Oregon Capital Bureau.
Democratic lawmakers and environmental groups want the Oregon Treasury to divest billions in fossil fuel holdings from Oregon’s public employee retirement fund. “The bill would require the state to divest from companies, including oil giants Exxon Mobil, Shell and Chevron… It also would direct the department to invest in companies working on climate-safe solutions,” writes The Capital Chronicle.
Want more #ORleg news? Check out these stories about a new state dog, remote worker commutes, single payer health care, LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, juniper tree removal, and foam food containers!
7. Are Oregonians satisfied with their political parties?
Thanks as always to our friends at the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center for this week’s graphic showing how Oregonians feel about the political parties they are members of.
8. News wrap-up: Adrienne Nelson makes history, Oregon’s newest newspaper, and some good water news
Medford’s new newspaper, The Rogue Valley Tribune, is up and running!
The U.S. Senate confirmed Adrienne C. Nelson on Wednesday to serve as the first Black woman on the U.S. District Court in Oregon.
The “Greater Idaho” movement gained traction this week…in Idaho. The Idaho House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a non-binding memorial calling for formal talks between the Idaho and Oregon legislatures to discuss moving some rural Oregon counties into Idaho. The Oregon Capital Chronicle has the details.
Oregon school enrollment continues to trend down, worrying a lot of people. OPB reports, “After two years of students leaving Oregon public schools by the thousands, enrollment declined again this year but not nearly as much, a sign that enrollment is stabilizing. Yet the state doesn’t know where a lot of those students who left went.” In the 2020-2021 school year, enrollment declined 3.7%.
Headlines we like to read: “Oregon mountain snowpack reaches 108% of normal,” writes The Statesman Journal.
Thank you for reading.
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About the Authors
Ben Bowman is the state representative for Oregon House District 25 (Tigard, Metzger, and South Beaverton) and a member of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board. In his day job, he works as an administrator for a public school district. Previously, he worked as a legislative aide for former Reps. Margaret Doherty and Val Hoyle. He also co-hosts The Oregon Bridge podcast. In the newsletter and podcast, he speaks only for himself.
Alex Titus is a small business owner and consultant to businesses, nonprofits, and associations. Previously, he served as an Advisor in the Trump Administration and as a Policy Advisor to President Trump’s Super PAC. His writing has appeared in National Review, Fox News, The Hill, RealClearPolitics, and other publications.
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