The High Cost of Liberalism

Portland’s SoloPower Systems has missed another monthly payment on a $10 million public loan that’s been in arrears since February. A state Energy Department spokesperson confirmed Monday the agency had not received $119,000, as required, for June. SoloPower had some cash — it wired $124,950 to the state in late May — but is now behind by a total of $238,000. State officials in charge of the loan have said they are hopeful SoloPower will soon bring the loan current. Company executives, though, have declined to comment on financials."It received millions of dollars in state and local tax breaks and subsidies to start up. Yet it closed in mid-2013, months after turning on its first production line. Documents show executives sought upwards of $50 million to turn the factory back on. Oregon is dominated by the Democrat Party which in turn is dominated by Portland’s uber liberal faction. One wonders where Oregon might be today if Oregon’s liberals had focused on the real problems of Oregon – high unemployment, deteriorating roads and infrastructure, declining academic achievement in the public schools, and an ailing economy drifting towards tourism and away from production. In Portland those who vote do not necessarily pay for the waste. And increasingly in Oregon, the same can be said to be true.
oregoncatalyst.com/27741-high-cost-liberalism.html...alyst)

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