Tag STATE GOVERNMENT
After 28,000 registered Independents voted, the party’s candidate dropped out. Voters will not get a second chance.
SALEM — If you cast a ballot for the Independent Party of Oregon candidate in the governor’s race and now want to vote for someone else, you’re out of luck. Patrick Starnes announced Tuesday he was dropping out of the race and throwing his support…
Independent candidate backs Brown in surprise move
Gubernatorial candidate Patrick Starnes, of the Independent Party, has endorsed Gov. Kate Brown. (Paris Achen/Portland Tribune) Patrick Starnes, a Brownsville cabinetmaker who took the political stage to spotlight campaign finance reform and third-party inclusion, announced Tuesday that he was dropping out of the race and…
Oregon Health Authority seeks tax increase on alcohol, cigarettes
SALEM — State health officials say they want a substantial tax to drive down smoking and binge drinking. About 20 percent of Oregonians smoke, exceeding the national average and increasing their risk for strokes, lung cancer and heart disease. It’s the state’s highest cause of…
Brown’s administration wins bid to keep state records secret – for now
The Oregon Court of Appeals late Friday granted a request by state officials to keep secret for now the details about proposed legislation, acting just minutes before the state was due to publicly disclose the records. An attorney pressing for disclosure said Gov. Kate Brown…
Elections officials report dip in early voting
Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess shows the different ballot styles in Marion County. (Claire Withycombe/East Oregonian) Voters are turning ballots in more slowly than the last time Oregon elected a governor, according to the state Elections Division, as big money continues to flow to the…
Peer mentoring program helps prepare Oregon’s incarcerated youth for life on the outside
Josefina, 22, is one of seven graduates in Oregon Youth Authority’s peer mentoring pilot program. The program gives her state certification and gives her the opportunity to mentor other youth while incarcerated. (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) Editor’s note: Youth in this story are identified by their…
After public backlash, Gov. Brown orders the state to release school performance ratings
Gov. Kate Brown, embroiled in a sudden political firestorm, on Wednesday directed her state education administrators to immediately release school performance data they intended to withhold until after the election. The state Department of Education had provided what are generally known as “school report cards”…
State agency chases nearly $800 million in new taxes on alcohol, tobacco
SALEM —Oregonians could see significant increases in alcohol and tobacco prices if a state agency succeeds in raising millions from consumers in the next two years. The Oregon Health Authority is considering seeking $784 million in new tax money for the 2019-2021 state budget cycle.…
Oregon gubernatorial candidates continue to get — and spend — millions. Will their dollars sway voters?
Rep. Knute Buehler and Gov. Kate Brown face off in the first of three gubernatorial debates in Portland on Oct. 2 (Jaime Valdez/Portland Tribune) Two weeks from election day, a spending frenzy continues in the race to be Oregon’s governor. Gov. Kate Brown and state Rep. Knute Buehler have combined…