Alex Baumhardt - Oregon Capital Chronicle
Alex Baumhardt has been a national radio producer focusing on education for American Public Media since 2017. She has reported from the Arctic to the Antarctic for national and international media, and from Minnesota and Oregon for The Washington Post. She previously worked in Iceland and Qatar and was a Fulbright scholar in Spain where she earned a master's degree in digital media. She's been a kayaking guide in Alaska, farmed on four continents and worked the night shift at several bakeries to support her reporting along the way.
Two Republican senators attempt to kill bipartisan proposal to raise lodging tax for wildlife
Raising the state hotel tax by 1.25 percentage points could send millions to the Fish and Wildlife Department, but the Republican senators say it will hurt the tourism industry.
Transportation package clears committee hurdle, goes to Oregon House for Friday vote
It’s been a bumpy road for the now $11.7 billion Transportation Reinvestment Package that moves closer to passage in the last days of the 2025 legislative session.
Lawmakers, Secretary of State back delaying 2024 Oregon campaign finance law from taking effect
An unremarkable, technical fix bill could be used to delay the state’s 2024 campaign finance law limiting contributions and requiring more disclosure from donors.
Oregon moves closer to law requiring carbon neutral public retirement plan
House Bill 2081 codifies into law Treasury’s Net-Zero plan, which would effectively make Oregon's public pension holdings carbon neutral by 2050.
Oregon senators agree to cut $45 million in funding for early childhood programs
The $1.4 billion budget approved by senators on Monday is 3% less than current levels and could lead to job losses and preschool closures, advocates say.
Kotek proposes using $160 million from ‘rainy day fund’ for wildfires
The governor wants to tap Oregon's savings account to cover expected wildfire costs over the next two years, saying lawmakers likely don't have the votes needed to dig into the "kicker" refund.
In new proposal, 60% of kicker would go to wildfire, rest to Oregonians making less than $95k
Gov. Tina Kotek has signaled her support for potentially using some of the kicker or other one-time funding to invest in wildfire work across the state.
Penalty triples for former head of Oregon’s Liquor and Cannabis Commission over bourbon scandal
The former head of Oregon’s Liquor and Cannabis Commission will pay a $1,500 fine for using his state position to divert and obtain rare bourbon for himself. In a 7-1 vote Friday, eight of the nine present members of Oregon’s…
Trump withdraws from historic Columbia River deal with tribes, Northwest states
In an order issued Thursday, Trump said he would withdraw the U.S. from a 2023 deal made with tribes and environmentalists to end lawsuits over fish losses.
Environment, social justice groups withdraw support for governor’s key groundwater protection bill
A last-minute amendment neutralizes the power of a bill updating groundwater pollution regulations advocacy groups said.