Dear Friends,

First, Thanks to all of you who commented on last week’s update and supported our “Main Street Initiative Program.”  I welcome and appreciate the feedback.  I want to clarify one concern that the “Main Street Initiative Program” would increase city and county revenues due to the increase property values and the employer and employee pay checks for the projects would add to the state’s revenue.  We hope that overall the tax credits would be off set by these additional revenues.

This week, I voted against two important bills.  First, I opposed HB 2157 A which disconnects Oregon from the federal tax code and eliminates state incentives for businesses to invest and re-invest during an economic recession.  This vote undermines President Obama’s economic stimulus plan and preemptively raises taxes on Oregon businesses.  HB 2157 increases the cost of doing business in Oregon.  The bill passed the House on a partisan vote of 36-23.

Second, I voted against the Oregon Legislative Stimulus bills (SB 5562 and SB 338) to borrow $175 million dollars. I spoke during the debate and stated that “this bill was a partisan bill with no input by the minority and is a lot of make work with your tax dollars.” I have posted a press release explaining my vote on our website, http://www.leg.state.or.us/whisnant/ in the News section.

These are the first of many difficult votes the 75^th Legislative Session will face.  I am being honest with you that the State of Oregon is in very bad fiscal shape.  Thus, I am very concerned about how many more tax increases, borrowing, and raid on reserve funds will come up in this Session. This Legislature has already borrowed and spent $175 million and passed two tax raising measures to extract almost $111 million more from Oregonians.  I do not want to be an alarmist; but based upon information from our leadership and staff; our 2007-2009 budget may be $800 million to $1.2 billion dollars short.  This will require a significant reduction in expenditures to balance the budget over the next 5 months.  Legislative and Executive leaders are hoping for a large Federal Stimulus Package to help offset our deficit.  The 2009-2011 budget which we are working on may be $2 billion shot of the “Essential Budget Level (EBL).”  The EBL is last year’s budget plus inflation and cost of living increases. 

As your representative in Salem, I will keep you posted on our financial situation and what is being done to help us sustain and recover from this recession.   

Sincerely,

Gene Whisnant

COMMITTEES

Judiciary

We worked many bills addressing a variety of Issues. This week’s issues were shareholder rights, sex offenders, DUI, husband-wife privileges of confidential communications, and protection of District Attorney, Deputy District Attorney, Attorney General, and designated assistant Attorney General personal information.  On Monday, the Oregon Chief Justice Paul J. De Muzin, testified on the need for more circuit court judge positions.

Ways and Means Education Subcommittee

We began reviewing agency budgets.  The State Library was the first agency we reviewed.  We received public hearings and testimony on their important services for our county libraries and with talking books and Braille services for our special need citizens.  We also received excellent presentations on the “Ready to Read” grants and the value of these programs to our children.  Also, we held public hearings and public testimony meetings on the Board of Psychology Examiners and the Board of Licensed Professional Counselors and Therapists.

BILLS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

HB 2559 was introduced by Representative Gilman (R-Medford) and it will repeal the requirement that gasoline has to have a 10% blend of ethanol by volume that was passed in 2007.  I have signed as a sponsor of this bill along with 18 Republican Representatives and 1 Democrat Senator, Vicki Walker.

HB 2619 for which I am chief sponsor would require Legislative Counsel, who drafts all of our Bills, to solicit bids for the job of printing our Oregon Revised Statutes every year. Our Revised Statutes are printed after the Legislative Session convenes. This bill would encourage Legislative Counsel to find Oregon companies that now have the ability to print the statutes, as to keep the work and jobs in Oregon.

SB 446 is bill that we co-sponsored with Senator Telfer (R-Bend) to expand the renewable energy requirements for Government buildings to include more than just solar energy. This would give more options when building a new facility to adhere to the renewable energy requirements.

The three military bills that we spoke of last week in our newsletter have received first readings in the House and are now in the Speaker of the House’s office awaiting referral to a committee. The first bill, HB 2510, will eliminate the 15 year time limit and one time use that a Veteran may use their preference points when applying for State employment. The next bill, HB2511, will create a program that deployed military Oregonians could use to vote electronically. The third, HJR 10, will designate March 2009 as American Legion month, as to honor their 90^th Birthday.

EVENTS/SPECIAL INTEREST ITEMS

We were visited by these Constituents and other Community members this week

Neighbor Impact and Head Start Program workers

            Betty Shuler, Director; Molly Herzig, Bend; Laura Beebe, La Pine; Sarah Anderson, Bend and Redmond; Melissa Romero-McBroom- La Pine

SEIU Constituents who work in our District

Renee Dockins, Redmond; Janet Ginther-Storer, Redmond; Patricia Miller, La Pine; Daniel Graff, La Pine

Bob Bryant, District Director from ODOT

Mike Craig, OEA Rep for Central Oregon from Madras

Dennis Dempsey, Superintendent of High Desert ESD, Nori Juba, Board Chair for Bend-La Pine School District, and Cathy Miller, Chair of Redmond School Board

Steve Murray Oregon Food Bank

Gary Fish, Deschutes Brewery and Craig Grim, Branch manager in Bend of Western Beverage Company

Jim Diegel, President and CEO of Cascade Healthcare Community, Inc. and Mike Bonetto, Director of Community Affairs at Cascade Healthcare Community

Larry Pederson, Press Pros in Bend

Please note that you can also listen to me on the Radio on KITC FM La Pine on Tuesday mornings to hear what is going on in Salem. And the Time has been changed to 7:30 from 7:15, so remember to tune into to the Dave and Tony Show on Tuesdays at 7:30 on KITC 106.5 FM!

Please feel free to contact my office on any issues you would like to be brought to our attention, or to give your opinion on any legislation that is before your State House right now. We want to hear from you and make sure we are doing what we can for you here in Salem.

Our office phone number is 503-986-1453; our email is rep.genewhisnant@state.or.us; our mailing address is 900 Court St NE H-471 Salem OR 97301.

You may also follow our House Floor Sessions and Committee meetings by going to http://oregonchannel.org/rams.htm