Supreme Court Rules Steve Novick Can Keep His Job

The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling this morning (with a surprise cameo from a tax-happy John Roberts!) upholds the Obama administration's health care reforms.

It also means City Commissioner-elect Steve Novick still has a job through January.

Novick easily won his Portland City Council primary race against six little-known opponents in May. But until he takes office, he's employed as an analyst for the Oregon Health Authority—where he helps the state of Oregon prepare to spend figure out who's eligible for the $5 billion in federal dollars expected to start flowing into the state's Medicaid program in 2014.

That money will fund the Oregon Health Plan, the Gov. John Kitzhaber-crafted health benefits system that in 2009 made 80,000 low-income children eligible for state-funded heath care.

Had the Supremes ruled the other way, that federal funding would have been imperiled. 

So score one for the children—and the Novick.

Novick declined comment, except to confirm that his job security is now shored up through January. "I think that would be safe to say," he said.

WWeek 2015