Oregon is about to pay striking public employees to strike
Public Employee Unions give big to politicians in Oregon and in return get more taxpayer monies
Oregon Senate Bill 916 described in the above panel by OPB will, if enacted, pay public employees like teachers and bureaucrats unemployment benefits while they go on strike.
This makes it a lot easier for public employees to strike and walk off the job, as they get like a strike-paid-vacation, receiving a check for unemployment while choosing to strike their government employer. School Districts would have to pay more into the state's unemployment Compensation fund, and hence, School Districts even oppose this Oregon Senate Bill.
Why is it hard to understand that Oregon is just encouraging bad government behavior with bills like this Senate Bill 916? When will the Oregon electorate ever get a clue that they are being hosed by those holding elected office who pretend that they are helping?
Imagine if you're a parent with children in your local public school, and your school shuts down because of a teacher strike and now with this new state law (likely to be enacted) you get your life turned upside down while the striking teachers get to do a 'strike-party' while getting a check while they party.
Oregon's governance is like a cruel joke.
(posted by Elvis Clark on May 29, 2025)
Oregon, Metro lock in congestion, driving out business
Metro and Clackamas County's Sunrise Corridor planning is an example of locking in congestion
Highway 212 heading east from I-205, just south of the city of Happy Valley, is a major business/freight corridor. Population growth east of this stretch of highway 212 pictured above is already causing traffic congestion.
But along comes Metro regional government who now with the backing of Happy Valley - that is forever wanting to expand outwards its jurisdiction - wants to cram more homes into this stretch along Highway 212, without widening or say double decking highway 212. Instead, Metro is banking on public transit and bicycles to take commuters off of 212 - reflecting a cruel policy holdover dominating Oregon and especially Portland Metro area transportation - it's called the Oregon transportation rule adopted way back in the 1970 and 80s when then Mayor/Governor Goldschmidt terminated the Mount Hood freeway project - touting light rail as a substitute for building new roads to serve an expanding population.
Here's a link to more about the Sunrise Corridor project in east Clackamas County: Sunrise Corridor Community Visioning | Clackamas County
(posted by Elvis Clark on May 25, 2025)
Oregon State Government reaches in to control news outlets
Senate Bill 686 would charge the likes of Google and others to pay local news companies thru state
I can't say this local media bailout bill will have a big impact on fake news and propaganda in Oregon, as local media already is pretty much in the bag for the Democrat party and its socialist like agenda.
But at the same time there may come a counter action by the federal government:
Maybe NPR and PBS news hours will lose its federal funding (several hundred million dollars' worth of federal funding), if only the Republican controlled Congress would make good on defunding the socialist leaning NPR and PBS this time around - Republicans in Congress haven't carried through on this defunding proposal in past times Republicans controlled Congress and the White House.
So, hopefully the Oregon legislature's bail out of Democrat party, socialist local news media outlets won't have much impact on free speech in Oregon, as there remains plenty of on-line alternatives to state-controlled media - especially if Congress actually comes through with defunding NPR and PBS.
(posted by Elvis Clark on April 12, 2025)
Oregon bill seeks to give free food to illegal immigrants
The following is part of Oregon Senate Bill 611, making it clear Oregon flouts Federal law
The excerpt (just above) is part of Oregon Senate Bill 611, now being considered for passage by the Oregon legislature. This Bill specifically says an illegal alien, as such not qualifying for the federal food program for the poor, this program known affectionately as SNAP; would get the assistance via Oregon taxpayers instead. But other language prevents knowing if the illegal alien is actually an illegal alien; and therefore, would likely mean that the state of Oregon would be assisting illegal immigrants to fraudulently take the SNAP benefits.
I plan to write the President of the United States asking that the federal government audit all federal assistance provided the state government of Oregon for aiding and abetting illegal immigration and furthering discrimination stemming from its DEI programs.
The Oregon Democrat party leadership which dominates Oregon's governance is effectively using federal government financial assistance to buy votes for their candidates, corrupting Oregon's governance. Oregon imports poor folk from other places into the state who come just for the free hand outs provided by the Oregon government, taking Oregon and federal taxpayer monies and effectively buying the votes of these newly imported poor, dependent folk.
Oregon uses illegal immigration and homelessness to add enough to its population census estimate to gain an extra U.S congressional representative (going from 5 representatives to having 6 after the 2020 population census).
Here's an Oregon Catalyst article which anecdotally documents why Oregon's government strives to import homeless folks into the state from other places outside the state:
Homeless lady quote perfectly verifies Portland failures | Oregon Catalyst
(posted by Elvis Clark on March 27, 2025)
Another nanny state bill by the oregon legislature
House Bill would require vehicle drivers to have head lights on whenever it's raining or fog
There are plenty of times when there is only a very occasional need to wipe your windshield with your vehicle blades in the daytime, and you are supposed to have your headlights on during these times - as required if this Bill -Oregon House Bill 2522 becomes law?
This is another example of the Oregon legislature making it harder for Oregonians just to simply live their lives.
You can write testimony opposing this nanny state bill, up until March 30, 2025, by going to the following link:
HB2522 2025 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System
(posted by Elvis Clark on March 23, 2025)
Oregon is indeed a failing state - Progressive Led decay
ADP, national survey, ranks Oregon 48th lowest in salaries
Let's see: Oregon government and its representatives in the Federal Government sharply reduce Oregon's once booming timber and lumber industry. Oregon government locks up land against private building of new homes and regulates against new roads despite growth in population. It is not difficult to understand why Oregon ranks 48th of 50 U.S States and the District Columbia for lowest median salaries.
Meanwhile Oregon gives handouts to any folks just showing up from other places.
To quote Thomas Sowell: The government can buy a lot of homelessness by simply spending huge sums on it.
Here's a report that Oregon state government is buying housing for refugees:
Oregon approves $72.8 million for affordable homes for BIPOC communities, seniors, youth
Mean time the Oregon Public Employee Retirement System is under water yet again, which will require even higher taxes to fund - all for the benefit of Oregon's government class:
From the Oregon PERS website:
Cumulative 2022 and 2023 asset returns of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund (OPERF) were less than assumed (6.9% annually), falling short of expectations by nearly $8 billion.
- In 2022, the OPERF lost 2.01%; in 2023, the OPERF earned 5.98%.
These poor returns reduced the funding ratio and increased the unfunded actuarial liability (UAL) of the fund, which would suggest an increase to rates for the 2025-27 biennium except for the payroll growth experienced
Oregon locks up its vast federal forests and lands, causing fuel for wild fires to build up
Oregon locks up its vast federal forests and lands, causing fuel for wild fires to build up
But rather than let companies access these lands to harvest timber and/or graze the lands for cattle, thereby reducing fuel for wildfires/forest fires, Oregon government instead blames Climate Change for the forest and range land fires and is regulating the energy industry to ultimately prohibit the state from accessing relatively low-cost energies, such as natural gas.
Here's a recent Oregon catalyst article reporting on Oregon government's push to commit the state to energy suicide:
Oregon forecast: Yearly mass power outages | The Oregon Catalyst
(posted by Elvis Clark on December 11, 2024)
Nearly 55,000 Oregon ballots may have been illegally voted
Some 54,600 ballots were based on a simple self-check citizen box
Here's the Oregon Catalyst article reporting on an easy way to cheat in Oregon Elections:
54,600 voters did not prove citizenship | The Oregon Catalyst
(posted by Elvis Clark on November 27, 2024)
