2005-01-27 Alert

Legislative Update: ORS-195

More Good News on the ORS-195 Reform Front:

We received a call from Rep. Bill Garrard today. The "Son of 3211" bill was officially introduced today. LC (Legislative Counsel) will review and assign a bill number - which we'll pass on to you as soon as we see it. 3211 clarified the voting provision of the ORS-195 annexation process as meaning "double majority." If anyone still needs further explanation, read the "Hostile Takeover" document on the OCVA website (www.ocva,org).

The bill currently has 5 sponsors: Rep. Garrard, Reps Mitch Greenlick, Brad Avakian and Jerry Krummel, plus Senator Charlie Ringo. Rep. Garrard thinks the bill will end up in his House Land Use Committee where, in my best judgment, we have 3 virtually certain "YES" votes (out of seven members), one virtually certain "NO" vote and 3 unknown. We'll forward lobbying priorities when we get a bill number.

If the anticipated committee assignment plays out as expected, there's a very good chance we can get this thing out of the House Committee. But then we'll be dealing with  Speaker Karen Minnis who was instrumental in stonewalling and eventually killing 3211 in the last session. The "unholy alliance" will fight us tooth and nail with everything they've got, plus they will have new allies with Metro cities' governments. It will be the classic battle between the public and powerful special interests - again!

As we've previously said, that will be the time to harness the tremendous anger in Washington County, Redmond, Eugene and Bend and bring a couple hundred thousand calls to Salem. This is a different ballgame than last session: This time FAR more people know about 195 and its blatant unfairness because they are staring down the barrel of its gun - or have already been gunned down by it.

Get ready folks - it's gonna be showtime soon!

Jerry

This page last modified on 2005-11-16 08:29.