Camp Courage Moms! Everyday Heros!

Thank You Mai Christy and Camp Courage Moms!
Camp Courage
P.O. Box 2195
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
campcouragemarines@yahoo.com
www.campcourage.biz
"Committed To Share Love, Hope, and Compassion with All Marines" Their mission is to reach as many Marines as possible through the outreach of our care package projects in an effort to express our sincerest appreciation for our Marines to serve our great nation". It is with great honor that Camp Courage honors all branches of our military.
www.katu.com/news/local/Everyday-Heroes-Camp-Coura...p;c=y

There's free-market capitalism and crony capitalism -- do you understand the difference?

That $1.2 trillion number does not include the hundreds of billions of dollars in housing, bank, and auto-company bailouts in 2008 and 2009, because those payments are kept mostly invisible in the federal-agency books. It also doesn’t include the asset purchases of the Federal Reserve, indirect subsidies such as the ethanol mandate that enriches large agribusinesses like Archer Daniels Midland, or special tax breaks for wind and solar manufacturers.
blog.heritage.org/2014/03/29/fighting-corporate-we...ocial

No New Taxes without Vote of the People!

– End the era of letting politicians and lobbyists decide our taxes behind closed doors, by requiring a public vote on new local taxes! Oregon has a 110 year-old tradition that gives voters a voice at the ballot box on important issues.
Letting voters decide on important tax decisions will increase transparency and accountability on tax increases in Oregon. The enclosed petition gives voters the right to vote on local tax & fee increases.
oregoncatalyst.com/26915-petition-taxes-vote-peopl...26915

:: www.CampCourage.biz www.CampCourage.biz

Camp Courage Care Package Projects!!

Camp Courage
P.O. Box 2195
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
campcouragemarines@yahoo.com
www.campcourage.biz
"Committed To Share Love, Hope, and Compassion with All Marines" Their mission is to reach as many Marines as possible through the outreach of our care package projects in an effort to express our sincerest appreciation for our Marines to serve our great nation". It is with great honor that Camp Courage honors all branches of our military.

Camp Courage Care Package Projects!!

Camp Courage
P.O. Box 2195
Clackamas, Oregon 97015
campcouragemarines@yahoo.com
www.campcourage.biz

Happy Birthday Camp Courage For Two Years of Service!!

"Committed To Share Love, Hope, and Compassion with All Marines" Their mission is to reach as many Marines as possible through the outreach of our care package projects in an effort to express our sincerest appreciation for our Marines to serve our great nation". It is with great honor that Camp Courage honors all branches of our military.
Thank You Jocelyn Eugenio Castaneda and Robin Goins forfor shipping out over 1400 packages to Japan, Afghanistan, California, Spain, Korea, Hawaii, the Carolinas, and several other state side bases.

www.CampCourage.biz Happy Birthday for Two Years of Service!!

Congratulations to Mai Christy, President & Founder, of Camp Courage Care Package Project.
"Committed To Share Love, Hope, and Compassion with All Marines" Their mission is to reach as many Marines as possible through the outreach of our care package projects in an effort to express our sincerest appreciation for our Marines to serve our great nation". It is with great honor that Camp Courage honors all branches of our military.
Respectfully, Mai Christy

Building 'bridge to nowhere' in Milwaukie!!

Once feared of becoming the"ugliest bridge in America,” now the bridge TriMet is building may be the country’s most useless, at least for people trying to cross it on foot or by bike without an extra leap of faith. Local residents in 2011 panned TriMet’s design for a 1,675-foot-long light-rail bridge across Kellogg Lake, but its look got an aesthetic redesign. The bridge also gained favor with a concept for adding a parallel structure underneath to connect Lake Road with the Trolley Trail walkers and bikers. In 2012, city leaders celebrated getting the Oregon Department of Transportation to approve $1 million in Transportation Enhancement funds for the multi-use structure under the light-rail bridge being built across Kellogg Lake.
pamplinmedia.com/cr/24-news/214982-74013-building-...aukie

Building 'bridge to nowhere' in Milwaukie??

Once feared of becoming the"ugliest bridge in America,” now the bridge TriMet is building may be the country’s most useless, at least for people trying to cross it on foot or by bike without an extra leap of faith. Local residents in 2011 panned TriMet’s design for a 1,675-foot-long light-rail bridge across Kellogg Lake, but its look got an aesthetic redesign. The bridge also gained favor with a concept for adding a parallel structure underneath to connect Lake Road with the Trolley Trail walkers and bikers. In 2012, city leaders celebrated getting the Oregon Department of Transportation to approve $1 million in Transportation Enhancement funds for the multi-use structure under the light-rail bridge being built across Kellogg Lake. Milwaukie is responsible for an estimated $1 million shortfall to construct the bridge, according to its contract. Federal and state agencies are funneling $1.2 million through TriMet to complete the bridge, and, so far, Milwaukie has only allocated $200,000 more.
pamplinmedia.com/cr/24-news/214982-74013-building-...aukie

Report 1 in 4 Oregon Children In Oregon Are Growing Up In Poverty!

A new report finds that nearly one fourth of Oregon children are growing up in poverty. The report tracks annual progress in areas that include children’s health, safety, and economic stability.
Oregon ranks in the bottom half of the list, among states with the worst child poverty rates. That’s above the national average and hasn’t changed much from the previous year. That’s according to a new report by Children First for Oregon. The child advocacy group says child poverty may hinder the state’s ability to prosper in the next decade."Ideally, we would have a stronger economy with more jobs, with stronger personal income gains such that we have a lot fewer people in poverty, and that these children, one in four, don’t have to grow up in households with such low income,” Lehner said.
www.opb.org/news/article/new-report-finds-1-in-4-o...verty

Report 1 in 4 Oregon Children In Oregon Are Growing Up In Poverty!

A new report finds that nearly one fourth of Oregon children are growing up in poverty. The report tracks annual progress in areas that include children’s health, safety, and economic stability.
Oregon ranks in the bottom half of the list, among states with the worst child poverty rates. That’s above the national average and hasn’t changed much from the previous year. That’s according to a new report by Children First for Oregon. The child advocacy group says child poverty may hinder the state’s ability to prosper in the next decade."Ideally, we would have a stronger economy with more jobs, with stronger personal income gains such that we have a lot fewer people in poverty, and that these children, one in four, don’t have to grow up in households with such low income,” Lehner said.
www.opb.org/news/article/new-report-finds-1-in-4-o...verty

David Darnell Announces Run For State Representative HD 18 Darnell For Oregon

David, I wanted to Thank You for being the second person (behind Kay Bridges) to come out and support my first campaign last election. We must have done something Right because my opponent announced her retirement a few weeks ago after already filing for her eighth term. I thank you for all your help. You are a gentleman, scholar and a true conservative. May God Bless You and watch over you on your way to victory. Picture with Darnell for Oregon, James Buchal for Congress, and Tim McMenamin For Oregon at local event. David Darnell is a Republican candidate for Oregon's House District 18, including Aurora, Butteville, Donald, Hubbard, Mt Angel, Molalla, Silverton. I invite you to like his Face Book page Darnell For Oregon.

Why Don't Public Schools Give Parents What They Want?

"No principal or teacher will get a raise for attracting more students to his or her school. A successful manager in a private business gets a raise, or gets hired away for a bigger salary. A successful entrepreneur expands his or her store or opens a branch. Can one imagine a public school choice system allowing a successful principal to open another school across town and run both of them?" Educational Savings Accounts A innovative concept that is capturing the attention of young parents and new policy makers. Going beyond the voucher or tax credit idea for school choice, ESA’s introduce market concepts that help parents become active shoppers for educational services, thus improving their quality while reducing costs.
www.cato.org/blog/why-dont-public-schools-give-par...uffer

Lori Porter, Co-Founder of Parents Rights in Education!!

I Spy Radio-No Longer About the Birds and Bees, It’s Full Indoctrination!! This week: Lori Porter has been following developments in state education and health care policies. There has been a shift in education as part of the"health care transformation” where the state is now imposing their version of morality and sexuality on students starting as early as kindergarten. Remember the left has removed Boy Scouts and churches and other traditional organizations from schools and have backfilled that vacuum with their own groups, such as Planned Parenthood, who are teaching their own morality. Tune in to hear how the state is inserting itself between parents and their kids. And learn how people can successfully fight back and stop the indoctrination. LAST CHANCE ON OUR CONTEST! Enter to win one of two autographed copies of Scott's latest book. You'll have to tune into our show to find out how to enter -- or visit our Facebook page! Busy on Saturday or Sunday? Not a problem. Monday, after the show airs you can go to our webpage and download it from our"latest show” page.
www.parentalrights.org

I Spy Radio-No Longer About the Birds and Bees, It’s Full Indoctrination!!

See our radio broadcast schedule below or head to www.ispyradio.com/listen. All stations stream live!
Our Guest: Lori Porter, Co-Founder of Parents Rights in Education
This week: Lori Porter has been following developments in state education and health care policies. There has been a shift in education as part of the"health care transformation” where the state is now imposing their version of morality and sexuality on students starting as early as kindergarten. Remember the left has removed Boy Scouts and churches and other traditional organizations from schools and have backfilled that vacuum with their own groups, such as Planned Parenthood, who are teaching their own morality.
Tune in to hear how the state is inserting itself between parents and their kids. And learn how people can successfully fight back and stop the indoctrination.
LAST CHANCE ON OUR CONTEST! Enter to win one of two autographed copies of Scott's latest book. You'll have to tune into our show to find out how to enter -- or visit our Facebook page!
Busy on Saturday or Sunday? Not a problem. Monday, after the show airs you can go to our webpage www.ispyradio.com and download it from our"latest show” page.
www.parentalrights.org

Oath Keepers and Oregon Firearms Federation!!

Dear Fellow Citizens of Lane County and all of Oregon,
Due to the countless testimonies of Lane County citizens, we are proud to announce that the Lane County Commissioners have officially scheduled a Public Hearing exclusively to identify how the public wants them to address the unconstitutional provisions of the federal National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Public Hearing will take place at 5:30pm on April 15 in Harris Hall, located at 125 E. 8th Avenue Eugene, OR 97401. This is the last and the most important opportunity for the public to encourage and support the commissioners to take bold action in defending our 1st, 5th and 14th amendment rights that were quietly suspended with the passage of the 2012 NDAA.
It is of the up most importance that we bring as many people to the April 15th Public Hearing as possible. The creation of local and state protections against the unconstitutional provisions of the 2012 NDAA is a non-partisan issue, and this event should appeal to Americans from all across the political spectrum. We ask you to invite your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers to peacefully unite with us on April 15th to promote our local sovereignty, and to reclaim and protect our Constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Thanks so much for all your support, and we look forward to seeing you all on April 15th!
County Calendar Public Hearing / Work Session on NDAA / PANDA
Sincerely,
Shane Ozbun and Colin Farnsworth
PANDA Oregon: State Coordinator

NSA James Buchal unveils NSA problem|Patriot Act

From James Buchal for Congress whom we heard from at the 9-12 meeting the last night. James told us about all the data the NSA is collecting, with government leaders who know about it. Thank you for posting this article. I hope more American's will take note of this and your warnings about the exploits of a runaway government that are stripped of any Constitutional restraint!
To my friends in CD-3 Multnomah County, please do all you can to help James get elected to office. He will come and do the NSA brief presentation for your group, which is powerful.

We Need Dennis Richardson For Governor More Than Ever!

I'd like to remind people that "Doctor" Kitzhaber practiced emergency room medicine exactly long enough to complete his residency, and then ran for office. He hasn't practiced medicine in any meaningful way since 1978, when he was first elected to the Oregon House. He was elected to the Oregon Senate in 1980 and worked his way up to Senate President before running for Governor in 1994 - creating the Oregon Health Plan along the way. In between his 2 Governor gigs, he did not return to medical practice, but founded the Archimedes Movement, a liberal political think tank with a goal of imposing socialized medicine. So basically he was an actual doctor for 5 years, but a political hack whose only record of accomplishment was creating unsustainable medical welfare programs for 34 years. So there's that.

New Copper Penny could lose liquor license

Never Once Did KGW Mention That The Copper Penny is Located Next To The Crime Line Station. There would be shootings at that Light Rail Stop if The Copper Penny was There or Not!! Include All The Facts KGW. Light Rail Brings Crime To Any Area it Goes Into. Keep A Look Out for When The Milwaukie Crime Line Starts Running. PORTLAND – After a weekend shooting, a neighborhood activist is calling on the Oregon Liquor Control Commission to pull the liquor license of a Portland nightclub. The New Copper Penny has been in the Lents neighborhood for decades. Sunday morning a man was injured when someone fired into a crowd of people outside the club. Now the business is under fire from meighbors.
www.kgw.com/news/local/lents-new-copper-penny-olcc....html

Disabled Portlanders could lose SS benefits

PORTLAND -- Nearly 1,000 Portlanders in need of help are in danger of losing their social security benefits. Unit 8 discovered a non-profit group that’s supposed to help the disabled is now under federal investigation. But now Safety Net is under a federal investigation. Sources tell KGW the federal investigators are looking into mismanaged money. Unit 8 tried to talk to the people at Safety Net, but as soon as reporters entered the building, they were told to leave.
Safety Net had posted a flier on the window of their office, stating the non-profit will close its doors for good on April 1."I lost a bunch of money a few years ago, and they say they sent it somewhere and it never received there,” said Frank Howard, a Safety Net client.
www.kgw.com/news/local/Disabled-Oregonians-could-l....html

How unemployment in Oregon compares to the rest of the nation Oregon & the Economy

Even as hiring picks up, unemployment is higher in Oregon than most other states, shows new data from the federal Labor Department. Oregon's 7.0 percent unemployment rate in January was the 14th highest in the U.S., sandwiched between New Jersey and Ohio. Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate of any state, at 9.2 percent. North Dakota had the lowest rate, of 2.6 percent. The national average, meanwhile, was 6.6 percent. Explore the map above to see all the state unemployment rates. Click on each state to see how the rates have changed in the past year.
www.oregonlive.com/money/index.ssf/2014/03/how_une...fault

New Study Highlights Property Tax Inequities In Portland!

Homeowners with similar properties can pay drastically different property taxes in Portland, according to a new report commissioned by the League of Oregon Cities. Furthermore, homeowners with artificially low property taxes can see a corresponding boost in the value of their property. The report found that homes in North Portland neighborhoods like Boise and Eliot are taxed on less than 45 percent of their market value. And the report’s authors say those lower tax rates make the properties more attractive to buyers. They estimate the lower taxes could add between $6,200 and $30,000 to the value of properties there. According to the study, the average market value of homes in Portland between 2010 and 2013 was about $314,000.
www.opb.org/news/article/new-study-highlights-ineq...taxes

Portlanders resist major land-use changes!!

Not everyone thinks the land-use"grand bargain” approved by the 2014 Legislature is so grand. A compromise that resolved land-use planning problems in Washington County was hailed as one of the major accomplishments of the season that adjourned on March 7. It was supported by elected officials, developers, environmentalists and farmers to end the uncertainty created when the Oregon Court of Appeals rejected Metro’s 50-year plan for future growth and conservation in the region. But Jim Standring and Sandy Baker say the agreement does not meet their needs. Both of them had filed legal challenges in the appeals court to be allowed to subdivide their land. Standring owns 70 acres of farmland in unincorporated Washington County that he wants to develop as residential property. It is at the northwest corner of the Sunset Highway and Helvetia Road. Although Metro had designated the property for future development, the grand bargain prevents that from happening for the foreseeable future."I bought that property in 1993 because I knew it was situated for future development. It’s right along the freeway and is already served by utilities,” says Standring, a homebuilder who denounces the grand bargain as"an ill-conceived plan.”
www.pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/214155-72153-portla...anges

Should Cover Oregon stay the course or cut bait and seek IT elsewhere?

Should Cover Oregon stay the course or give up on its IT and switch to technology from another state or the federal exchange? Cover Oregon is looking at four basic options: stick with what it has now, either with its current contractor Oracle or a new vendor; transfer functioning technology from another state, in whole or in part; use the federal exchange technology; or purchase a technology product to replace the current system. A committee made up of Cover Oregon staff and board members and representatives of several health plans and the Oregon Health Authority has been discussing options."We’re having ongoing conversations,” Aaron Karjala, Cover Oregon’s chief information officer, told the board last week. The exchange also hired consulting giant Deloitte to conduct an analysis of various options, but its findings have not been made public.
www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/health-care-inc/....html

Local dance teams gear up for state!!

Gladstone High School won first place in its division at the 8th annual "Let Dance Ring" dance competition held Saturday, March 1, at Liberty High School. One of the final dance competitions before the state championships, Rex Putnam also won first in its division, and Clackamas High School earned a fourth-place finish in the Show Division.
www.pamplinmedia.com/cr/24-news/213152-71298-local...state

Portland Thunder owner explains his budding rivalry with Gene Simmons!

Do you remember the Portland Forest Dragons? According to Terry Emmert, fans of the short-lived Arena Football League franchise certainly miss the team. His team, the Portland Thunder, made its debut at Moda Center Tuesday night against the San Jose SaberCats. The fan reaction thus far has been robust, according to Emmert, CEO of Clackamas-based Emmert Industrial, a specialist in moving heavy objects. "You can’t go anywhere that people aren’t talking about it," Emmert said. It's starting to regain its form. The league again has a national TV contract, albeit on the lower profile CBS Sports Network — which is airing tonight's game — and joining Emmert this year in the cast of league owners are rock stars Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS.
www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/2014/03/portland....html

Rep. Earl Blumenauer wants to cut Willamette Superfund costs!

Muddy Waters! Rep. Earl Blumenauer's wife works for the company paying the bills for the clean-up. Blumenauer rarely—if ever—publicly acknowledges the conflict of interest he has on the Portland Harbor debate: His wife, Margaret D. Kirkpatrick, is senior vice president and general counsel for NW Natural. The utility last year awarded her $769,080 in total compensation—including salary, bonuses and other benefits—and her NW Natural stock holdings are valued at $347,000. NW Natural owns two polluted industrial properties along the Willamette River where it buried tar left over from gas plants that stopped operating in 1956. The company’s most recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission shows its liability for the Superfund cleanup is at least $43 million. Blumenauer says his wife’s financial stake in NW Natural has not affected his position. Vote James Buchal For Congress!
www.wweek.com/portland/article-21174-muddy_waters.....html

Rep. Shamia Fagan (D-Clackamas) Ducking The Vote On Protecting Child Abuse by State Employees!

One House member, Freshman Rep. Shania Fagan, ducked the tough vote altogether. The web site ShemiaFagan.org commented"In one of the most startling and cowardly moves this session, Shemia Fagan hid-out to avoid taking a vote that protects children from sexual abuse by public employees,” and"When the bill was pulled to the floor of the House, Fagan was nowhere to be found. She arrived fashionably late just after the vote and her Democratic leadership covered it up by marking her ‘excused for house business.’ She had no committees or work groups at the time that would have trumped her responsibilities on the House Floor.”
It’s been tough for Freshman Fagan to protect minors this session. Besides abandoning victims of sexual abuse in this week’s vote, earlier in the session she sold out minors’ privacy – and then wasted one of her priority bills just to try to cover up her mistake.
oregoncatalyst.com/24098-oregon-dems-protect-publi....html

Oregon Dems protect public employee sexual abusers!

SALEM, OR – A majority of House Democrats Thursday blocked a vote on legislation which expands the statute of limitations for civil suits against sexual abusers who are public employees. HB 3541 brings the statutes more closely in-line with those that apply to non-governmental organizations. Presently, the statute of limitations for victims to bring a civil suit against public employees for sexual abuse is only two years, compared to a much longer statute of limitation for victims to seek restitution against an abuser who was employed in a private organization. Earlier in the session, Rep. Parrish brought HB 3478 which received a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee. Testimony against the bill centered on the financial impacts which would be"crippling to public coffers”according to written testimony from Multnomah County. Other opposition came from Governor Kitzhaber’s Office, school boards, and special districts. The most damning testimony came from the Department of Justice who quantified an additional 20 victims per year would come forward if this legislation passed. The bill was watered-down and moved to the Ways and Means Committee to die."That the government can actually quantify how many additional sex abuse victims are out there who’ve been harmed by an adult working on behalf of Oregon makes my skin crawl,” Rep. Parrish said.
oregoncatalyst.com/24098-oregon-dems-protect-publi....html

A Government Is The Most Dangerous Threat To Man's Rights!

Ashland To Hear Anti-Gun Ordinances (Again!) 03.12.14
We have been informed that on Tuesday March 18, the Ashland City Council will (once again) consider adopting Portland style gun restrictions.These pointless regulations are intended only to harass legitimate gun owners and will have no effect on law-breakers.The Council meeting starts at 7PM and will be at the Ashland Civic Center Council Chambers, 1175 E. Main St. If you cannot be at this meeting, consider sending a message to the Ashland City Council.
www.oregonfirearms.org/ashland-hear-anti-gun-ordin...ces-2


https://chumly.com/n/240bc2a

Ignore the busybodies!

That’s my advice after learning that Oregon’s attorney general, Ellen Rosenblum, and attorneys general representing 27 other states and territories, have signed a letter to big pharmacy chains, including Rite Aid, Walgreens, Kroger, Safeway and Walmart, calling on them to stop selling tobacco products in stores that also have pharmacies. Following the line of thinking that it is immoral or contradictory for these businesses to sell tobacco products alongside healthcare products, are the attorneys general as outraged over all these company’s stores also selling tooth-decaying candy, life-destroying alcohol, and snacks like Twinkies that are contributing to an epidemic of obesity? And good grief, what about guns? WalMart sells guns. Talk about something that can ruin your health.
thinkingoregon.org/2014/03/17/ignore-the-busybodie...odies

HAPPY SAINT PATRICKS DAY!!

Wishing you a rainbow
For sunlight after showers—
Miles and miles of Irish smiles
For golden happy hours—
Shamrocks at your doorway
For luck and laughter too,
And a host of friends that never ends
Each day your whole life through!

Unemployment in Oregon Potential long-term benefits extension raises hope for thousands!!

An estimated 17,000 out-of-work Oregonians lost their weekly benefits at once, when a federal program expired at the start of 2014. On top of the workers whose benefits were cut off, another 9,200 Oregon workers --and counting -- have run out of state-funded unemployment insurance since January. The weekly state payments run out after six months. More than one-third of Oregon’s unemployed had been out of work for a half-year or longer at the close of 2013. Others have left the job market altogether because they faced such poor job prospects. What is clear, though, is that a growing number of people could be affected.
www.oregonlive.com/money/index.ssf/2014/03/unemplo...river

Convention center hotel opponents file second lawsuit seeking vote on subsidy!!

Critics of a plan to use public dollars to back a hotel at the Oregon Convention Center have launched a second legal challenge of the project. Paige Richardson, a spokeswoman for an opposition group, is the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed in Clackamas Circuit Court on Friday against the Metro regional government. The suit, citing state law, argues that Metro doesn’t have the authority to help finance construction of the proposed Hyatt Regency hotel at the Oregon Convention Center. Metro, which operates the Oregon Convention Center, has led this effort to build hotel at the facility, in part with revenue bonds backed by hotel lodging taxes. The lawsuit seeks an injunction prohibiting Metro from issuing the bonds until after it's approved by voters.
www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2014/03/conv...fault

4000 illegal aliens "accidentally' registered for Oregon's version of Obamacare --4000!!

4000 illegal aliens "accidentally' registered for Oregon's version of Obamacare --4000 ! When you sign up for social services in Oregon. They ask you if you would like to register to vote. ....language barriers.... may permit some confusion, but the clear intent of not addressing this loophole--"accidentally" signing up folks for Kitzcare could it be..... to get a new voting block. Your tax dollars at work....
www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/03/cover_....html

Oregon increasing its appetite for federal money!!

The money it gets from the feds rose to 6.1 percent — to $16.4 billion — in 2013-15, as compared to 2011-13. The Oregon Health Authority got the largest chunk, about $7.6 billion. Part of that — roughly $1.2 billion — is for the state’s expanded Medicaid program, a joint effort with the federal government. By 2016, the feds are expected to fund the program in full. The Department of Human Services also got a large slice, about $6.3 billion; the rest was divided between various government agencies — about $500,000 for public safety and $1.5 billion for education.
oregoncatalyst.com/26907-oregon-increasing-appetit....html

Petition No New Taxes without Vote of the People!!

Should Oregonians require that government impose no new taxes without a vote?
Sign the petition now to give voters the right to vote on their taxes! Go To VotePetion.com
By Taxpayer Association of Oregon – End the era of letting politicians and lobbyists decide our taxes behind closed doors, by requiring a public vote on new local taxes! Letting voters decide on important tax decisions will increase transparency and accountability on tax increases in Oregon. The enclosed petition gives voters the right to vote on local tax & fee increases.
oregoncatalyst.com/26915-petition-taxes-vote-peopl...26915

Oregon's tax man cometh for your personal dividends!!

I think Oregon should do more to ATTRACT private investment, not REPELLING it!
Here's something to chew on as tax day looms about a month away: Oregon residents face the fourth highest tax rate in the country on their personal dividends, according to the Tax Foundation, a tax policy research outfit in Washington D.C. California came in with the highest combined state and federal marginal tax rate on personal dividends at 33 percent. Oregon was fourth at 31 percent. Taxpayers in states with no personal income tax (including Washington) face a top marginal tax rate on personal dividend income of 25 percent, the organization said. Those supporting tax reform in Oregon often cite the state's high capital gains and income tax rates, saying it promotes a brain and wealth drain, as tax refugees flee to more attractive spots - like just over the Columbia River in Vancouver.
www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2014/03/oreg...river

Federal report casts Oracle as a bully, Cover Oregon execs as inept!!

The Oregonian obtained a copy of the investigation, which was completed in late February. The report indicates that Oracle has refused to provide documents requested by Cover Oregon. It also accused Oracle of "throwing bodies rather than skillset" at problems. As the Oregonian notes, the investigation also found that the Cover Oregon team also didn't know what its contractor was doing. Another federal investigation is coming soon. At the request of U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, the U.S. Government Accountability Office has agreed to review the troubled exchange.
www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2014/03/....html

It Is Official Tim McMenamin had Dinner with Representative Kim Thatcher!

Kim is a bright and energetic businesswoman, mother of four and community activist. She graduated from Oregon City High School and attended Portland State University. Kim and her husband, Karl, have been married for nearly 26 years. Their four daughters, all Keizer school graduates, are attending college while their 8-year old son is full of energy and enjoying second grade. Kim now owns two small companies related to highway construction and traffic management. During the 2009 legislative session Kim sat on the Education Committee, Business & Labor Committee and Sustainablility & Economic Development Committee.

Longshore union will lose credibility if it rejects Kitzhaber's request!!

One has to wonder when the International Longshore and Warehouse Union will run out of explanations for the slow pace of work at the Port of Portland – and how many people will be hurt before that happens. The union has taken new credibility hits in the past two weeks. First, The Oregonian’s Richard Read reported details of the union’s contract with the Pacific Maritime Association, which stipulates that some senior union members are paid by employers even when they don’t work. The provision has been applied during lockouts imposed by United Grain Corp. in a dispute at some Northwest grain terminals. Where does all of this leave the Port? Not in a good place. Kitzhaber and Wyatt are running out of options. If the ILWU doesn’t like the results of the Kitzhaber-ordered review, it has signaled its intention to claim the review is biased. The Port has established an incentive program, based on number of containers shipped through Portland, to try to entice container carriers to continue using the Port, but there’s little else it can do.
www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/03/longs...river

Timber veterans struggle to navigate Oregon's land use law and make forestry profitable!!

The story, which ran online Feb. 28, and on the front page of The Oregonian on March 3, discusses the balance between protecting the environment and protecting small businesses.
Fritch, a long-time forester, ran into a vaguely defined statute in Oregon’s landmark land use law, Senate Bill 100. Now, he is trying to find a way to stay in business, with the help of county and state politicians.
The debate is happening within Oregon’s new economy, which relies on tech-industry bearded hipsters who dress like lumberjacks and go to Pearl District bars named River Pig, rather than actual river pigs, the timber veterans who ran logs down the river for processing. Capital Press, an agriculture-focused publication, wrote about the hearing for Senate Bill 1575. The Press focused on the supporter and opponents who showed up to testify at the Legislature committee meeting.
www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2014/...river

Last minute tax sneak attack on small Business!!

SB 1534-B has been amended to increase taxes on small business by changing the out-of-state income rates for business. Not only is this a back-door tax but a paperwork nightmare for businesses who would have to identify the geographic location of their income with some income being taxed differently. Do you know which of your customers come from Vancouver versus Portland? The fact that this is happening during the last few days (or hours) of Session means there is a real-life risk of a swift tax attack on Oregon business to steal away their tax relief set by the 2013 Legislature. This tax would help boost government coffers (maybe to fund their 13% growth and $11 billion PERS crisis). David Gomberg tried a few weeks ago to hit small business with a tax increase with his bill HB 4067. Gomberg’s tax plans may succeed in a different form with SB 1534-B.
There has been a lot of discussion during the Oregon Legislative Session to make friendly and small logistical changes to the"Grand Bargain” which passed in October 2013. For the tax lobby, that opportunity has created a window to sneak in a tax increase. SB 1534-B is that tax. Knowing that we are at the end of Session means that such taxes may be passed with as little public notice or involvement as possible.
If you care call your lawmaker ASAP :
Tell them to vote NO on any surprise tax increases on SB 1534!
1-800-332-2313 — Toll Free Legislative Call #
oregoncatalyst.com/26700-sb-1534-minute-tax-sneak-...alyst)

Multnomah County issues formal response to lawsuit, calling state ban 'discriminatory and unconstitutional!!

When The Voter's Do Not Approve A New Amendment To The Oregon Constitution What Do The Losers Do? Sue!
Two Oregon couples are suing Multnomah County, Rosenblum, Gov. John Kitzhaber and Jennifer Woodward, a state registrar, arguing that they should have the right to get a marriage license in Oregon. Is Everyone as Tired of This
Approach as I Am? The couples submitted a motion for summary judgment in the case, meaning they asked the judge to side with them without taking the case to trial. As a defendant in the suit, Multnomah County must issue a response to the couples' motion.
www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/03/gay_...river

Ms. Rosenblum is dead-wrong in her conclusion that the amendment cannot be supported by rational legal arguments.

"Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is shamefully abandoning her constitutional duty to defend the marriage amendment overwhelmingly enacted by the people of Oregon. She swore an oath of office that she would enforce all the laws, not just those she personally agrees with." — Brian Brown, NOM president - See more at: www.nomblog.com/38947/#sthash.zFsGcSNP.dpuf

Portland Archdiocese joins anti-gay marriage effort!!

Since Pope Francis began his reign as the head of the Catholic Church a year ago, he's sounded a more welcoming tone toward gays. But it hasn't led to a change in church doctrine opposing same-sex marriage -- and that's reflected in the potential ballot fight over the issue in Oregon.
Portland Archbishop Alexander K. Sample told his pastoral staff last month that the Archdiocese of Portland and the Baker Diocese would join the coalition opposing the same-sex marriage initiative.
www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2014/03/portlan....html

College Voter Registration bill. Huge focus on ONE segment of population!!

SB1525 and SB1581 will both be voted on on Wednesday AM in the Senate. Both offer loop holes in voter registration inconsistent with the student's status, or just don't warn students of their responsibilities as voters. Call your Senator and tell them to vote NO!! These little lax laws make for a porous sieve of election fraud. Thank You Janice Dysinger!
Did you know 1/2 of Oregon College Students are from out of state? Shouldn't student tuition status match voter reg? If student tuition status is different than voter registration...then ...voter OR tuition status is fraud. Does voter registration program warn students of responsibility to check requirements? Penalty for fraud voting is Class C Felony=$10,000 fine. Penalty for non citizen voting equals deportation. Putting anyone between student and election office is potentially a problem.

According to the State of Oregon, Marijuana is a medicine!!

So, I was thinking.
According to the State of Oregon, Marijuana is a medicine. It's "medical" marijuana with "medicine" dispensaries.
So, is a person who dispenses "medicine" at these "state licensed" locations required to be a licensed pharmacist?
What if a person is taking other prescription drugs that are not compatible with marijuana? Does the person at the dispensary inquire if the person is currently taking any narcotics or other prescription drugs?
Is the dispensary person behind the counter educated enough to know there won't be any adverse or potentially deadly reactions to say a drug prescribed for liver disease or a blood thinner etc?
If someone does die from "mixing" deadly drugs who gets sued?
The dispensary?
The State of Oregon?
The doctor who prescribed the marijuana?
These dispensaries are in fact acting in the same capacity as a pharmacist with absolutely NO understanding or formal training necessary to identify or avoid any potential drug interactions.
Just thinking.
Let's push this one to the "liability" front burner. Thank You Ken Perkins!

College Voter Registration Bill Then Either Voter or Tuition Status is Fraud!!

SB1581-A : College Voter Registration bill. Huge focus on ONE segment of population. Program offers lots of pressure for college students to register. Many announcements, class time each term. Did you know 1/2 of Oregon College Students are from out of state? Shouldn't student tuition status match voter reg? If student tuition status is different than voter reg...then ...voter OR tuition status is fraud. Does voter reg program warn students of responsibility to check requirements? Penalty for fraud voting is Class C Felony=$10,000 fine. Penalty for non citizen voting equals deportation. Putting anyone between student and election office is potentially a problem. SB1525 and SB1581 will both be voted on on Wed AM in the Senate Both offer loop holes in voter registration inconsistent with the student's status, or just don't warn students of their responsibilities as voters. Call your Senator and tell them to vote NO!! These little lax laws make for a porous sieve of election fraud. Thank You Janice Dysinger!
timmcmenamin.com/page.php?t=blog&winht=774

Nanny of The Month Sponsored Bill To Ban E-Cigarettes Under Oregon's Clean Air Act!!

Nanny of The Month: Rep. Carolyn Tomei, chairwoman of the House human services committee, sent the bills to a work group that will study the issues. She was a sponsor of Rep. Phil Barnhart’s bill, which sought to expand Oregon’s Clean Air Act to include e-cigarettes.
www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20140213/NEWS/302...tours

Cover Oregon Oregon reaches 'transition agreement' with Oracle!!

Oracle Corp. delivered an ultimatum to the state of Oregon last week and it has paid off handsomely. After Oracle threatened to walk away from the state's health care exchange with the IT project still unfinished, the state agreed to pay $24 million to the company on Monday and will pay them another $19.9 million by Thursday. Oregon announced today it has reached a "transition agreement" with the company. Oracle agreed to continue to work on the exchange. In paying the $43.9 million to Oracle this week, the state is not giving up its right to go to court and try to recover that sum, said Cover Oregon spokesman Michael Cox. For that matter, the state is reserving its right to litigate over the entire sum billed by Oracle for its IT work, which has now reached a mind-boggling $160 million.
www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/03/cover_...river

12 ballot measures withdrawn Monday, March 3, 2014, according to the secretary of state's website!!

Our Oregon, a liberal group backed primarily by public-employee unions, has agreed to withdraw 10 proposed measures that would increase taxes on corporations and the wealthy. The group had said it would decide later which of the 10 to move forward with. Last month, Kitzhaber also brokered a compromise between hospitals and the union representing their workers. The Service Employees International Union had proposed ballot measures that would have capped pay for hospital executives, required a minimum amount of charity care and required them to publish pricing information online.
www.katu.com/politics/12-Oregon-ballot-measures-dr....html

Here's more on the deal that postponed Oregon becoming a Right to Work state!!

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Public employee unions and anti-union petitioners agreed Monday to a cease-fire on competing ballot measures, avoiding an expensive and bruising showdown between unions and business interests. The decision is a coup for Gov. John Kitzhaber, who has worked for more than a year to get business and labor interests to move past their acrimonious 2010 fight over two measures that raised taxes on corporations and the wealthy. He hopes to eventually broker a compromise that would have both sides support a wide-ranging tax-reform effort designed to reduce Oregon's heavy reliance on personal income taxes to fund schools and state government, but the ballot measures threatened to poison the waters. Our Oregon, a liberal group backed primarily by public-employee unions, has agreed to withdraw 10 proposed measures that would increase taxes on corporations and the wealthy. The group had said it would decide later which of the 10 to move forward with.
www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2014/03/union_b....html

Oregon Legislature's high-speed annual session draws fire!!

SALEM – Maybe it’s the influence of the recent Winter Olympics, but listening to the hallway chatter about Oregon’s annual legislative sessions is like channeling Nancy Kerrigan after her 1994 knee-whacking. Complaints about the additional even-year meeting have increased as the session winds down, with the overriding concern that the hurry-up schedule could cause bad legislation to slip through. "We've had entirely new policy concepts introduced," said Alan Tresidder, a veteran lobbyist with State Street Solutions. "If you look at the Voters’ Pamphlet statement and what was said about annual sessions, it wasn't any of this stuff. We're dealing with stuff all over the map." Tresidder isn’t the only one who has soured on what was supposed to be the Legislature’s big move toward greater relevance. Other lobbyists talk about the session as though it’s one big political rally for the upcoming election season. A Republican leader described it as "a political free-for-all" and said the compact timeline shortchanges Oregonians, especially those outside the Portland-Eugene corridor, on meaningful participation.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/oreg...rpt-1

Deadlines put squeeze on Oregon lawmakers to finish, despite hefty to-do list!!

SALEM -- With apologies to George Orwell, some deadlines are more equal than others, at least at the Oregon Legislature. By law, legislators must wrap up their 35-day session by Sunday, March 9, or find the supermajority of votes to extend it. But a more prominent deadline is making Republicans squirm and Democrats take notice. The annual Dorchester Conference, which attracts a big swath of GOP elected officials, kicks off Friday night and lasts through the weekend. With only days left, lawmakers are struggling with some hefty bills, ranging from the future of class action legal settlements in the state to regulation of medical marijuana shops. And there are still budgets to be balanced, and a decision on whether to authorize $200 million in bonds to expand cancer research at Oregon Health & Science University.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/dead...river

Cover Oregon enrolled thousands of undocumented immigrants in violation of federal law!!

Nearly 4,000 applicants for a state program that provides undocumented immigrants with pregnancy services were instead enrolled in full Oregon Health Plan coverage, contrary to federal law, thanks to problems with the Cover Oregon health insurance exchange. The pregnancy program goof, however, is just one of many little-known problems that Oregon Health Plan members, providers, care groups and state officials have wrestled with as Oregon’s system for enrolling people undergoes chaotic change.
www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/03/cover_....html

Gov. John"Don’t mention Cover Oregon” Kitzhaber!!

Gov. Kitzhaber sent out a press release on Thursday that makes it sound like he’s announcing some new great tax credits that provide"better coverage” and"affordable costs” for Oregonians purchasing health insurance.
What he was actually announcing was the government doing yet another special exception to make up for the myriad problems caused by his disastrous Cover Oregon roll out. The tax credits are ones Oregonians should already have been able to claim if Cover Oregon had been working.
oregoncatalyst.com/26668-gov-john-mention-cover-or....html

Forced Charity Isn’t Charity…It’s Just Force!!

When Phil and Penny Knight announced last September* that they would offer $500 million to OHSU for cancer research if the public matched their gift, it understandably led to an outpouring of positive comments and support. But then, OHSU wanted state taxpayers to come up with $200 million of the match through a building bond. That resulted in much less positive press and some outright criticism.
oregoncatalyst.com/26638-forced-charity-isnt-chari...alyst)

Subverting the will of the people!!

The Democrat controlled Oregon Legislature is seeking to re-write the ballot title already approved by the attorney general. This would be a FIRST in Oregon history! Although HB 4054 was carefully orchestrated to pass the House, you can still stop it from becoming law. Senate President, Peter Courtney (503-986-1600, sen.petercourtney@state.or.us), has the power to block HB 4054 in the Senate, and Governor Kitzhaber (503) 378-3111), has the power to veto the bill if it arrives on his desk.
www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/02/ballo....html