Emotional and passionate testimony stretched into the night Tuesday during a legislative hearing on a proposal to require overtime pay for Oregon’s farmworkers. Legislation put forward by two Democratic lawmakers would pay farmworkers time and a half after working 40 hours a week and would include tax credits for companies[Read More…]
Salem
Week one: Western Washington County’s legislators busy in first week of short session
Rep. Dan Rayfield (D-Corvallis), Oregon’s first new Speaker of the House since 2013, told OPB the 2022 legislative short session that began on February. 1 is “the most important short session” of the state’s history, and with inflation, Covid-19, and homelessness on the minds of many Oregonians lawmakers have a[Read More…]
Oregon economic forecast: More money for lawmakers to spend, tax credits likely in two years
Higher wages for workers and more income for businesses is driving up state tax collections, creating the prospect for even more state government spending and then credits in two years for those paying income taxes, state economists announced Wednesday. The economists described a robust Oregon economy that they now project[Read More…]
How should Oregon spend $400 million on roads and transit? State officials want your input
The Oregon Transportation Commission wants Oregonians’ thoughts on how best to spend more than $400 million, available as part of the recent federal infrastructure law. Oregon will receive more than $3.4 billion for roads over the next five years, with $1.2 billion going directly to the state Transportation Department and[Read More…]
In final State of the State address, Brown touts victories, pushes spending plan
Gov. Kate Brown’s final State of the State address on Thursday served largely as a victory lap, while she challenged legislators to approve her plans to spend $700 million on job training, housing and child care. As she did last year, Brown gave her 30-minute speech virtually from her office[Read More…]
Local legislators introduce bills for short session beginning Feb. 1
The Oregon Legislature began the 2022 short session today, February 1, and these are some of the bills that the region’s five legislative representatives signed onto as chief sponsors. To read more about each bill, visit olis.oregonlegislature.gov and click on the “bills” tab at the upper right corner. There, you[Read More…]
County commissioners appoint Nathan Sosa to vacant House District 30 seat
The Washington County Board of commissioners voted Monday afternoon to appoint Nathan Sosa to fill the remaining 11 months of former State Representative Janeen Sollman, who vacated the seat after her appointment to Senate District 15 in January, replacing former Sen. Chuck Riley, who resigned his seat to retire. The[Read More…]
Bill would require ODOT study, give repair recommendations for Highway 6
A bill introduced in the Oregon House of Representatives in advance of the upcoming short session beginning Feb. 1 would direct the Oregon Department of Transportation to study the Wilson River Highway (signed as Highway 6) and provide an assessment of the highway’s condition, deficiencies, and estimates to repair it.[Read More…]
Washington County commissioners to appoint replacement to vacant House District 30 seat Jan. 31
The Washington County Board of Commissioners will meet virtually Monday, January 31 to appoint a replacement for Janeen Sollman’s House District 30 seat. Sollman was appointed to Senate District 15 Jan. 14 following the resignation of former State Senator Chuck Riley. It’s the latest in a series of resignations and appointments[Read More…]
Rachel Armitage appointed to vacant Senate District 16 seat
County commissioners from the six counties in Senate District 16 appointed Rachel Armitage to fill the remaining year of former State Senator Betsy Johnson’s empty seat. Armitage, a former legislative assistant in 2016 and 2017, according to her campaign website, is a Warren Ore. resident. She currently works at Reed[Read More…]
Paid advertisements
The groceries your family needs!
