2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

Any legislative session comes at a huge hidden cost to state agencies, not just the Legislature.  I recently retired from a large state agency after 37 years. When the Legislature was in session, all energy and staff are focused on responding to Legislative questions, endless special interest bills most of which do not pass, dozens of hearings, meetings with interest groups, etc. Anything controversial got set aside until the session was over.  Any discussion on adding an annual session needs to come with a detailed financial statement from ALL state agencies.

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
view in context

In looking at the News Release today from Sen. Wyden's office (at his web site), apparently the bill requires logging (thinning) 80,000 -120,000 acres in each of 3 consecutive years.  There is no way the current system can handle that level of effort even if the lumber market was up.  What am I missing here?

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
view in context