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Salem's Lot
YOUR
WEEKLY GUIDE TO THAT PACK OF BLOODSUCKERS
by
PATTY WENTZ
pwentz@wweek.com
gossip
* A look at this week's committee schedule reveals that
a lobbyist for the OCA has signed up to testify against
Senate Bill 227, which makes sexual assault of an animal
a crime. Has Lon Mabon finally gone off the deep end? Not necessarily.
In this case, OCA stands for the Oregon Cattlemen's Association.
But we're still not sure why this group opposes the measure (and
we're not asking!).
* Republican
John Scruggs lost a bid for the statehouse but has wound
up with virtually unlimited access to one of the state's most powerful
pols. Scruggs, a Portland cop who lost to Democrat Charlie Ringo,
was recently assigned to provide security for Portland Mayor Vera
Katz, the former Democratic House Speaker. So have the two talked
politics? "No comment," says Scruggs, with a smile. "Actually, she's
great. My only problem is keeping up with her."
* THIS JUST
IN! Associated Oregon Industries, on a mission to curb capital
gains taxes, commissioned an analysis of the impact of such a tax
cut. Amazingly, the report, authored by Bill Conerly, an
economist and chairman of the board of the Cascade Policy Institute,
confirms the business lobby's position that cutting taxes is good
for the state...in spite of an initial $217 million cut to state
coffers.
SWINGING FOR THE FENCES
In
December, it appeared that Portland Family Entertainment had derailed
supporters of Major League Baseball, who planned to lobby the legislature
for stadium money this session (see "Major League Maneuverings,"
WW, Dec. 27, 2000).
But lo and behold,
last Friday Rep. Bill Witt introduced House Bill 2941, which would
allocate up to $150 million of lottery money to construct a new
baseball stadium in Portland, provided that within four years boosters
come up with an owner and the balance of the cost of relocating
a franchise to Portland.
Financed primarily
by Portland money man Craig Byrd, advocates of big-league ball hired
lobbyists Dave Barrows, Larry Campbell, Alan Tressider and Marshall
Coba to drum up support for the legislation, which will get its
first hearing next week.
Although the
governor and some lawmakers remain skeptical about spending public
dollars on baseball, the lobbyists argue that the national pastime
will bring statewide economic benefits. So far the pitch is working.
They've won initial support from 17 senators and 36 representatives,
including House Speaker Mark Simmons.
The increased
possibility of lottery funding comes amid a whirlwind of local sports
business developments:
*Portland Family
Entertainment, which has clashed with Major League Baseball boosters,
will kick off AAA baseball April 30 at the renovated PGE Park (formerly
Civic Stadium).
*The Portland
Oregon Sports Authority last week polled locals about their interest
in bringing NHL hockey to Portland.
*City officials
continue to search for ways to revive the moribund Rose Quarter--which
MLB supporters have identified as the most likely stadium site.
Major League
boosters will hold a press conference in Salem Feb. 26 featuring
Randy Vataha, the former Stanford and NFL player hired to find an
owner for a Portland franchise. Vataha will undoubtedly tell legislators
he is highly confident that with the help of lottery financing,
he will produce that owner. For more information, go to www.oregonbaseballcampaign.com.
--Nigel
Jaquiss
quotable
"I've learned to recognize a steamroller when it's coming down the
road."
--Sen. Frank
Shields, regarding a bill (SB41), which will probably sail through
the Senate, that classifies elk as livestock so they can be raised
like cattle.
give
a damn
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first place to check every week to see what's happening on the issues
you care about.
ENVIRONMENT--We're
confused. We know that if fewer people drove gas-powered automobiles
we'd have cleaner air, less global warming and a reduced need to
drill in the Arctic. So why did the House pass a bill that, among
other things, doubles the registration fee for hybrid and electric
cars, to $60? House Bill 2133 is now sitting in the Senate waiting
for a hearing and, we trust, an amendment.
ADOPTION--The
Safe Haven bill, which provides a means for anonymous, safe and
legal abandonment of infants, is up before the Senate Judiciary
Committee on March 1. Proponents say SB199 provides frightened and
ill-equipped mothers with a reasonable alternative to dumping newborns.
Opponents say it's an unnecessary loophole in the state's new law
to open birth records to adult adoptees.
THRASHING--Not
only skaters are furious about Senate Bill 454, which would force
skate parks to allow BMX bikers and Rollerbladers onto the sacred
cement. Portland city commish Charlie Hales is gearing up to protect
his turf. The liberator of Portland's skateboarders does not fancy
the state telling the city how to program its parks.
CLEANING
UP THE WILLAMETTE RIVER--The bills are finally flowing. Rep.
Randy Leonard has two bills that will micromanage Ross Island, one
that mandates a 100-foot greenway and one that forces the city to
meet the deadline on reducing combined sewage overflow. Also, Oregon
Environmental Council, in cahoots with Willamette Riverkeeper and
OSPIRG, is unveiling a cleanup strategy this week that aims to drown
out Gov. John Kitzhaber's tepid efforts.
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