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legislatureHouse Rejects Attempt to Undermine Oregon Campaign Finance Reporting SystemOn Friday, June 17, the Oregon House of Representatives voted 54-5 to reject SB 270A, a bill to limit fines for failure to report campaign contributions and/or expenditures to $5,000 for all violations occurring in any month, regardless of the number of violations or the amount of money involved. More than 200 IPO members weighed in on the bill, with members in opposition outweighing the bill's supporters by a ratio of of 73%-13% with 14% neutral or of no opinion. The Independent Party was one of three organizations to publicly oppose the bill. We thank former Senator Rick Metsger for making his views known to House members on the eve of the vote. We also thank house members who spoke against the bill on the floor, (Bill Kennemer, Greg Matthews, Mary Nolan, Chris Harker, Brian Clem, Jeff Barker, and Carolyn Tomei) as well as Jefferson Smith and his staff. The initial vote was 40-19, but fourteen legislators -- Wingard, Lindsay, Cameron, Freeman, Hoyle, Holvey, Garrett, Hanna, Witt, Bailey, Roblan, Komp, Whisnant, and Cowan -- changed their votes from "yes to no" after the vote was tallied. Berger, Olson, Reid, Kotek, and Schaufler voted for the bill. The Secretary of State was neutral on the bill, which was being promoted by C&E Systems, a firm that acts as treasurer for many of the state's Democratic campaigns. "We really want to do something to help C&E systems deal with whatever legitimate policy complaint they may have, but this bill would tear a gaping hole in Oregon's campaign finance reporting system. It is something our members vigorously oppose," said Party Secretary, Sal Peralta. Oregonian Writes about House Rejection of SB 270A
Oregon House rejects bill that would cap penalties for campaign finance violations Kimberly Melton SALEM -- A bill easing fines for campaign finance violations was dealt a surprisingly harsh defeat in the Oregon House Friday after lawmakers worried they might get accused of sanctioning shady campaign practices. In the end, only five of the 60 members of the House voted in favor of Senate Bill 270, which would have put a $5,000-a-month cap on fines for failing to report contributions or expenditures properly. Fifty-four legislators opposed it. Measures typically don't go to the floor unless sponsors think they have the needed votes and several long-time legislators and lobbyists said they couldn't recall another bill defeated by such a lop-sided margin. The measure unanimously passed the Senate in early March, but it later attracted opposition from Portland lawyer Dan Meek, a longtime political activist who has tried to limit the flow of big donations to political campaigns. Read more ... Oregonian Writes about SB 270A -- Slashes Fines for Campaign Finance Reporting Violations
Oregon House will vote on capping fines for campaign finance violations Jeff Mapes SALEM -- Oregon legislators are nearing a final vote on a bill that could dramatically lower the potential penalties that lawmakers – and other political candidates -- face for violating campaign finance reporting laws. Senate Bill 270, which is nearing the last legislative step of passage on the House floor, would cap potential fines at $5,000 a month for any and all reporting violations. Under current law, each violation can be subject to a fine of as much as 10 percent of the dollar amount of the transaction, which could result in vastly larger penalties. Read more ... Governor Signs Bill Allowing PUC to Allow Utilities to Charge Ratepayers for Phony TaxesThe Governor has signed SB 967, which repeals SB 408 (2005), thus restoring the system that allowed regulated electric and gas utilities in Oregon to charge ratepayers over $1 billion for for phony "income taxes" that the utilities actually did not pay. SB 967 repeals the prohibition on utilities' charging ratepayers for "income taxes" that the utilities in fact do not pay. The Utility Reform Project, Independent Party of Oregon, Oregon Progressive Party, and many Oregon citizens asked the Governor to veto SB 967. Ask Governor to Veto SB 967Governor Kitzhaber has until Wednesday (tomorrow) to sign or veto SB 967, which abolishes ratepayer protection against phony income tax charges. David Cay Johnston, the Pulitzer Prize-winning financial writer for the New York Times, called this specific bill:
"the Warren Buffett and friends personal tax relief act" and
"the Tax Heists Enriching Financial Titans Act, or THEFT for short" SB 967 repeals a 2005 law (SB 408) that prohibits regulated utilities from charging ratepayers for federal, state, and local "income taxes" that in fact were not paid to any unit of government by the utility. Senator Vicki Walker (D Eugene), the primary sponsor of the 2005 law, stated at its enactment: For several years, the large electricity and gas utilities regulated by the Oregon Public Utility Commission have been charging to Oregon ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars for "state income taxes" and "federal income taxes" that in fact have not been paid to any government. Currently, the best available estimate of these charges to Oregon ratepayers is $150 million per year." Between 1998 and 2006, Portland General Electric (PGE) charged Oregon ratepayers over $750 million for such never-paid income taxes. The OPUC Commissioners fully supported these phony charges, and SB 967 allows this outrageous practice to resume.
Urge the Governor to Veto SB 967 -- Now
Say, "Please veto SB 967, the bill that allows utilities to charge ratepayers for phony taxes."
For additional information to include in your message, see the IPO Letter to Governor Kitzhaber and the Dan Meek Testimony to the Legislature. Willamette Week Article on Use of Campaign Funds for Bar Tabs, etc.
Perfectly Legal: How one lawmaker uses campaign money to subsidize his mortgage, pay his bar tabs and explore Canada. . . . State filings show, for instance, that since Jan. 1, 2009, Schaufler has charged his campaign nearly $6,000 for 91 separate visits to Magoo’s, a Salem bar. Over the same period, he’s charged his campaign $2,434 for 68 visits to another Salem bar called the Brick Bar & Broiler. “I’m surprised it’s only 91 visits to Magoo’s,” he says. “I meet with people all the time on legislative business. And when I do, it’s paid for by my PAC.” Since Jan. 1, 2009, his campaign paid for 58 nights at the Phoenix Grand Hotel, totaling $7,392. Schaufler says long Salem hours make commuting [from 50 miles away] difficult. “It’s just best to stay down there sometimes,” he says, adding that this session he’s saving money by renting an apartment—also with campaign money. When the Legislature is out of session, he “rents” a district office in his home for $400 a month. That put nearly $5,000 in his pocket last year, which is allowed provided he charges himself a fair market rate. Read more ... K Falls Herald & News calls for an end to legislative "sneak attacks".
Legislative process takes the low road in keeping secrets about bill sponsors Editors There's a lot of talk about transparency in Salem these days. People in state government are claiming to do their best to make it easier for voters to find out what their legislators, other officials and employees are up to. There are efforts to open up records and to make it easier for the public to find out how the money is spent. Some of the efforts actually seem be doing something. It sounds pretty good, until something like House Bill 2442 comes along. Read more ... Oregon Legislature to Hear Bill to Abolish Independent PartyOREGON – APR 11, 2011 -- On April 13, the House Rules Committee of the Oregon Legislature will consider a bill to abolish the Independent Party of Oregon (IPO). The bill bans using the word "independent" in the name of any political party, thus forcing the Independent Party to change its name by the end of the year or be disbanded. “The free speech and free association implications of this bill are stunning, particularly when you consider that no legislator has listed his or her name as a sponsor,” said Party Chair, Linda Williams. “This is a transparent partisan attempt by a handful of legislators to strangle the Independent Party of Oregon in its infancy." Richard Winger, the nation's leading expert on political parties and author of Ballot Access News said, "At no time in U.S. history in any state has any ballot-qualified political party been ordered to change its name." (Link to bill: http://www.leg.state.or.us/11reg/measpdf/hb2400.dir/hb2442.intro.pdf ) The Independent Party of Oregon was formed in response to legislation in 2005 that removed the word “independent” from the ballot and made it more difficult to run for public office as a non-affiliated candidate. The Independent Party has worked to bring some gravity back to the public interest center and to assemble a coalition of legislators who are willing to provide our members with a greater voice in the Oregon legislature. In 2010, the IPO became the first Oregon political party in more than 100 years to hold a primary election at our own expense. Our election was the largest nominating process ever held by an Oregon minor political party. Read more ... |
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