Governor, legislature optimistic about session
SALEM (AP) Despite a continuing
money squeeze and philosophical differ
ences between Democratic Gov.-elect
|ohn Kitzhaber and the legislature's
Republican leaders. all sides wv they are
opiimimtic ihai the 1(to'> session. which
convenes Monday, will be n short pro
ductivu affair
The memory of a snarly HJ93 legisla
ture that draggl'd on into the late summer
no doubt is behind much of the talk about
having lawmakers do the people's work
in a businesslike fashion and then go
home
"I think 1093 was a dysfunctional year
for the Legislature It was awful." said
Senate President-elect Gordon Smith
"The public deserve# a break this year,
and I think we can give it to them
Adding to the air of optimism around
the State Capitol is the sense that
Kitzhaber and the (.OP leaders will be
able to work together, in contrast to the
shaky relations < iov Hartwra Roberts hod
with lawmakers.
On® observer. Salem lobbyist T®d
Hughes, notes Kitzhaher has l>m»n recruit
ing some experienced hands to help him
get his administration of! the ground
Hughes cites as an example Mike Thorne,
the former Pendleton senator anti Pori of
Portland director who has agreed to make
sure state agencies meet Kitzhaber's
goals
“When you look at the way Kitzhaher
is shaping up his office and yon look at
the makeup of the Legislature, it looks
pretty compatible to me," Hughes said
Kitzhaher has been meeting regularly
with Smith and House Speaker -elect Jlev
ClartiO, and already they have COtna to
informal agreement on one of Kitzhaber's
key proposal* — to use lottery money for
school*
Kitzhaher wants lawmaker* to send a
measure to voters, for a March election. to
make it < i«*at that lottery dollar* could fa*
used for schiKils as well a* economic
development
"There's general agreement on doing
that." Clamo said
Them are sure lo be sjuirks l»»*twwii 1 h«
Republican leaden ana the new Democ
talk: governor. especially over tonic tssut**
ihat on* near and dear !o Kltrhaber's heart
hitrhftber is exported lo resist Kepubli
i an efforts lo loosen environmental con
irols and to restrict some of the collec
tive Uirgiuning rights now enjoyed by stale
and local government worker*
Kitzhaber said he doubts that those sorts
of disagreements will muse serious
estrangement between the Republican
dominated Legislature and him.
"I have no reason to believe that,"
Kitzhaber said. 'Tve had excellent deal
ings with the new legislative leaders I [eel
good about it."
Smith, the new Senate president, echoes
that sentiment.
"We will work with (kw.-elect Kitzhaber
if we mn and against him if we must, but
we don't think that will lx* necessary," the
Pendleton Republican said His style and
his approach gives everyone reason to be
optimist!! “
Smith adds, however. Rnpublh arts am
rwady to make their mark now that thev
am In control of both the House and Sen
ate for the first time in 40 years
First and foremost, he says, that means
no new taxes
"The 1 'HI t Legislature wasted eight
months detrating a sales las that the peo*
ple did not want." Smith said. We're not
going to spend this session trying to dig
more monev out of people's pockets "
Smith, who owns a suo evsful t’molil
la County businesses that produce* frozen
peas and com. says he still has his sights
set on adjourning the Legislature by pea
harvest time — which is late May to early
June.
Hughes, the Salem lobbyist, said he
thinks that lawmakers will he able to attain
their goal of a timely adjournment.
"I believe them." Hughes said. ''Maybe
I'm too optimistic, hut I've already made
some plane reservations for the middle of
June."
Wyden cooperating with Republicans
WASHINGTON (AP) Rep
Ron Wyden's top tilth' says the
Oregon congressman wan send
inn ,l message of cooperation
whan h« joined Repitblit tins in
voting for a rule change to make
it more difficult for Congress to
raise int ome taxi".
Wytien won one of ri2 Democ
rats who supported tin* measure,
which would require ti three
fifths "super majority" for any
increase of income taxes
All the House Kepuhlii ans
from Oregon and Washington
state voted for the amendment,
part of the new House rules,
Wednesday night
It was opposed by the other
Democrats from the region —
Oregon's Elizabeth Furse and
Peter DeFazio anti Washington's
Nonn Dicks anti Jim Mi Dermott.
Wytien. the dean of Oregon's
delegation entering his eighth
temi. was not immediately avail
able for comment Thursday.
"Ron believes that «onoml(
growth and tax iiiuei are so
important and so explosive right
now lha! they need bipartisan
ship, sard |oxh Kardon. Wyden's
i:hief of staff
Wyden also is a longtime sup
porter of cutting taxes on capital
gams, another idea included In
theliOP's "Contract With Amer
ica "
Him kwrs of the income tax mea
sure say it is important to prated
taxpayers from future rate
increases.
"People work hard for their
money. It should be hard for Con
gress to take it from them."
freshman Rap Kandy Tate. K*
Wasti . said in his first House
floor spew h Wednesday night
Critics said the biggest bene
ficiaries would he those with
incomes over S200,(MX) and that
the "super majority" would not
apply to other taxes, such as con
sumption taxes, that hit hardest
On low anti middle-uu OHM fam
ilies
Tin* measure pasted the House
on a vol# of 27‘) J 52 No Repub
litan opposed it. with 227 sup
porting it along with the 52
Democrats Independent Rep
Berm* Sanders of Vermont and
151 Democrats voted against it.
"The lime is here to cut taxes,
reform welfare arid end the
onslaught of red tape and regu
lations which strangle business
ex and fob creation,” Rep Dot
Hastings, R-YVnxh . said
McDermott said Thursday that
allowing 40 percent of a legisla
tive body to "stymie its capaci
ty to operate is not a good prin
ciple to establish.
"The (^institution says we live
by majority rule. If people don't
like the decisions we make, they
can vole against u*. But to make
this unworkable because you
can't get a super majority
doean't make sense." he said
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Law professors seek severance
pay at University of Puget Sound
TACOMA (AP) —The sale
of the University of Puget
Sound's law school entities
law professors to early retire
ment and severance pay, 11
professors claim in a lawsuit.
l-.ii !i of the tenured profes
sors is seeking severance pay
equating an average annual
salary of $03,000 and early
retirement pay up to $102,750.
a UPS official said
None of the professors lost
their fobs as a result of the sale
and continued teacliing at the
law school in Tacoma after
Seattle University took over
from UPS last August But the
lawsuit contends the sale of
the school equates to dismissal
from their former posts
"We were terminated by the
University of Puget Sound,"
said former UPS law professor
lames Beaver. "When they ter
minate you, it requires them to
pay."
Beaver, a founding law
school professor, said the law
suit was aimed at making the
university honor its contract
with its faculty.
Hie lawsuit, filed last month
in Pierce County Superior
Court, names UPS. UPS pres
ident Susan Resneck Pierce,
and UPS financial vice prosi
dun l Ray Bell.
UPS spokesman John Gal
lagher tud the lawsuit is mer
it less.
"Those professors are still
employed at the same law
school," said Gallagher, UPS'
vice president for university
relations. "They have not been
dismissed nor have they
retired."
No Seattle University offi
cials were immediately avail
able for comment.
Gallagher said UPS profes
sors aren't eligible for early
retirement pay if they contin
ue teaching at another school.
"They simply are not enti
tled to any sort of severance or
retirement pay," he said.
'There was no harm done. No
harm, no foul."
But the professors contend
other UPS faculty members
have taken early retirement
and continued teaching else
where.
Seattle University plans to
keep the 850-student law
school there until 1909 at the
latest, when it will he moved
to the Seattle University cam
pus (Ml First Hill in Seattle.
Do you fit the bill?
We re looking for a few good ducks to he
Resident Assistants in the Residence Halls
for the 1995-96 Academic Year.
'loti must attend one of the following informational meetings
Tuesday Jan 10 7pm Gold Room (Carson Hall)
Wednesday Jan 11 7 P m Riley Hall (11th & Patterson)
Thursday Jan 12 3pm Ben Linder Room (EMU)
lucsday Jan 17 7 p m Ramey Room (Hamilton Caf.)
See the University Housing advertisement m the classifieds
for further information if you think you "fit the hill".
Applications available at main Housing office. Walton Hall
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