Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 2022)
OREGON A8 — THE OBSERVER THuRSday, FEBRuaRy 24, 2022 OREGON LEGISLATURE Democrats dangle $ 100M for GOP rural districts Majority Democrats say money has no strings attached policy, one where we can all communicate together.’ It’s refreshing.” There’s also no guar- antee the move will salve the fierce partisanship By DIRK VANDERHART that has ruled in Salem Oregon Public Broadcasting in recent sessions. Smith said his fellow Republi- SALEM — As Oregon cans were at first opposed lawmakers begin the final to the spending proposal, two weeks of this fearing it was a Dem- ocratic ploy. The year’s legislative party is still furious session, they are that former House about to unveil their Speaker Tina Kotek, approach to a unique D-Portland, broke a puzzle: How to spend deal to grant Repub- more than $2.5 bil- licans an equal say lion in surging rev- Smith enue unplanned for on new congressional when they passed the maps last year. state budget last year. “Initially, there The answer was a perception that involves hun- this was some sort dreds of millions of buy off,” Smith for housing, cli- said of a meeting last Rayfield mate change, mental week in which House health, job training and Senate Repub- licans discussed the idea. and other pressing needs. But majority Democrats are “After initial conversations and once folks had a chance also rolling the dice on an to better understand what eye-popping olive branch: this approach was about, They are going to give I think more folks came minority Republicans $100 million to spend essentially along.” In the days since, GOP as they see fit in their rural members and one rural Oregon districts. In a move with little Democrat have whit- precedent, House Speaker tled down a list of proj- ects most sorely needed in Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, their districts. Smith led alerted Republican leaders that effort with three other last week that Democrats lawmakers — Rep. Mark were prepared to reserve a Owens, R-Crane, Rep. notable slice of the state’s David Gomberg, D-Otis, budgetary bounty for GOP and Senate Minority Leader priorities. Part politics and Tim Knopp, R-Bend. part pragmatism, the offer The package they would give the minority have arrived at encom- party far more influence over which projects make it passes dozens of projects stretching from Eastern through the crucible of the Oregon to the coast. budgeting process. “I’ve seen both parties Smith, for instance, said be pretty contentious with he would request $1 mil- lion to improve each of the one another,” said state seven fairgrounds located Rep. Greg Smith, R-Hep- pner, one of four lawmakers in his Northeastern Oregon tasked with creating a plan district. A full list of pro- posed projects had not been for the money. “I believe released as of the morning the speaker of the House is of Feb. 21. saying, ‘Let’s see if there’s “We’re all committed a better approach to public abigail dollins/The Associated Press, File Lawmakers meet in the Oregon House of Representatives on June 23, 2021, at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, alerted Republican leaders in mid-February 2022 that Democrats were prepared to reserve a notable slice of the state’s budgetary bounty for GOP priorities. Part politics and part pragmatism, the offer would give the minority party far more influence over which projects make it through the crucible of the budgeting process. to make sure that rural Oregon has the things it needs to progress,” said state Sen. Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, D-Portland, one of the state’s top budget writers, when asked about the package Monday. “I’ll be honest with you. I think we’re making investments that are more than $100 million.” Though atypical, the approach by Rayfield isn’t entirely novel. Flush with federal relief money during last year’s session, legisla- tive leaders made the deci- sion — controversial in some circles — to grant each lawmaker millions of dollars to spend in their dis- trict as they saw fit. Lawmakers contacted by OPB all made the case that the new package is a sensible investment to help small communities that often lack the resources to tackle big-ticket infrastruc- ture projects. “This was a unique opportunity for members to collaborate in order to bring lasting change to the very heart and soul of our state,” Gomberg and Knopp wrote last week in a letter addressed to Rayfield and Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem. But it’s also hard to ignore the possible polit- ical implications in a Cap- itol that has seen bruising battles over the last three years. Once again this year, Republicans in both cham- bers are reserving their right to require that bills be read in full before a final vote. That reading require- ment is laid out in the state Constitution, but the parties routinely agreed to waive it in the interest of efficiency until it became a popular bargaining chip for Repub- licans in 2016. The House hasn’t even attempted a vote to waive the rule this year, meaning each bill is read — either by computer or a clerk — before a vote, eating up pre- cious time in a session that must adjourn by March 7. Republicans have also rarely missed an oppor- tunity to accuse Demo- crats of overreach that will harm their districts, most often in regard to a bill that would grant overtime pay to farmworkers. Rayfield’s approach to the tactics suggests a poten- tial shift in sparring at the Capitol. House Democrats under Kotek often accused Republicans of unwarranted obstruction when they forced bill reading. Ray- field, who’s been in the job for less than a month, has instead said the strategy is understandable. His party has held off on caustic media releases. “I don’t necessarily see it as being obstructionist,” the speaker said in a meeting with reporters earlier this month. “It’s their ability to protest.” But Rayfield has also suggested that Democrats will be able to move their agenda within this session’s tight time frame regardless of bill reading. The $100 million allotment for rural projects was presented as a token of good faith, Smith said, rather than a way to purchase GOP cooperation. “There’s absolutely no strings attached,” Rayfield said Feb. 21. “This is not an exchange for anything. This is about making meaningful change in communities across this state.” If the spending oppor- tunity is being viewed that way by the House Repub- lican caucus at large, it’s not saying. A spokes- person for the caucus, Andrew Fromm, denied in an email that the party was being offered any special influence. “House Republicans do not have free rein on any spending,” he wrote. “The caucus is aware of pro- posals submitted by mul- tiple legislators from both parties that would benefit rural Oregon districts.” Smith, the House Repub- lican budget lead, said this is an approach unlike any he’s seen. He’s just not sure it will help heal relation- ships in Salem. “I would hope it moves us a step closer,” he said, adding: “You’re always going to have folks who are skeptical.” WHERE WILL MOMENTUM TAKE YOU? HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT Don’t keep those home renovations or that dream vacation waiting! hzcu.org/momentum *OAC. Introductory rate valid for 6 months from the date the loan is booked. After the first 6 months a variable rate will apply, based on the Wall Street Journal prime rate plus a margin and adjusted quarterly; current rates range from 3.75% - 18.00% APR as of 2/10/22, based on credit worthiness. Maximum APR = 18%. Borrowers may opt for interest-only payments during the initial draw period (10 years). Monthly payments are typically lower with the interest-only payment option; however your principal balance will remain the same until you made additional payments to the principal. After the draw period, the monthly payment will be calculated to repay your loan within the remaining 15 years and may adjust quarterly based on the prime rate. NMLS 407890 With low introductory rates and our NEW interest-only payment option, our Momentum HELOC allows you to take advantage of your home’s equity with low, manageable payments.