For Immediate Release                                                        Contact Geoff Sugerman 503-986-1904

 

HOUSE DEMOCRATS REAFFIRM

LONG STANDING SUPPORT FOR

OSP 24-7 COVERAGE

 

SALEM -- Twice during his news conference early last week, House Majority Leader Dave Hunt said that funding for Oregon State Police remains a major priority for Oregon House Democrats in the 2008 supplemental session. Hunt said that House Democrats and their Senate colleagues “intend to give the OSP additional authority to get us to 24-7 coverage as quickly as possible.”

 

But that hasn’t stopped House Republican Leader Bruce Hanna and his staff from erroneously claiming in a press release last week that Hunt said House Democrats “wouldn’t fund more state troopers...” (Oregon House Republicans Press Release, 1/10/2008).

 

On two occasions during a news conference outlining Senate and House Democrats’ priorities for the 2008 session, Rep. Hunt clearly said as part of their priority agenda, House Democrats “intend to give the OSP additional authority to get us to 24-7 coverage as quickly as possible.”

 

Hunt went on to say during a question and answer period, “We are committed to in February coming back and adding some additional resources in a way that will actually help the department move closer to 24-7.”

 

State Rep. Jeff Barker (D-Aloha), a former police officer, said that for years under Republican control, the number of state troopers was consistently cut. When Republicans took control in 1991 there were 480 troopers. In 2005, the last session Republicans were in control of the Oregon House, the number of state troopers was down to 287, over the objections of House Democrats.

 

During the 2007 session, House Democrats took majority control over the House of Representatives, added back 100 state troopers and instructed the Oregon State Police to begin adding troopers as quickly as possible.

 

“This Republican attack is the most cynical kind of election year politics,” said Barker. “It’s true Republicans have talked about adding more troopers, but they haven’t walked the walk. House Democrats actually funded 100 troopers last session, and we’ll continue our efforts to get to 24-7 coverage as quickly as possible. I’m looking forward to have House Republicans work with us to find more funding for OSP.”

 

In another press release issued on January 11, House Republicans listed a chronology of funding for Oregon State Police, but it begins in 2006, conveniently leaving out the fact that troopers had been consistently cut under House Republican leadership for 16 years.

 

“This almost seems like a scene out of George Orwell’s 1984, where by issuing press release after press release they are seeking to revise the historical record,” said Majority Leader Hunt. “It’s one thing to have an honest debate over differences of opinion, but to claim I said something that isn’t even close to the truth is crossing the line of civil political discourse.

 

“We know it’s an election year and there will be plenty of posturing on both sides. But we owe it to Oregonians to refrain from these deceitful tactics. I am calling on Minority Leader Hanna to insist that his staff refrain from running their political campaigns through the House Minority Office.”