Opinion
A4
Thursday, June 30, 2022
OUR VIEW
Fuel tax
‘vacation’
worth a look
hen you’re watching the dollar fi gure on the
gas pump display rise with dizzying speed, as
it does these days, the prospect of slowing that
mounting tab has a certain attraction.
This is the idea behind President Joe Biden’s proposal
that Congress suspend federal gasoline and diesel tax —
18 cents per gallon — for three months. The president is
also urging states to enact a similar “vacation” from their
state fuel taxes.
Oregon’s state fuel tax is 38 cents a gallon.
These are not insignifi cant amounts when reg-
ular unleaded is averaging $5.44 a gallon, as it was
Wednesday, June 29, in Union County, according to
AAA.
Suspending fuel taxes can have negative eff ects.
Much of the tax revenue pays to improve highways,
roads and city streets, so a temporary reprieve now could
mean bumpier roads later.
But trimming 56 cents from the price per gallon — if
both the federal and Oregon state taxes went away for a
few months — might well result in more gas being sold,
which would partially off set the loss of tax revenue.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s reaction to Biden’s pro-
posal was disappointing.
A statement from her offi ce states in part that “with
gas prices having jumped by several dollars per gallon
over the last several months, it’s unlikely that Oregonians
would see signifi cant savings at the pump under this latest
proposal.”
Notwithstanding the exaggerated “several dollars per
gallon over the last several months” reference — in reality
Oregon’s average price for regular unleaded is up by
about $2.01 compared with a year ago — Brown’s blithe
dismissal of Biden’s suggestion shows little sympathy for
the plight of her constituents.
Although Oregon’s fuel tax accounts for about 7%
of the current price, and the combined state and fed-
eral tax is about 10%, saving 56 cents per mile amounts
to about $22 for every 1,000 miles driven at an average
of 25 mpg. That’s not likely to make the diff erence for
someone struggling to pay a mortgage, to be sure. But at a
time when infl ation has elevated the cost for pretty much
everything, including necessities such as food and fuel,
Brown’s skepticism suggests she doesn’t appreciate the
cumulative eff ects of infl ation or the value of even modest
relief on the cost of one product.
The reaction of Brown’s counterpart in neighboring
Washington state, Jay Inslee, was much more galling.
A spokesperson for Inslee, Jamie Smith, trotted out
the claim oil companies are to blame, saying if Wash-
ington suspended its gas tax — which is 49 cents per
gallon, third-highest among states — “the oil companies
would be the ones to benefi t from yet another opportunity
to pocket more profi t at the expense of our ability to put
people to work fi xing our roads and bridges.”
Oil companies have been making billions in profi ts this
year, to be sure. But to imply that this is directly related to
prices we’re paying at the pump betrays at best an over-
simplifi cation, and at worst an ignorance, of economics
and the global petroleum market.
As global economic matters tend to be, this one is
much more complicated. Economics and industry experts
say many factors have contributed to rises in oil prices
and the record-high fuel prices, including supply chain
delays and worker shortages that have reduced oil produc-
tion, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and rising demand for
fuel as the eff ects of the pandemic have eased.
The market works both ways. When oil prices plum-
meted early in the pandemic, corporate balance sheets
refl ected the trend. Exxon lost $22.4 billion in 2020.
Moreover, the Federal Trade Commission has inves-
tigated allegations of price gouging in the industry many
times, most recently late last year, and invariably fi nds no
legitimate evidence for it.
Ultimately, fuel tax “vacations” won’t be a panacea
for drivers. But the savings are no less real just because
they’re modest.
W
State board nominees get litt le scrutiny
DICK
HUGHES
OTHER VIEWS
regon’s police certifi cation
agency has made the head-
lines for the wrong reasons.
At times, so have other state agen-
cies overseen by boards appointed
by the governor.
Yet without debate on June 3, the
state Senate confi rmed seven new or
continuing members of the Oregon
Board of Public Safety Standards
and Training.
In fact, all 121 nominations sub-
mitted by Gov. Kate Brown were
approved as a group, with only two
dissenting votes. Those nominees
included one state manager — State
Librarian Wendy Cornelisen, who
began work in March – and Brown’s
latest appointees to the Tri-Met
Board, Commission for the Blind,
Board of Dentistry, Eastern Oregon
University Board of Trustees, Land
Use Board of Appeals and various
other bodies.
That Senate session lasted 20 min-
utes. And at a public hearing by vid-
eoconference and telephone two days
earlier, nominees had been asked to
speak no more than a minute so the
vetting committee could get through
the lengthy list.
Leaders of the Senate Rules and
Executive Appointments Committee
told me much of the vetting occurs
behind the scenes beforehand. Mem-
bers receive extensive paperwork
about the nominees. Brown’s appoin-
tees to the Board on Public Safety
Standards and Training stacked up
as well qualifi ed, said state Senate
Majority Leader Rob Wagner,
D-Lake Oswego, who chairs the
committee.
Wagner and others are in contact
with the governor’s offi ce as poten-
tial nominees are being developed
and will try to head off problematic
choices. “I’m not someone who wants
to trot people out to the Senate fl oor
and try to publicly embarrass them.
O
I think it’s more a question of trying
to work with the governor’s offi ce to
say, ‘Hey, can we go a diff erent direc-
tion or can you communicate back
to someone that they might not be a
good fi t at this time,’’’ he said.
Before a public hearing, nomi-
nees often make the rounds — in
person or via Zoom — for more
in-depth discussions with legisla-
tors. Committee members also talk
with legislative colleagues, commu-
nity members and others who know
the nominees, asking whether they
would be good candidates.
When controversy arises, most
often it has been around nominees
handling natural resource or environ-
mental issues.
“We want to get the best nomi-
nees that we can, but I think there’s
also a recognition for us that it’s dif-
fi cult many times to fi nd people
who would serve on the boards and
commissions,” said Senate Repub-
lican Leader Tim Knopp, of Bend,
the committee vice chair. “So if
someone is willing to serve and par-
ticipate, our general philosophy is
to welcome them to do so.“Where
the issue comes in is if they have a
predetermined political agenda that
they’re going to pursue on a com-
mission. That’s when they’ll likely
run into concern and opposition
from our caucus.”
An Oregon governor appoints
people to more than 250 boards,
commissions and councils, along
with the heads of most state agen-
cies. Many, but not all, require
Senate confi rmation.
“I’m always so pleased to see how
many Oregonians will step forward.
I think it’s a huge challenge for the
governor’s offi ce to get the word out
with the volume of boards and com-
missions that we have,” Wagner said.
“It’s a system that’s grown up
over time, depending on the needs
of the era. But there’s some really
critical roles in terms of oversight
of professions and helping set a
policy direction for some pretty
important things that the Legisla-
ture wants to see.”
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Subscription rates:
Monthly Autopay ...............................$10.75
13 weeks.................................................$37.00
26 weeks.................................................$71.00
52 weeks ..............................................$135.00
█
Dick Hughes has covered the Oregon political
scene since 1976.
STAFF
SUBSCRIBEAND SAVE
NEWSSTAND PRICE: $1.50
You can save up to 55% off the single-copy
price with home delivery.
Call 800-781-3214 to subscribe.
The Senate usually meets quar-
terly to act on the governor’s appoint-
ments. One thing to watch is whether
Brown makes a rush of appointments
during her fi nal months in offi ce or
leaves key vacancies for her suc-
cessor to fi ll next year.
Liz Merah, Brown’s press secre-
tary, said anyone interested can apply
electronically to serve on a state
board or commission at any time.
Most are volunteer roles.
Applications are reviewed by the
relevant state agency and the gover-
nor’s offi ce. Community organiza-
tions, individuals and other parties
often weigh in with the governor’s
staff .
“After a vetting process of each
candidate that may include an inter-
view or checking references, offi cial
recommendations are processed by
the governor’s executive appoint-
ments offi ce and presented to the
governor for consideration of an
appointment,” Merah wrote in an
email. “At the time of a board/com-
mission appointment, the governor’s
offi ce verifi es that the appointment
contributes to the goal of having a
board that is refl ective of the diverse
interests of all Oregonians and is in
line with statutory requirements.”
Roughly 150 boards and com-
missions currently are recruiting
members. They include two new
ones — the Emergency Prepared-
ness Advisory Council and the Local
Government Emergency Manage-
ment Advisory Council.
Other boards seeking members
include ones dealing with the arts,
boilers, cannabis, dentures, educa-
tion, global warming, government
ethics, hearing aids, Hispanic aff airs,
massage therapists, plumbing, public
records, racing, school safety and
wine.
“It’s incredibly important for
Oregon citizens to consider serving
on boards and commissions,” Knopp
said, “because they can have a lot of
impact and input.”
Anindependent newspaper foundedin1896
www.lagrandeobserver.com
Periodicals postage paid at Pendleton, Oregon 97801
Published Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
(except postal holidays) by EO Media Group,
911 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850
(USPS 299-260)
The Observer retains ownership and copyright
protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising
copy, photos and news or ad illustrations. They may
not be reproduced without explicit prior approval.
COPYRIGHT © 2022
Phone:
541-963-3161
Regional publisher ....................... Karrine Brogoitti
Home delivery adviser.......... Amanda Turkington
Interim editor ....................................Andrew Cutler
Advertising representative ..................... Kelli Craft
News clerk ........................................Lisa Lester Kelly
Advertising representative .................... Amy Horn
Reporter....................................................Dick Mason
National accounts coordinator ...... Devi Mathson
Reporter...........................................Isabella Crowley
Graphic design .................................. Dorothy Kautz
Toll free (Oregon):
1-800-781-3214
Email:
news@lagrandeobserver.com
POSTMASTER
Send address changes to:
The Observer,
911 Jefferson Ave.,
La Grande, OR 97850
A division of