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3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2018 Investigation targets Oregon ‘sanctuary state’ repeal effort to violent gang members who enter the country illegally as “animals.” Like California, Oregon has a sanctuary law that cov- ers the entire state, the first of its kind and one of only a handful of similarly broad laws in the nation. With help from anti-sanc- tuary groups, a trio of Repub- lican state legislators from rural parts of the state spon- sored an initiative to repeal Oregon’s law. The secretary of state’s office confirmed nine com- plaints about alleged decep- tive practices by initiative sig- nature-gatherers have been forwarded to Oregon’s Jus- tice Department for criminal investigation. State elections staff also estimated about 40 people called seeking to have their signatures removed from the petition. Many of the complaints date to late February, but Kristina Edmunson, the Jus- tice Department’s communi- cations head, said the agency has since received a second round of complaints. Edmun- son wouldn’t comment on State has oldest sanctuary law in the nation Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press Stephen Roberts, with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, holds up a sign during a rally outside of the Supreme Court in February. Despite legal threat, union membership rises By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau Oregon’s public sector labor unions are bracing for an unfavorable ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on a case that could strike down mandatory public sector union dues that support col- lective bargaining here and in other states. But if a similar court rul- ing in 2014 is any indication, any lost revenue from the change in interpretation of the law could be only temporary. “There is no way this (rul- ing) will not impact us, but there is a lot of proof that shows workers will come together to have a voice to make their jobs better and their communities better,” said Melissa Unger, executive director of Service Employ- ees International Union Local 503. Justices are scheduled to rule by the end of June on the case of Mark Janus, an Illinois child support specialist, who claims that the mandatory fees violate his First Amend- ment right to free speech. With the addition of con- servative Justice Neil Gor- such to the Supreme Court last year, a reversal of exist- ing case law appears likely, according to legal experts. Two public meetings set on statewide housing plan By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau Oregon Housing and Com- munity Services is scheduled to hear from the public this month on a long-awaited com- prehensive plan laying out housing availability and ways to address housing needs in the state. The agency has sched- uled two public informational meetings June 14 in Eugene and June 28 in Salem and an online webinar June 12 on the Statewide Housing Plan. The state housing agency was called out in an audit by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office in December 2016 for failing to provide a statewide housing plan and statewide affordable housing inventory. Both are critical to adequately and strategically addressing the state’s affordable housing shortage. The housing plan became an “overarching priority” when Margaret Salazar took over the agency in the midst of the audit. The agency hired Port- land-based Enviroissues and EcoNorthwest to help develop the plan, which his due in late 2018 or early 2019. The plan will articulate the “extent of Oregon’s housing problem and what can be done to address it,” according to state informational materials. State lawmakers often ask for proof of a clear need when asked to boost funding for affordable housing projects. The Oregon Office of Eco- nomic Analysis has repeat- edly reported that construction is tens of thousands of hous- ing units behind growth in the state’s population, which is caused largely by new resi- dents moving into the state. In Portland, tent cities under major bridges have become commonplace. A decision to strike down the law would reverse a nearly 40-year precedent that the court set in 1977 to per- mit mandatory fees and deal a blow to public sector unions’ finances and political clout. Twenty-two states, includ- ing Oregon and Illinois, allow the mandatory fees. The other 28 states have so-called right- to-work laws, which make the dues voluntary, and have lower participation rates, according to research by a group of scientists who sup- port labor unions and filed an amicus brief against another right-to-work court case in 2016. But Oregon union leaders say they are optimistic that any negative impact will be only temporary. After decades of dimin- ishing ranks, unions, espe- cially in Oregon, are increas- ing membership. By TOM JAMES Associated Press SALEM — A conserva- tive group is taking aim at the nation’s oldest statewide sanctuary law, with a drive to repeal a 31-year-old Ore- gon mandate limiting police coordination on immigration arrests. But critics say hate groups are funding the effort to abol- ish the law, and allege paid signature-gatherers deceived voters during a canvassing push earlier this year. State law enforcement authorities have opened at least one investigation into the signature-gatherers, and opponents have filed a com- plaint questioning whether the behavior was part of a coordi- nated effort to mislead voters. Representatives for the group behind the petition, the Repeal Oregon Sanctu- ary Law Committee, did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment. The developments come as so-called sanctu- ary laws around the United States face increasing crit- icism from President Don- ald Trump’s administration. Trump last month gathered officials opposed to a Califor- nia sanctuary law at a Wash- ington, D.C., event where he gained attention for referring whether that prompted addi- tional investigations. Portland resident Erin Whitlock was among those who complained. Whitlock told The Associ- ated Press she was approached on a commuter train by a can- vasser who described the measure to passengers as extending protections for immigrants in the country illegally — which she knew to be the opposite of its actual effect. “Everything felt a little fishy,” said Whitlock, who added the canvasser would not show her a copy of the petition. Oregon canvassers are required to carry copies. In another case, a video featured in media reports appeared to show a canvasser reacting with surprise when told the effect of the initiative. Lee Vasche, owner of the signature-gathering company named in the complaint, said he hadn’t heard of a complaint like Whitlock’s but acknowl- edged complaints about mis- representation in general. Most were the fault of one signature-gatherer, Vasche said, adding the com- pany fired two other circula- tors and destroyed about 400 signatures. “We owned up to that, destroyed them, and moved on,” Vasche said. But a group opposing the initiative has filed a sepa- rate official complaint over the episodes, asking the Jus- tice Department to investigate whether they amount to elec- tion racketeering. In their complaint, attor- neys for advocate group Our Oregon cite the similarity of the complaints. “It is difficult to imag- ine a scenario” where Vasche didn’t know what was hap- pening, the complaint reads. Vasche denied the alle- gation, and said he also responded to the complaints by adding training. The group gathered about 20,000 signatures but stopped working on the petition at the beginning of March, said Vasche, citing hostility to the proposal in metro areas and a boycott of his company, which does other political work. Class Of West Albany High School June 7, 2018 2018 WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Zahava Thornton Congratulations! Love, Grandma Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 LEWIS & CLARK TIMBERLANDS Recreational Access Permit Public Notice Not just serving the community. Part of the community. All recreational activities on Lewis & Clark Timberlands Oregon will require a no fee recreational permit effective June 1, 2018 Nicole Baxter, ARNP Family Medicine Providers at Coastal Family Health Center live, work, and are actively a part of helping improve our local community. They are committed to providing health care services for the whole person and the whole family. To acquire a permit (available 5/21/18): Go online to greenwoodresources.com and click on Recreation Access, or Scan the QR code using your smartphone at one of our access gate signs. Call 503.755.6655 for recorded information. Now accepting new patients. Coastal Family Health Center Our goal is to provide a quality recreational experience while improving communications with our timberland visitors. 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