logo
Oregon Transportation Commission: How to best address ‘speedbumps' in transportation revenue

Oregon Transportation Commission: How to best address ‘speedbumps' in transportation revenue

Yahoo18-05-2025

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — When it comes to setting transportation policy in Oregon, that responsibility falls to the Oregon Transportation Commission, which oversees ODOT.
Currently, the Oregon legislature is considering what's called the Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package (TRIP), that seeks to raise $1.9 billion in the next biennium. This could include higher fees and new taxes.
Lee Beyer is the Vice-Chair of the Oregon Transportation Commission, and a former longtime state legislator.
He joined Eye on Northwest Politics form his home in Springfield to touch on what will need to happen to get things moving again.
Watch the full interview in the video above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Bill shielding Oregonians from utility rate increases by Big Tech heads to Kotek
Bill shielding Oregonians from utility rate increases by Big Tech heads to Kotek

Yahoo

time17 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Bill shielding Oregonians from utility rate increases by Big Tech heads to Kotek

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bill passed the Oregon legislature on Thursday, aiming to shield Oregonians from taking on increased utility rates from Big Tech facilities in the state. House Bill 3546, known as the Protecting Oregonians With Energy Responsibility (POWER) Act, would hold companies behind facilities such as data centers or cryptocurrency operations, responsible for their own utility bills, If signed into law, the bill would create a separate pricing system for energy users who demand more than 20 megawatts, or roughly the same usage as a small city, according to the Democratic Majority Office. Tillamook opens first owned-and-operated facility outside of Oregon 'Data centers play an important role in our growing technology needs in the United States, and they need to pay their fair share for infrastructure required to meet their energy needs, rather than passing the costs on to residential ratepayers,' said Senator Janeen Sollman (D – Hillsboro, Forest Grove & Rock Creek), a chief sponsor of the bill. 'Large energy users have the potential to place significant strain on the grid, especially in regions where energy capacity is already stretched thin.' 'The cost to serve certain large energy users is spilling on to other ratepayers,' added Rep. Pam Marsh (D – Southern Jackson County), a chief sponsor of the bill in the House of Representatives. 'This bill will help state regulators assign these high costs to the data centers and crypto mining entities that are consuming the energy.' The Democratic lawmakers note that industrial users currently pay about eight cents a kilowatt hour while households are charged more than double the rate at 19.6 cents per kilowatt hour. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'The bill helps protect everyday users, like families and small businesses, from paying the costs that big businesses are running up,' said Sen. Deb Patterson (D – Salem), who co-sponsored the POWER Act. 'Household budgets are stretched far enough as they are. They shouldn't be covering corporate costs, too.' The POWER Act passed the Senate in an 18-12 vote on Tuesday, with the Oregon House of Representatives concurring for the bill's final passage on June 5. The bill now heads to Oregon Governor Tina Kotek's desk for signature. When the bill was introduced in the House, Rep. David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) raised concerns that the bill would discourage tech companies from growing their presence in Oregon. Drug trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prison after largest meth bust in Oregon history In his letter – which was supported by industry advocates such as the Data Center Coalition along with unions IBEW 48, IBEW 280 and UA 290 – Brock Smith said, 'data centers strengthen grid reliability through infrastructure investments and help stabilize residential electricity rates by providing consistent demand. The current proposed legislation, with its misaligned regulations, threatened these widespread community benefits and could discourage future development that supports our digital economy.' The bill comes as large technology companies are facing two growing demands to raise their energy supply for artificial intelligence and data centers, while meeting long-term goals of cutting greenhouse gas emissions, as reported by the Associated Press. AI uses 'vast amounts of energy,' said, noting a 2024 report from the United States Department of Energy estimated that the electricity needed for data centers in the U.S. tripled in the last decade and is anticipated to double or triple again in 2028, when tech companies could consumer 12% of the nation's energy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Wilsonville woman admits to stealing $211K from employee health benefit trust account
Wilsonville woman admits to stealing $211K from employee health benefit trust account

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Wilsonville woman admits to stealing $211K from employee health benefit trust account

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The former chief financial officer of has pleaded guilty to stealing money from the organization's health benefit trust account. Pamela J. Kahut, 67, previously had access to the account which was used to pay benefits to the organization's employees. Investigators found that she stole roughly $211,083 from the account between October 2014 and September 2020. Oregon lawmakers hold hearing on Medicaid cuts under Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' Officials found that Kahut used the funds to pay for her spouse's premiums for the insurance program along with her pension loans and credit card bills. On Sept. 21, 2020, she wrote a check for $2,812. The guilty plea is punishable with up to 10 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She may also face a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount of money that resulted from the theft. Her sentencing is set for Sept. 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Crater Lake superintendent steps down amid staffing cuts under Trump admin
Crater Lake superintendent steps down amid staffing cuts under Trump admin

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Crater Lake superintendent steps down amid staffing cuts under Trump admin

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The superintendent of Crater Lake National Park announced his decision to resign from the post — citing concerns over staffing shortages after the Trump administration's efforts to slash the federal workforce. Sixty-four-year-old Kevin Heatley took on the superintendent role in January, he explained in an interview with the Washington Post, published Monday. But less than five months later, Heatley accepted a buyout offer from the administration to leave the position. 'It is really not an easy decision and not something I take lightly to walk away from Crater Lake,' Heatley told the Washington Post. 'But I'm tired of waking up at 3 in the morning and not being able to fall back asleep because I'm concerned about how I'm going to navigate the latest staffing communiqué.'Heatley explained that staffing shortages have persisted for years at Crater Lake National Park, but issues have intensified since President Donald Trump took office and implemented a federal hiring freeze, even though some seasonal workers were later exempted from the freeze. The former superintendent noted that low staffing almost led Crater Lake to cancel its annual cycling event, Ride the Rim, but at the last minute, regional travel bureau Discover Klamath offered 40 volunteers for the event. 'That's not a sustainable model for running an organization — or a park,' Heatley told the Washington Post. Retired football star Jason Kelce gives shoutout to 'incredible' Oregon restaurant In the meantime, Heatley told the Post, 'I'll still stay involved in natural resources,' adding, 'And I'll continue to support Crater Lake however I can, even if it's just as a volunteer.' Heatley's resignation comes after Interior Secretary Doug Bergum directed national parks in early April to 'remain open and accessible,' as reported by the Associated Press. Park advocates, on the other hand, questioned how parks could comply with the directive after workforce reduction efforts under the Trump administration. The AP reported in April that the park service has lost around 1,500 permanent employees since the beginning of 2025, noting the Trump administration initially restored 50 positions and hired some seasonal workers 'following an uproar over an aggressive plan to downsize the agency.' Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now According to AP, more workers were offered their jobs back in March, following a judge's order, but some workers decided to leave their government jobs, and others were placed on administrative leave. In a statement to KOIN 6 News on Friday, a National Park Service spokesperson said, 'We are working closely with the Office of Personnel Management to ensure a prioritization of fiscal responsibility for the American people. While we do not comment on internal personnel matters, we remain committed to ensuring the continued success of Crater Lake National Park and to providing a world-class experience for all visitors. Our focus remains on protecting our public lands, supporting our staff, and upholding the mission of the National Park Service. A transition plan is in place, and we are confident in the team's ability to maintain high standards of stewardship and service during this period.' As reported by the Washington Post, Interior Secretary Bergum previously reassured Congress that national parks are adequately staffed. Tillamook opens first owned-and-operated facility outside of Oregon However, the Park Service's workforce has seen a sharp decline since Trump's inauguration, the Post said, citing internal Interior Department data from advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association. On May 21, in the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on interior, environment and related agencies, stating that around 26,500 people work in the park system. However, as of May 13, the Park Service employed 18,066 employees, the Washington Post reports. The staffing level marks a near-16.5% decrease in Park Service staff since fiscal year 2023, the Washington Post reported, noting the decrease includes staff who accepted buyout offers, deferred resignations, early retirements and fired probationary workers who chose not to return after a judge reinstated their positions. A spokesperson for Crater Lake National Park told KOIN 6 News they cannot comment on personnel matters, noting Deputy Superintendent Sean Denniston — who has been with Crater Lake since 2015 — is now in charge of the park. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store