Nearly three dozen candidates for governor are vying for their parties’ nomination in the 2022 primaries on May 17. A collaborative of Oregon journalists wrote 15 questions to help you get to know these folks before you cast your ballot.
Politics
Merkley to hold digital, phone town hall Wednesday for Washington Co. residents
Washington County residents will have the opportunity to hear from and provide input to Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley at a Washington County-specific digital town hall scheduled for Wednesday, April 6 starting at 4:30 p.m. “Hearing from Oregonians across the state is critical to doing my job. In these uncertain times,[Read More…]
Oregon’s short legislative session comes to a close
The Oregon Capitol building in Salem. Photo: Chas Hundley The Oregon Legislature’s 2022 short session came and went (did you blink?) and in this era of rapid inflation and soaring costs for food and gasoline lawmakers passed $2.7 billion in new spending with the lion’s share allocated to child care,[Read More…]
Oregon economic forecast: More money for lawmakers to spend, tax credits likely in two years
The Oregon Capitol building in Salem. Photo: Chas Hundley 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[Read More…]
In final State of the State address, Brown touts victories, pushes spending plan
Gov. Kate Brown delivers her State of the State address from her office on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022 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,[Read More…]
Local legislators introduce bills for short session beginning Feb. 1
The Oregon Capitol building in Salem. Photo: Chas Hundley 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[Read More…]
Rachel Armitage appointed to vacant Senate District 16 seat
Rachel Armitage, photo courtesy Armitage campaign website 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[Read More…]
County to fill vacant state senate seats Friday
The Oregon Capitol building in Salem. Photo: Chas Hundley Washington County Commissioners are meeting virtually Friday, January 14 at 9 a.m. to interview candidates to replace District 16 Sen. Betsy Johnson who resigned Dec. 15 to focus on her run for Oregon’s governorship, and at 1:30 p.m. to interview candidates[Read More…]
From the newsroom: Writing a letter to the editor, more statehouse news, and more local news
A typewriter. File photo: Chas Hundley What a year 2021 was to run a newspaper in Oregon. I said something similar at the end of 2020, and little has changed. Like any small business, running a newspaper during a pandemic is hard. We’ve grappled with staffing issues due to the[Read More…]
Sen. Betsy Johnson will resign to focus on run for governor
State Senator Betsy Johnson in the Banks BBQ Parade on Sunday, August 22, 2021. Photo: Chas Hundley Betsy Johnson will end her 20-year career in the state Legislature on Wednesday to focus all her attention on her non-affiliated run for governor. Johnson, who left the Democratic Party in October to[Read More…]