Category Government
For an elite Capitol audience, she reads – and reads and reads and reads
Lacy Ramirez Gruss, center, a reading clerk in the House, speaks to State Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, and Chief Clerk Tim Sekarak, on Thursday. (Oregon Capital Bureau/Claire Withycombe) SALEM —Lacy Ramirez Gruss did vocal exercises, stretched, pulled her hair back, and slipped on some comfortable shoes. She…
City Club hosts inside look at Oregon Legislature from reporters
You’ve been reading the headlines out of the Capitol, and now you can hear the story behind the stories. Aubrey Wieber, covering the Legislature for Salem Reporter as part of the Oregon Capital Bureau, shares his insights this Friday in a program before the Salem…
Student Success Act passes House on party-line vote
Lawmakers talk with each other and fiddle with their phones and computers during the long hearing, stretching past 5 p.m. (Claire Withycombe/EO Media Group) The Student Success Act, a tax bill to pay for ambitious education reforms, passed the Oregon House Wednesday. Hours of debate…
Business community fractures over support of business tax
SALEM — The state’s largest business organization made a stunning pivot Monday night in pulling its opposition to the largest tax proposal in front of the 2019 Legislature. Oregon Business & Industry is now “neutral” on a business tax that would fund massive reform to…
Salem Urban Renewal Agency acquires downtown land, Saffron Supply Co. property
The Saffron Supply Co. building, which the city of Salem officially acquired March 29. The retailer has operated out of the building since 1935. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) A future where the current Saffron Supply Co. and Union Gospel Mission buildings are rebuilt into mixed-use buildings…
Democrats’ tax proposals gaining steam
Sen. Mark Hass, D-Beaverton, was one of the top architects behind a proposal that would bolster education funding by $1 billion per year. (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) SALEM — Seeking money to pay for an ambitious agenda, Democrats in the Oregon Legislature are proposing to raise…
Federal judge sides with Oregon in imposing national injunction against Trump administration rule change
From left to right, Gov. Kate Brown, Planned Parenthood of southwestern Oregon CEO Lisa Gardner and Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum hold a news conference about Judge Michael McShane’s order granting their injunction against a federal rule change to Title X funding. (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) SALEM…
Plastic bag, foam take-out container bans pass House
SALEM — Plastic grocery bags and Styrofoam takeout containers may become a thing of the past in Oregon. The Oregon House voted 32-28 on Tuesday, April 23, to prohibit retailers and restaurants from serving food to customers in polystyrene containers, and 42-18 on Thursday, April…
Measure 11 reform bill to bring about the release of Kip Kinkel? Legislative lawyers say no
A bill that would amend Measure 11, Oregon’s mandatory sentencing law, and how it relates to juveniles flew relatively under the radar for a month and a half. Then it passed the Senate on April 16 with a two-thirds majority. Suddenly, it became the fodder…