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2005-06-02 Alert
HB 2484 - GREAT NEWS!!
Dear OCVA Members & Supporters:
Today was the biggest day so far in our 10 - year effort to bring FAIRNESS to the ORS-195 annexation process!
HB 2484, to require "double majority" approval of service provider annexations, was passed out of the Senate Environment & Land Use Committee this morning, as written, with a 4:1 "DO PASS" endorsement and sent to the Senate floor. Senator Ginny Burdick was the lone "no" vote.
We had a lengthy discussion with Representative Krummel and his Chief of Staff, Dawn Phillips, after the vote. They think the bill's chances are good on the floor. Ms. Phillips, by the way, is the unsung heroine in this story. She was instrumental in the successful last-minute struggle to get the bill off the road to near-certain death in Rules and into a public hearing. We all owe her a debt of gratitude! And Representative Krummel provided some great testimony in favor of the bill. The League rep, as usual, spoke in opposition, claiming that SB 887 deals effectively with the ORS-195 issue (it does NOT!).
So now EVERYONE NEEDS TO CONTACT THEIR SENATORS ASAP! Key talking points (word them your own way):
1. Please support HB 2484 as written on the Senate floor to bring much-needed FAIRNESS to the ORS 195 annexation process. This is a very important issue to tens of thousands of our fellow citizens.
2. Please join your House colleagues, who gave the bill a 45-13 endorsement.
3. SB 887 does NOT adequately address the ORS-195 issue! This is why HB 2484 needs to be passed. Legislative Counsel has determined there is no "conflict of interest" between the two bills. (note: per our discussion today with the acting L.C.)
All contact information is on the Legislature's website, www.leg.state.or.us emails AND phone calls are needed now.
A long day - but a good day for sure. BUT DON'T CRACK THE CHAMPAGNE BOTTLES JUST YET! We still have to get this thing through the Senate. However, everyone who's worked so hard on this bill should feel very proud right now!
THANKS are in order to Senators Charlie Ringo, Jason Atkinson (he made the motion to move the bill), Roger Beyer and Frank Shields. Please send them all a brief message of thanks. Anyone in Senator Burdick's district needs lobby her to change her mind!
Regarding SB 887A, the version with the House amendments is still unavailable. We'll summarize it for you when we see it. As previously noted, as nearly as we can tell from unofficial reports, it does NOT give us the protection we need that's in HB 2484. WE CAN'T LET THE IDEA THAT HB 2484 IS UNNECESSARY GET LOOSE IN THE SENATE - AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE LEAGUE WILL TRY TO DO! This is why it's so important for all of you to contact your senators ASAP!
This has been long-winded - thank you for bearing with me. You can close out here...or read further for an amusing, if sad, commentary on how things sometimes go down at the Capitol: It's the story of "Gut & Stuff."
A lobbyist for a Salem-area developer (to SLAPP-proof this message, the company will remain anonymous) approached our group prior to the hearing and asked, "who's OCVA?" I introduced myself.
He then asked me, "Are you familiar with the term, 'gut & stuff?' Because that's what we plan to do with this bill." I had to bite my tongue. He went on to explain how the League had assured them that 2484 wasn't necessary due to SB 887, so they wanted to use the bill as a vehicle for their interests. I promptly set him straight on 887. He subsequently assured me that they didn't want to undermine the bill and told me that during his testimony, he'd bring up our discussion and see what could be worked out.
During my testimony, I stressed that 887 does NOT provide the protection of 2484. During his testimony, he was asked directly by Chairman Ringo if all the principle parties were on board with the idea that 2484 is not necessary. His answer: YES - the League and everyone else was OK with it! This was certainly untrue - and he never brought up our pre-hearing conversation. I started shaking my head (which the Chair noted). Senator Ringo then declared that the committee was NOT going to 'gut & stuff' the bill. So I guess the only thing that got 'stuffed' was the developers' plan.
'Gut & Stuff' happens all the time. Powerful lobbyists are able to do it. Common citizens can't. Rather than go through the difficulty and detail of submitting & working a dedicated bill to achieve their goals, they pick a bill that is already most of the way through the process and has momentum. They then convince the next responsible committee to remove the original language and insert theirs. It doesn't seem to matter to them if they play loose with the truth and/or if those whom the original bill was designed to help get screwed in the process.
We were fortunate this time to be dealing with Legislators who obviously take seriously their duty to represent "The People of the State of Oregon." But these types of shenanigans often do not have so happy of an ending.
Anyway - I've been up since 5 AM (the hearing was at 0800!...at least there's seldom a problem finding parking at the Capitol at that hour) and am getting writer's cramp. LET'S FINISH THE JOB!!
Jerry Ritter
Secretary, OCVA
This page last modified on 2005-11-16 08:29.
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