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East Oregonian
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Saturday, November 17, 2018
Gov. Brown takes alcohol tax hike ‘off the table’
“I’ve been saying noth-
ing’s off the table,” Brown
said, “But that one’s off the
table.”
The health department
said Friday its current efforts
to prevent alcohol abuse
don’t require additional
money to continue.
“Director Allen asked
staff for budget ideas to
encourage input and creative
thinking,” Robb Cowie, a
spokesman for the Oregon
Health Authority, said in a
written statement. “The beer
and wine tax proposal was
suggested as one of many
ideas to address alcohol
overconsumption as part of
the Oregon Health Author-
ity’s ongoing prevention
efforts, which do not depend
on additional revenue to
continue.”
The state hasn’t increased
beer taxes since 1977 or
By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Tax hikes on
beer, cider and wine are “off
the table,” Gov. Kate Brown
said Friday.
The Oregon Health
Authority wanted to increase
taxes on beer, wine and cider
by 10 percent, which offi-
cials said could raise nearly
half a billion dollars over
two years.
The agency also pro-
posed significant tobacco
tax increases as a strategy
to deter tobacco’s use and
improve public health.
The Health Authority’s
proposal became public two
weeks before Brown was
re-elected. Her office at the
time declined to say whether
she supported boosting alco-
hol taxes.
That changed Friday.
EO file photo
A crew cans IPA on the floor of Ordnance Brewing on
March 30, 2017 in Boardman during the brewery’s first
run of canned beer.
taxes on wine since 1983.
But the money such
increases would generate
isn’t worth the fight, Brown
said.
“The challenge for that
particular arena is that we
just don’t get enough bang
for the buck,” Brown said,
“That it is, really, it’s a tough
fight in the Legislature and
we’re not likely to be suc-
cessful at the ballot.”
Craft beer and fine wine
are big business in Oregon.
Over the past 10 years, the
alcohol industry has added
more jobs than the high-tech
sector, state economists say.
But Oregonians are also
suffering more from alco-
hol-related ailments. Alco-
hol overuse is the state’s
third most common cause of
preventable death. Related
deaths in Oregon have
climbed about 38 percent
since 2001.
The governor said she
would support higher taxes
on tobacco.
The Health Authori-
ty’s proposal to do just that
would raise an estimated
$293 million over two years
through a $2 per pack tax on
cigarettes, a tax on “inhal-
ant delivery systems” such
as e-cigarettes, and removal
of the 50-cent limit on taxes
per cigar.
Two years ago, Brown
unsuccessfully
proposed
raising cigarette taxes by 85
cents per pack. The state tax
remains at $1.33 per pack.
Brown plans to release
her recommended state bud-
get for the next two years on
Nov. 28.
The governor wouldn’t
say whether that would
include higher tobacco taxes,
but said she supports the
concept and thinks it could
help fund the Oregon Health
Plan.
“I believe strongly that
increased tobacco … reve-
nue needs to be part of the
solution in developing a
comprehensive, sustainable
funding source for the Ore-
gon Health Plan,” Brown
said.
The health plan is the
state’s Medicaid program.
It’s facing an $830 million
shortfall in the next two-year
budget.
Sources: Richardson’s tumor is aggressive, fatal cancer
The Republican from
Central Point is first in line
to succeed the governor.
Richardson
declined
comment and didn’t respond
to written questions sent to
his office and personal email
accounts.
Debra Royal, Richard-
son’s chief of staff, responded
on his behalf to confirm that
By AUBREY WIEBER
Capital Bureau
Secretary of State Dennis
Richardson privately noti-
fied top Oregon officials ear-
lier this summer that he had
been diagnosed with glio-
blastoma, an aggressive and
fatal form of cancer, accord-
ing to two state executives.
Richardson called officials,
but said he didn’t disclose
to them the type of cancer
he had, an assertion specifi-
cally disputed by state exec-
utives. Royal said she was in
the room during several of
the calls in June.
She subsequently clarified
that Richardson had “signed
off” on her responses. She
Forecast for Pendleton Area
TODAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Mostly sunny and
chilly
Mostly sunny and
chilly
Plenty of sun, but
chilly
Partly sunny and
chilly
Intervals of clouds
and sun
42° 24°
42° 24°
PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
47° 35°
44° 29°
43° 26°
HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST
44° 23°
48° 32°
43° 28°
43° 26°
42° 23°
OREGON FORECAST
ALMANAC
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
PENDLETON
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
LOW
TEMP.
Seattle
Olympia
55/35
43/25
49/18
Longview
Kennewick Walla Walla
43/26
Lewiston
53/29
44/21
Astoria
57/36
Pullman
Yakima 46/18
52/27
47/25
Portland
Hermiston
55/35
The Dalles 44/23
Salem
Corvallis
57/26
Yesterday
Normals
Records
La Grande
42/21
PRECIPITATION
John Day
Eugene
Bend
58/30
43/21
47/26
Ontario
51/20
Caldwell
Burns
53°
32°
50°
33°
66° (1965) -7° (1955)
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
Albany
58/28
Trace
0.01"
0.60"
6.46"
8.42"
7.88"
WINDS (in mph)
48/21
47/3
Trace
0.10"
0.70"
8.25"
14.52"
10.69"
through 3 p.m. yest.
HIGH
LOW
TEMP.
Pendleton 42/19
58/29
24 hours ending 3 p.m.
Month to date
Normal month to date
Year to date
Last year to date
Normal year to date
HERMISTON
Enterprise
42/24
50/26
49°
38°
49°
33°
70° (1896) -1° (1909)
PRECIPITATION
Moses
Lake
53/26
Aberdeen
39/22
44/24
Tacoma
Yesterday
Normals
Records
Spokane
Wenatchee
54/34
Today
Medford
64/34
Sun.
NE 4-8
NW 4-8
Boardman
Pendleton
NE 3-6
N 4-8
SUN AND MOON
Klamath Falls
54/20
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2018
Sunrise today
Sunset tonight
Moonrise today
Moonset today
tance of transpar-
declined to answer
ency, there was an
when
directly
assumption by at
asked
whether
least one elected
Richardson
has
official that Rich-
glioblastoma.
ardson confided
Royal
said
in that he would
Richardson
make a statement
recently assessed
explaining
the
how his illness
diagnosis and his
affects his ability
chosen course of
to do his job, and Richardson
treatment, but that
plans to stay on.
“He is fully committed never happened.
Public records obtained
to the leadership role the
people of Oregon hired him from Richardson’s office
to do, and he is honored to show in 46 days in Septem-
ber and October, Richard-
serve,” she said.
Five months ago, Rich- son sent 37 emails from his
ardson publicly announced office account. That’s an
that he had been diagnosed average of about one per
with a brain tumor but has workday.
continually declined to pro-
Prior to disclosing his
vide any details about his diagnosis,
Richardson’s
medical condition.
schedule was robust, often
Royal said Richardson having 10 or more items
has not ruled out any treat- scheduled in a day, with the
ment options, and he is occasional light day mixed
happy with the treatment he in every week or two. In
is currently receiving. She September and October,
declined to elaborate.
with an important election
But over the course of nearing, Richardson’s sched-
the summer, Richardson ule typically listed two to
told select state officials that four appointments per day.
talking with his family and Nearly all were meetings
doctors, he decided to forego with his executive staff.
Occasionally, Richard-
the standard treatment of
surgery, chemotherapy and son’s schedule shows non-
radiation, according to two staff meetings, though it
couldn’t be established how
state executives.
The two state executives many of those meetings took
talked independently on the place. On Oct. 16, Richard-
condition of anonymity to son’s schedule shows he was
describe private conversa- scheduled to attend the state
tions. The staffers agreed Land Board meeting, but the
to disclose the information day before he announced he
because of an evident decline wouldn’t attend those meet-
in Richardson’s workload as ings — held three to six
the general election loomed. times per year — while bat-
One high-level staffer said tling cancer.
“When the elected official
that given Richardson’s pub-
lic statements on the impor- would appear to have limita-
6:57 a.m.
4:22 p.m.
2:11 p.m.
12:35 a.m.
Full
Last
New
First
Nov 22
Nov 29
Dec 6
Dec 15
NATIONAL EXTREMES
Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states)
High 80° in Chino, Calif. Low -6° in Angel Fire, N.M.
NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY
tions based upon their health,
it’s not clear at the end of the
day to voters who’s calling
the shots,” the high-level
staffer said.
The staffer said voters
should have faith that the
state election system is in the
hands of someone exercising
their authority as an elected
official.
“The expectation is the
secretary of state is ulti-
mately responsible for those
decisions, but it’s not clear to
what extent he’s involved in
those discussions,” the offi-
cial said.
Royal said Richard-
son’s leadership of the office
hasn’t changed.
“Secretary Richardson
continues to lead and man-
age the agency,” she said
via email. “As he previously
announced in his August
28 video update, he has cut
back on travel and some
public appearances. He is
concentrating on the core
functions of the office, and
he continues to be the key
decision-maker.”
Gov. Kate Brown’s
spokesman, Chris Pair, said
the governor wouldn’t com-
ment on whether Richardson
disclosed his condition and
treatment plan with her.
Glioblastoma is a fero-
cious form of cancer.
“It is the most aggres-
sive (brain cancer), and it is
arguably the most aggres-
sive cancer, period,” said Dr.
Seunggu Jude Han, surgical
co-director of neuro-oncol-
ogy clinical research at the
Knight Cancer Institute at
Oregon Health and Science
University.
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