Latest news with #Gorsek
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon state senator resigns from committee after ‘aggressive outbursts'
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon State Senator Chris Gorsek (D-Gresham) resigned from his joint transportation committee seat on Monday after House Republicans accused him of 'aggressive outbursts,' and called for his resignation. 'To allow for the committee's focus to remain on completing the Oregon Transportation Reinvestment Package this session, I have offered my resignation from the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment effective immediately,' Sen. Gorsek announced Monday. 'I support the compromise that's being offered from the House, and I look forward to voting in support of it on the Senate floor.' The resignation stems from Friday's Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment work session. There, lawmakers were considering , which would audit the Oregon Department of Transportation as lawmakers consider a major transportation investment package. US Department of Justice sues Washington over 'anti-Catholic' law During the work session, House Republicans said Co-Vice Chair Representative Shelly Boshart Davis (R-Albany) was 'singled out and aggressively shouted down on multiple occasions,' by Gorsek. 'It's really, disappointing at this point that, everybody from Co-Chair McLane, all the way up to the presiding officers at this point have not issued any sort of apology or taken responsibility for it,' Boshart Davis said. As lawmakers made final comments before a vote on the bill, Rep. Boshart Davis explained, 'I want to state that we are looking at the largest tax increase in Oregon's history,' she said in opposition of the bill, raising concerns that the public has not had enough time to weigh in on the legislation. 'We received the revenue impact when we had eight hours of public hearings on the -12 (amendment) or the base bill, the public didn't know that it costs $15 billion over the next 10 years. They may have said something different if they knew it had been the largest tax hike in Oregon's history. And so, since we've known that realization, the public has not had the opportunity to weigh in. What we do know from the public though, is their online testimony and it currently sits at opposition 2:1,' Boshart Davis said, in part. 'We're left with a $15 billion tax increase, with a few days left in session with a really bad process. When we talk about being grossly irresponsible, that's what this is. I will be a no on this,' Boshart Davis said before Gorsek interrupted. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'Excuse me,' Gorsek said. 'You are impugning all of us that have worked on that bill, so stop with that.' 'You made your point, representative,' Gorsek added with a raised voice. At that point, Commitee Co-Chair Rep. Susan McLain (D-Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro) tried to stop the two from arguing, saying, 'you guys, that's it,' suggesting the lawmakers discuss their differences outside of the session. Portland bar hosts 'In Bed By 10' happy hour DJ parties On Monday, House Republicans called for Gorsek to be censured and demanded Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) remove Gorsek from his committee assignments. 'Today House Republicans stand united with our colleague, Representative Boshart Davis, who was the target of Senator Gorsek's repeated aggressive outbursts in committee last week. Prior to Representative Boshart Davis's comments, multiple men on the committee spoke in opposition to HB 2025, but Senator Gorsek's out-of-control shouting and aggressive behavior was directed solely towards Representative Boshart Davis,' House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) said. 'Senator Gorsek has a documented pattern of bullying, harassing, and intimidating female legislators who speak up and express opinions that differ from his. This behavior is not only abusive, it weakens our democratic institutions and has no place in our Capitol,' the Republican House leader added. 'Senate President Rob Wagner's shameful silence, failure to respond, and inaction has engendered a culture of intimidation and misogyny—both on the dais and off.' USA Today names 'uniquely satisfying' Portland donut shop among the best in the U.S. 'Senator Gorsek's actions must not be ignored. I call on Senate President Wagner to stand with us to demand personal responsibility and accountability for the harm Senator Gorsek's repeated behavior has caused to this institution. Senator Wagner must use his power to address this issue immediately,' Drazan concluded. In addition to the calls to censure and remove Gorsek from his committees, House Republicans demanded a building-wide notification when Gorsek was expected to be in the Capitol, mandated workplace harassment and anger management training and demanded a formal apology. After Friday's work session, Boshart Davis filed a formal complaint against Gorsek for violating the Legislative Branch Personnel Rule 2: Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplace. In response to Gorsek's actions, seven House Republicans boycotted Monday's legislative session: Reps. Court Boice (R-Gold Beach), Virgle Osborne (R-Roseburg), Dwayne Yunker (R-Grants Pass), Alek Skarlatos (R-Canyonville), Boomer Wright (R-Coos Bay), Darin Harbick (R-Eastern Lane County), and Ed Diehl (R-Stayton). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Oregon Democrats advance transportation bill during contentious meeting
(This story has been updated with new information.) The Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment amended a multi-billion-dollar transportation bill on June 20 and voted along party lines, 7 to 5, during a contentious meeting to send the measure to the full House, eight days before the 2025 Legislature must adjourn. An updated revenue analysis for House Bill 2025 estimates it will raise $14.5 billion over the next 10 years through new and increased taxes and fees. Oregon's current 40-cent-per-gallon gas tax would climb to 50 cents starting January 1, 2026, and then to 55 cents per gallon beginning January 1, 2028. The gas tax would be tied to inflation after 2029. HB 2025, as amended by the committee, also would increase the vehicle privilege tax that car dealers pay from 0.5% to 1%. Half of the vehicle privilege tax would be directed to the Railroad Fund, which funds programs or projects to support public transportation by rail. The other half would continue to fund zero-emission vehicle rebates and the Connect Oregon Fund, which funds grants for aviation, rail and marine projects. The committee, which had twice been canceled during the week, started nearly 90 minutes late as lawmakers waited for additional documents from the Legislative Fiscal Office. Just after the meeting was scheduled to begin, Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, bounced a Democrat from the committee who had pledged to vote against the bill. And at one point, co-chair Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Gresham, yelled at Rep. Shelly Boshart-Davis. R-Albany, after she referred to the bill as "grossly irresponsible." "You are impugning all of us that have worked on that bill, so stop with that," Gorsek said, interrupting her. Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove, another co-chair, stopped the exchange. Boshart-Davis later said she would file a formal complaint against Gorsek, saying it was "wholly inappropriate by a member of this body and by somebody in a position of power." Other changes the bill would make to fund Oregon's transportation system include: Implement a new road usage charge for electric and fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as delivery fleets with 10 or more vehicles. The charge would be the equivalent of a per-mile rate of 5% of the gas tax, or an annual flat fee of $340. Delivery vehicles would pay a rate of 10% of the gas tax. Drivers of such vehicles would be exempt from paying increased registration fees and would Simplify the weight-mile tax tables for heavy trucks. Increase the employee payroll tax from 0.1% to 0.18% on Jan. 1, 2026; to 0.25% in 2028, and 0.3% by 2030. Create a new tax on the transfer of a new or used vehicle sold for more than $26,000. The tax would be 2% of the sales price for new vehicles or 1% for used cars. ODOT has stated it would need to eliminate approximately 1,000 jobs, nearly 20% of its maintenance stations and reduce services without additional funding. "This package strikes a balance after a years-long process, including a statewide tour and public hearings that brought real concerns — and real solutions — to the table," said McLain in a statement. 'The result is a strong bill that supports rural and urban Oregon, honors past commitments, and begins to fix the way we fund our roads and bridges in a changing world.' Sen. Khanh Phạm, D-Portland, said Oregon has been disinvesting in its roads for decades. That disinvestment is visible in the road system daily with potholes on streets, weight-limited bridges, and "exploding" traffic fatalities. She said she recognized the bill was a "major investment" and that it was her responsibility and the responsibility of legislators to pass the bill. "For that reason, I am unapologetic about the need for investing in our roads, for the health of our communities and the health of our economies," Phạm said. Gorsek also celebrated the vote, saying the bill's investments mean "potholes can be fixed, roads can be plowed, bridges can be stabilized, and drivers and pedestrians can get around more safely.' Minutes after the committee was scheduled to begin, Wagner's office sent a memo saying he had removed Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, from the committee and had appointed himself to fill the vacancy. "Effective immediately, pursuant to Senate Rule 8.05, I am making the following committee appointments for the 2025 Session," reads the June 20 memo sent at 2:42 p.m. The committee had been scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Meek told the committee on June 17 that he would vote no on advancing the major transportation bill out of committee because he was frustrated that he and other committee members had not had time to read and research amendments to the multibillion-dollar transportation bill. "I don't see how anybody can expect us to vote on this tomorrow or the day after based on everything that was presented and the time we have to digest this and even to amend it or correct it and make sure it is accomplishing what we are looking at," Meek said on June 17. The committee discussed several proposed changes to House Bill 2025 since its release on June 9. Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth, also indicated he would vote no on moving any package forward, but he declared his support on June 20. Republicans have panned the transportation package since Democrats first unveiled a framework for the bill in April. They suggested making various cuts to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Amendments from House Republican Leader Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, and Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, were not adopted. Two former Republican lawmakers have raised $193,400 as of June 19 for an effort to refer the bill to voters. Meek remained on the dais throughout the delayed start of the committee and through the work session. "It looks like the president isn't willing to reconsider policy options, instead he's going to remove me from the committee so that they can vote it through," Meek said in a text to the Statesman Journal. He did not immediately respond to additional questions. During the meeting, he said he found out on his way to the committee that he was being removed. "I was removed from this committee because of my opposition to this bill and my opposition to the process," Meek said. He said HB 2025 was "fundamentally flawed" and unaffordable and he would be a no vote on the Senate floor in its current form. Wagner's office did not immediately respond. During the committee meeting, Wagner stated that the committee had done "phenomenal work" despite "legitimate disagreements" over policy. Oregon Republicans decried the announcement on social media. Republicans also condemned the increased taxes and fees after updated revenue figures were released. 'By taxing and raising costs on literally everything, Salem Democrats have extended their disdain for businesses to everyday Oregonians and their families,' Boshart Davis, who serves as vice chair of the joint committee, said in a June 19 statement. Boshart Davis repeatedly stated during the work session that she believes the public did not have enough time to weigh in on the updated estimates. 'This bill is so out of touch and exactly what you get when you scheme in the basement of the Capitol instead of listening to real Oregonians who tell us every day that the cost of living is their biggest challenge," she said. Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, said he had been "kind of excited" about the opportunity to work collaboratively on the bill but that the negotiation process broke down. "Here we are today," Starr said. "The size of this tax increase could easily, and I believe will, have a negative impact on our economy." Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@ or on X @DianneLugo This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon Democrats advance $14.5 billion transportation package
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Oregon lawmakers look to reshape cap-and-trade program to pay for transportation needs
Traffic sometimes flows on Interstate 5 in Portland but is often bunched up around the Rose Quarter. (Oregon Department of Transportation/Flickr) This is a developing story and will be updated. As Oregon lawmakers scrounge for ways to pay for hundreds of millions in transportation needs, they've dug up a new twist on an old plan: allowing polluters to buy and trade carbon credits. In a memo to House and Senate caucus leaders on Thursday, transportation committee co-chairs Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale and Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove, said they were discussing replacing Oregon's Climate Protection Program with a new market-based emissions reduction program linked to other West Coast states. Gorsek and McLain said in a statement that they were making 'significant progress' toward a plan to keep the state's roads and bridges safe. 'Members of both parties are working together to develop a proposal that will address the issues we have been focused on all along: safety, maintenance and long-term sustainability,' the statement continued. 'We've gotten to this point after years of hard work and engagement from hundreds of stakeholders and Oregonians from every corner of the state. Conversations are ongoing and we will have more details to release in the coming weeks.' Their memo comes a day after most House and Senate Republicans announced their support for an opposing plan that would cut funding for bike and pedestrian safety and public transit to provide more funding for roads and bridges. Not included in the Republican plan were four Republicans who have worked with Democrats to hash out details: Reps. Jeff Helfrich of Hood River and Kevin Mannix of Salem, and Sens. Bruce Starr of Dundee and Suzanne Weber of Tillamook, the Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Republican support, especially in the House, could be crucial to passing any transportation package this session. Democrats started the session with 36 House members, enough to hike taxes or pass new ones without Republican support, but they're temporarily down to 35 after Courtney Neron Misslin, D-Wilsonville, was appointed to the Senate to fill a vacancy. Her replacement won't be selected until June 6. Another Democratic representative, Hòa Nguyễn of Portland, has been away from the Capitol since early February while undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer. Gorsek and McLain provided few details in their two-page memo to lawmakers, but draft language is expected in the coming days. The Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment, which they co-chair, will hold its first meeting on Tuesday. The cap-and-trade portion of the plan is surprising in Oregon, where Republicans tanked similar proposals in 2019 and 2020 by walking out and denying quorum. Then-Gov. Kate Brown eventually issued an executive order launching the Climate Protection Program. Lawmakers plan to establish a workgroup to create a new program that would eventually replace the Climate Protection Program. Gorsek and McLain's memo said they envision dedicating credits generated by gas and diesel polluters toward the state highway fund, with other credits used for wildfire mitigation, community-based nonprofits and transit programs. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Oregon Democrats unveil $1.9 billion transportation funding plan
A woman walks a bike along Oregon Highway 99 in an undated photo. The Oregon Transportation Commission voted this week to spend $50 million to make state highways like this one more accessible to people walking or riding bikes. (Oregon Department of Transportation) This is a developing story and will be updated. Oregonians would pay more at the pump, higher fees when they buy a car or bike and see more money deducted from their paychecks to pay for transit under a wide-ranging plan released Thursday by Democratic lawmakers for filling a transportation deficit. The framework that Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutdale, and Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove, released is the result of nearly two years of meetings and a statewide tour to hear about transportation needs. It comes as state and local transportation departments struggle to pay for basic maintenance like potholes and snowplows, let alone finish some major projects like the Rose Quarter highway improvement and Abernethy Bridge replacement in the Portland area. McLain and Gorsek's plan, shared early with the Capital Chronicle under the condition that the publication not seek comments from anyone else before 3 p.m. Thursday, aims to raise at least $1.9 billion in additional revenue per two-year budget cycle for the State Highway Fund, Oregon's main source of transportation funding, by the time a 20-cent gas tax increase is fully phased in, in 2032. Much of that increased funding would come through increases to the gas tax, vehicle title and registration fees and the weight-mile tax paid by truckers. Oregonians would also see more money deducted from their paychecks under an existing payroll tax to pay for transit, and all electric vehicles would gradually be enrolled in a now-voluntary road usage charge program meant to replicate what their drivers would pay for gas-powered cars. 'It's a big picture thing where we're resetting everything,' Gorsek said. 'But we're not going to say to the public, 'OK, we're going to fix the gas tax today, and it's going to go through the roof, or we're going to do EVs, and it's going to be through the roof right away.' The idea is to work these things into something that can keep us from getting where we are now in the future.' 'Where we are now' is a funding crisis years in the making, as gas tax revenues decline, inflation hikes construction costs and the state and local governments split transportation funding. The Oregon Department of Transportation predicted an immediate deficit of more than $350 million, with warnings that it may need to lay off nearly 1,000 employees. Without legislative action, the agency has warned, it will take longer to plow roads, open and close highways during fire season and fix potholes. The transportation co-chairs' proposed fix comes as Oregonians deal with higher prices on all kinds of goods and anticipate increased costs due to President Donald Trump's tariffs, the highest tax on foreign goods in generations. 'We're very conscientious about the cost of living and some of the experiences we've had economically, but it also costs money to do nothing,' McLain told the Capital Chronicle. 'And right now, we have maintenance, and we have preservation, and safety that all are the very pillars of what we've heard in our tour around the state.' The plan, which will be refined by the Legislature before it adjourns in June, includes raising Oregon's current 40-cent gas tax to 60 cents per gallon by Jan. 1, 2032. The biggest jump, to 48 cents, would happen Jan. 1, 2026, with 4-cent increases every two years until 2032. It would also add $66 to vehicle registration fees, which now run between $126 and $156 every two years. Titles, which cost about $101 to $116, would increase by $90. Electric vehicle drivers now pay more — $192 for title and $316 for registration — but their registration costs would go down as they enrolled in a road user charge program or paid a flat annual fee. The current road user charge program, OReGO, is a voluntary two-cent-per-mile fee, but lawmakers want to expand it to all electric vehicles. Existing EVs would be enrolled in the program by July 2026, newly purchased vehicles by July 2027, plug-in hybrids by 2028 and all new vehicles rated at 30 mpg or greater by July 2029. Additionally, McLain and Gorsek want to charge a one-time fee of 1% of the vehicle price when a car is sold. Oregon is one of only five states that doesn't currently have such a fee. Tolls, a tool lawmakers laid the groundwork for in their 2017 transportation package, are nowhere in the framework. Gov. Tina Kotek ordered a moratorium until 2026 on tolls, which the transportation department planned to use on Interstates 5 and 205 in and around Portland in part to pay for replacing the I-5 bridge connecting Oregon and Washington, and they're politically unpopular in Oregon, which has no toll roads. 'The governor didn't say no to tolls in the future, but that is not what is in the package currently,' Gorsek said. The current 0.1% payroll tax all Oregonians pay for transit would nearly double to 0.18%, adding an additional $268.6 million per two-year budget cycle. A 3% tax on tire sales would provide $50 million every two years to fund rail, wildlife crossings and salmon restoration. Bikes that cost $200 or more, which now carry a $15 tax, would see that rate increase to $24.50 per bike to provide $1 million per budget cycle for local paths and trails. 'There's no competition between transit, maintenance and finishing our promises,' McLain said. 'We have different streams of money available for stable, sufficient funding for all three.' McLain and Gorsek said they're confident in Oregon's ability to continue to receive federal transportation grants, despite directives from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy that federal funding should go toward states with high marriage and birth rates, no vaccine or mask mandates and that are committed to working with the federal government to enforce Trump's immigration policy — all areas that don't apply to Oregon. 'I think what helps us is that this isn't just about Portland,' Gorsek said. 'This is about the West Coast, and the bottlenecks that we have in Portland for the whole I-5 system. There are comments about Oregon and Washington in terms of the Trump administration not being very happy with us, but this is really about the region and serious economic impacts if we don't fix this.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
