OREGON

What is happening to our beautiful western state of Oregon?  Why is the unemployment rate amongst the highest in the USA?  Why is the economy, health care, the moral, broken? Libraries closed? Resources locked up? Backroads closed so wildland fires burn rampant frying little owls and bambies? Gas prices highest in the US? Today environmental lawsuits have shut down the timber industry in the guise of saving the owls that they allowed to burn up in 'protected' wildland fires. They are now intending to decimate 4 hydrodams on the Klamath and studying other dams to destroy, which will destroy the local economies.

Oregon Senator Whitsett Page

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Oregon's unsustainable spending addiction, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter 11/20/11

Ninth Circuit decision further hamstrings Oregon's economy, Oregonian posted to KBC 10/23/11. "The Court's decision potentially creates legal paralysis threatening 120,000 forest related jobs (with payroll totaling $4 billion) and $130 million in state income and severance tax revenues that pay for vital public services. The new court ruling will not achieve its intended environmental benefits. The uncertainty could force some forest landowners to convert their forests to other uses, like commercial or residential developments..."

EPA signs off on new Oregon water quality rules--strictest in the nation, Oregonian 10/19/11

Oregon Set to Enact Strict, New Water Quality Standards to Satisfy EPA, Tribes, Marten Law 8/23/11. "The new standard for fish consumption is 10 times higher than the previous one, and assumes Oregonians will eat 23 eight-ounce meals of Oregon caught fish per month. That rate of consumption translates into dramatically lower permissible discharge levels for 106 pollutants...which in turn could dramatically increase treatment costs for municipal sewage treatment, agriculture, and many manufacturing industries, including paper mills at a time when those industries are already struggling."

Federal Management of Oregon's Forest Lands, Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter 8/12/11. "federal district court ruled that the owl was threatened under the Endangered Species Act and that nearly unlimited critical habitat was required to preserve the bird from extinction...Oregon’s annual timber harvest from federal lands plummeted from 60 percent to 12 percent. Nearly 300 timber mills closed and more than 30,000 family wage jobs were lost."

Environmental Quality Commission Approves Revised Water Quality Standards for Oregon, ODEQ, posted to KBC 6/26/11

Taps were played for future of Oregon's natural resource based economy, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett, posted to KBC 6/19/11. "Thursday in Pendleton, TAPS were played for the future of Oregon’s natural resources based economy, and the private sector jobs they sustain. The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission (EQC) adopted, by Administrative Rule, new Oregon water quality standards for human toxics that are ten times more stringent than anywhere else in the United States...Compliance ...will be virtually impossible. In many situations the new standards exceed the normal background levels..."

Oregon adopts strictest standard for toxic water pollution in the nation, The Oregonian 6/17/11 (KBC NOTE: Oregon is one of highest states of unemployment in nation)

Why were new jobs bills killed? by Oregon Senator Whitsett, posted to KBC 6/16/11

Foreclosures up 236 percent in (Oregon) state, H&N, posted to KBC 6/16/11

Oregon's Regulations Oppress Jobs, May 2011 Newsletter for Oregon State Senator Doug Whitsett, District 28, posted to KBC 5/17/11

Oregon's economic forecast, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett newsletter 5/12/11. "...our state has no more private sector jobs than it did in the year 2000. Moreover, our per capita income continues to fall behind the national average and the rate of negative change is accelerating."

Oregon, perennial national leader in unemployment, poverty, hunger, homelessness and despair by Senator Doug Whitsett 4/8/11

Unhealthy in Klamath; Out of 33 Oregon counties, we rank 32nd in health outcomes, H&N 3/31/11. (KBC NOTE: "unemployment 13.8%." The KBRA will take thousands more acres out of production, and Oregon is one of the largest producers of cattle. Pacific Power has already increased power bills to destroy the dams. Oregon regulations have decimated the timber industry...)

Oregon Unemployment Benefits by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 3/24/11

Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett: More job killing rules from ODEQ 3/11/11. "The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is in the process of adopting the most restrictive water quality standards in the nation...These new rules have the potential to profoundly affect the fiscal soundness of businesses, agriculture and forestry in the state. They may be expected to have an extreme negative effect on Oregon’s future job growth and economic recovery...the scientific relevance of these studies is at best pathetic and at worst criminally negligent."

Walden, Oregon farmers fight pesticide buffer by Peter Beland, Oregon Business, posted to KBC 3/10/11." 'This crop field, which now produces $21,000 in income — if the federal government’s rules as full described here — you’d be down to $1,500... buffer zones could take 40 percent to 67 percent of Oregon’s farmland out of production...' A number of conservation groups represented by Oakland-based environmental law firm EarthJustice filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency last November...". (KBC NOTE: GEORGE SOROS helps finance Earth Justice, which provides free legal fees for "environmentalist" and ecoterrorist groups to destroy "American Capitalism." EarthJustice represents most of the environmental groups with voting power in the controversial Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.)

Oregon should reclaim federally owned forests; sixty percent of them are locked beyond reach of local management, Ben Shelton, H&N, posted to KBC 9/1/10

March Economic Forecast, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 2/8/10. "Projected state revenue income from general fund tax collections and lottery fund profits is projected to be down by more than $190 million since the December 2009 forecast. The projected reduction in state revenue since July 1, 2009 is more than $400 million. Moreover, the 2009 fourth quarter report was the seventh consecutive month of job losses and declining revenue."

Oregon Ballot Measures and Taxes, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett, posted to KBC 2/7/10

Oregon State Employee Compensation, posted 12/3/09, by Senator Doug Whitsett

Oregon economy may be worse off; underemployment second highest in nation, H&N posted to KBC 11/16/09

11/6/09: U.S. Unemployment Rate 10.2%, Highest Since 1983, 10/21/09 Oregon was 11.5%, Calif.12.2%

No surprise: Salmon most expensive endangered species, Oregonian, posted to KBC 10/18/09. "...the total spent on the 13 salmon and steelhead species in the Columbia Basin since 1978 exceeds $12 billion."

News Alert from Oregon Natural Resource Report 8/28/09

State jobless rate highest on record, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/09. Oregon's unemployment rate has hit a record 12.4 percent.

The Governor’s Proposed Oregon Emergency Jobs Program, Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter 6/18/09

Group will ask voters to overturn Ore. business tax hikes, Capital Press 6/12/09

Today was a Billion Dollar Tax Day in the Oregon Legislature Democrats pass $733 million in tax increases on small and family owned businesses, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 6/11/09

Democrats prepare for historic Billion Dollar Tax Week, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett,  6/8/09
* 2009 Tax Bills before the 2009 Oregon Legislative Assembly

Representative Bill Garrard R-Klamath Falls, District 56: Committee: "Vote on Senate Bill 76 Delayed . . . Again. The chair of the House Environment committee again delayed the vote on Senate Bill 76 (Klamath Dam Removal proposal).  A work session on this bill has been re-scheduled for Thursday, May 28th at 3:00pm in Hearing Room D.  I will post the results of the committee vote as soon as they happen."
Testimony of geologist Gail Hildreth Whitsett on SB 76, Klamath Dam Removal Bill 5/09

New poll shows Northwest voters value clean, reliable, renewable, climate friendly hydropower, 4/09, NW River Partners  

Klamath County unemployment increases to 14.9 percent, H&N 5/26/09. "The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Klamath County rose for the 10th month in a row in April from 14.1 to 14.9 percent." (KBC NOTE: The endangered  Species Act regulations destroyed our timber industry.100,000 acres from off-Project land were acquired by gov't agencies and The Nature Conservancy in the guise of 'storage' and 'sucker habitat,'  which decimated our cattle industry. The proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement would further downsize agriculture, give timber land to the tribes which they previously sold to be taken off our tax rolls, and tear down 4 hydropower dams which serve 70,000 households and provide Siskiyou County's economic stability.)

Hastings Rejects Activist Judge's Efforts to Tear Down Snake River Dams 5/19/09. “Dam removal would have devastating consequences on our region’s economy.  It would cost thousands of jobs, lead to large increases in greenhouse gas emissions, and there is no solid science that it will aid salmon recovery."

A Plan for Oregon's Transportation, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter 5/10/09. Whitsett Page HERE.

PRESS RELEASE Walden: Relocate wolves to nearest wilderness, keep livestock producers informed, 5/7/09

Valley field burning phase-out advances in Senate, Capital Press 4/30/09.

Greg Walden to Al Gore: Come out to Oregon and see the condition of the forests, posted to KBC 4/26/09, letter and video. See forest page.

Ore. ranchers cry for wolf hearings, The Olympian April 17, 2009. "Endangered species laws forbid ranchers to kill wolves caught in the act of attacking livestock" HERE for Wolf Page

Ore. jobless rate hits 12.1 percent, Capital Press 4/14/09. KBC NOTE: What is the result of letting special interest groups sue to shut down most of the timber industry, coastal fisheries, and downsize agriculture?

Jobless rate tops 13 percent, H&N, posted to KBC 3/30/09.

Walden asks President Obama for help putting Oregonians back to work in the woods, Congressman Walden 3/30/09

Oregon's Water Resources Threatened, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett newsletter 3/27/09.

New taxes and fees proposed for Oregonians, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter 3/13/09. HERE for Whitsett newsletter and opinion page.

(Klamath County) Jobless rate tops 13 percent, posted to KBC 3/30/09

S. Ore. (Savage Rapids) dam awaits removal; questions raised, posted to KBC 2/24/09

Unemployment compensation to be taxed in Oregon. Federally allowed rapid depreciation for new business equipment to be disallowed; Oregon Senate passes bill disconnecting state income taxes from federal tax breaks, Oregonian 2/14/09

Oregon unemployment rate shoots up to 9%, The Oregonian 1/21/09.  

60 laid off at local lumber mill, H&N 1/15/09.  

Public lands bills gain steam, H&N, posted to KBC  1/15/09,  followed by Whitsett pleased with boost for OSP

Oregon unemployment rate shoots up to 9%, The Oregonian 1/21/09.

Feds distribute timber payments for rural counties, Capital Press 1/15/09

* Omnibus public land Management Act of 2009, Senate Bill S22, 1/14/09. (This wilderness Act will lock up millions of acres of land--no timber harvest, no resource use at all)

OREGON - Kulongoski to pursue mileage tax, Albany Democrat Herald, posted to KBC 12/30/08.

Oregon unemployment, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett , Klamath Falls District 28, 12/22/08.

Farm Bureau keeps eye on lawmakers, Bushue touches on estate taxes, union organizing laws and grass seed burning, Capital Press 12/11/08

OREGON Unemployment claims rising, October’s 9.1-percent rate in Klamath County highest since 1990 ,H&N posted to KBC 12/6/08. (KBC NOTE: Let's downsize ag more, in addition to the 100,000 Upper Klamath acres already confiscated by the feds, and they will demand more. The same feds and enviro groups destroyed many communities and people, and forests, by protesting timber harvest. This resulted in diseased and dead trees; these same enviros won't allow logging in even dead wood areas. Why the unemployment?)

Citizen Participation in Government, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett 12/2/08

Molalla couple loses pet deer, H&N, posted to KBC 12/1/08

Oregon Economy, by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett, posted 10/06/08

Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett speaks on Emergency preparedness, 10/6/08, KFLS, Klamath Falls

A move to secede on California-Oregon border, San Francisco Chronicle 10/5/08. "Locals complain that federal and state regulators have hampered the fishing and timber industries to protect forestlands and endangered species such as sucker fish and the spotted owl...folks in Siskiyou, Modoc and the other potential Jefferson counties could whack the red tape from both federal and state officials and get rid of the sales tax..."

OREGON - Financial bailout bill includes timber payments, Capital Press, posted 10/5/08

Bush administration may give timber payments new life, Capital Press 9/26/08

OREGON - Oregon's minimum wage to jump to $8.40, Capital Press, posted to KBC 9/17/08. "Cleave said the formula doesn't take into account economic conditions in rural areas. 'The calculation isn't based on Oregon's economy,' Cleave said. 'It's based solely on Oregon's largest cities and what their economies are doing.'

Oregon grass seed industry feels betrayed, posted to KBC 9/11/08.  

OREGON-Jobless rate up 6 percent "SALEM (AP) — Oregon’s jobless rate jumped half a percentage point in July, and the state’s economy lost jobs for the fourth month out of the last five. The state Employment Department said Monday the jobless rate has now reached 6 percent — up from 5.5 percent the month before and its recent low of 5 percent in early 2007." (KBC NOTE: When a state downsizes agriculture, decimates the timber industry for the owl, makes millions of acres of wilderness which lets the forests/logs/owls/bambies/homes burn, and now hopes to rip out 4 Klamath River dams providing jobs and power to 70,000 people, THAT makes Oregon one of the states with highest unemployment in the nation.

Smith, Wyden Announce Funds for Oregon Energy and Water Projects, 7/18/08 Gordon Smith Press Release

Whitsett on federally mandated environmental propaganda in our schools, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett's talk on KFLS, posted to KBC July 21 2008. "History is replete with examples of the despotism and tyranny that follows the mandatory indoctrination of a nation’s youth with selected government dogma."

Whitsett on urban legislators' agenda for rural Oregon, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett's talk on KFLS, posted to KBC July 21, 2008

OREGON - Leaders ignore economic warning signs, grant political appointees massive pay increases, Money comes from state savings, Oregon Senate Republican Office, 6/27/08. “The absolute wrong time to increase the cost of Oregon government is while Oregon families are seeing the cost of food, fuel and housing spiral out of control, with jobs more difficult to find each week,” said Senator Doug Whitsett (R-Klamath Falls)."

County funds likely dead, 6/20/08, H&N

Leaders ignore economic warning signs, grant political appointees massive pay increases, Money comes from state savings, Oregon Senate Republican Office, 6/27/08. “The absolute wrong time to increase the cost of Oregon government is while Oregon families are seeing the cost of food, fuel and housing spiral out of control, with jobs more difficult to find each week,” said Senator Doug Whitsett (R-Klamath Falls)."

(Oregon) Field burning ban sought, H&N, 6/22/08

Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett newsletter, June 2008

31,000 Scientists Debunk Al Gore and Global Warming, Newsmax, posted 5/20/08. "An incredible 31,072 Americans with university degrees in science, including 9,021 Ph.D.s, have signed a petition that flatly denies Al Gore’s claims that human-caused global warming is a settled scientific fact." (KBC NOTE: This came from Oregon!)

Cardiac rehab center will remain closed, H&N 5/4/08. (KBC NOTE: Klamath County alone has a population of 60,500, and Sky Lakes Hospital also services Modoc and much of Siskiyou Counties, with heart disease a leading cause of death.)

Oregon Congressman Greg Walden newsletter, posted 3/16/08. "I headed out to Liskey Farms in Klamath Falls to learn how they’re using geothermal energy to power a new biodiesel production unit, raise tropical fish, plants, insects and soon produce electricity..."

Senator Doug Whitsett February newsletter, Klamath district 28, posted to KBC 3/13/08

Unemployment up in Klamath, H&N, posted to KBC 3/11/08. (KBC NOTE: With the Klamath Settlement that significantly downsizes the Klamath Project, how will that effect employment in ag, retail businesses, services and taxes?)

Retired vet teaches science in state Capitol. Years of experience help legislator bring rural perspective to issues, Capital Press 2/8/07.

Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett Newsletter, posted 2/5/08

OREGON: New year brings new laws, H&N 12/31/07

OREGON: Judge halts Oregon's same-sex partnerships; Challenge claimed petition signers' names improperly rejected by state, WorldNetDaily 12/29/07. "The new policy gives homosexual RDP inmates the special privilege of living together but denies it for heterosexual married inmates, just the opposite of what the policy is trying to achieve, and discriminates against heterosexuals based on their sexual orientation..."

Oregon Lawmakers Challenge Governor On Licenses For Illegal Immigrants, RTT News, posted to KBC 11/21/07

Oregon's Rep Richardson on Measures 49 and 50, 11/8/07. "The Governor and the Democrats in the Oregon Legislature carefully crafted and funded a measure to repeal Measure 37 and perpetuate Oregon’s locked-up land-use system. They were successful. Congratulations to crafty politicians are in order, and so are condolences for lovers of liberty and fair government practices."

CROPS: Oregon seizures of marijuana double in 2007, H&N, posted to KBC 11/8/07. Scroll toward bottom of CROP page for N California pot crops in forests shut down to logging by and for the growers.

OREGON: Million voters overruled by 54 lawmakers, World Net Daily, 9/14/07. "54 state lawmakers and a Democratic governor, Ted Kulongoski, have rejected the expressed will of the people to approve and sign into law House Bill 2007 and Senate Bill 2 this year...Oregonians have never given a million votes to any other issue or candidate, yet the Legislature went ahead with its moral agenda anyway."

Kulongoski vetoes only government accountability measure of 2007 session, But adds 1,777 new jobs to state bureaucracy, 8/9/07 Oregon State Republican Office

They call it 'Oasis Project' for a reason, East Oregonian, posted to KBC 7/2/07. "Gov. Kulongoski hasn't done much to move this region in the direction of aquifer recharge...This bill holds promise of adding tens of millions of dollars annually to the economy of northeast Oregon, all from a quantity of water that amounts to a microscopic drop in the barrel..."

PRESS RELEASE: Time Will Tell How Legislature Impacts Average Oregonian, Oregon Senator Ted Ferrioli 7/2/07. "Democrats in the Senate voted down a referral to Oregon voters asking them to require proof of citizenship for new voters. Republicans also brought a proposal requiring proof of citizenship for individuals applying for driver’s licenses, but Democrats later sent that proposal to a committee to die."

They call it 'Oasis Project' for a reason, East Oregonian, posted to KBC 7/2/07. "Gov. Kulongoski hasn't done much to move this region in the direction of aquifer recharge...This bill holds promise of adding tens of millions of dollars annually to the economy of northeast Oregon, all from a quantity of water that amounts to a microscopic drop in the barrel..."

Oregon governor increases pressure to harm the coast, letter from Coos County Commissioner John Griffith, followed by Kulongoski's latest proposal outline, posted 6/15/07. "Gov. Ted Kulongoski has decided to increase pressure to evict us from our traditional marine fishing areas. He has changed the nature of a condemned 2002 Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC) fishing closure proposal to relieve anti-coast activists from having to justify at all the closing of fishing areas, or of having to ever show that closing them caused any change to ocean and fisheries’ health whatsoever."

PRESS RELEASE: House democrats finish Measure 37 repeal, adopt secret amendments; HB 3540 reverses will of Oregon voters, strips rights from property owners, Oregon House of Representatives 6/6/07.

(Oregon) Property law vote likely; Senate: Measure 37 change should be up to the voter, H&N 6/6/07

OREGON: Democrats steal your giftcards VIDEO. 5/31/07

Whitsett call for dedicated funding SB798, delivers over 100 new state troopers, no new taxes, 5/16/07

Urgent from Senator Whitsett: Email reps on today's HB2564, well meters, followed by: Officials vote to charge property owners to draw groundwater. May 16, Please contact these legislators TODAY (Wednesday) and ask them to vote against HB 2564.Here is the list of legislators (Oregon House members that may be open to voting against the bill). We need to have people contact them on HB  2564, which should be on the third reading calendar tomorrow (ie: up for the vote): Jeff Barker, Terry Beyer, Debbie Boone, Brian Clem, Jean Cowan, Betty Komp, Tobias Read, Arnie Roblan, Brad Witt, Donna Nelson

OREGON: More pain at the pump; house democrats seek gas tax hike, HB 2653.  "Oregon already ranks among the top third of states with the highest gas taxes.  During the 2007 session, Democrats have also proposed a 44 percent increase in vehicle registration fees." 5/17/07

Whitsett Votes for Stricter (Oregon) Driver’s License Requirements, 5/15/07

Going out of business! Really, truly, seriously! The Oregonian, posted to KBC 5/15/07 "If Senate Bill 684 becomes law, stores would be required to buy a state permit to hold a going-out-of-business sale, which would be limited to 90 days."

Project Independence too important to be cut by Legislature, by Sunny Lemming, H&N Viewpoints 5/11/07 "Sen. Doug Whitsett reported that the Democrats in Salem are proposing cutting all funds for Oregon Project Independence...This is a program allowing seniors to remain in their homes and receive care instead of being shipped to a nursing home."

In Oregon suit, greens take new poke at public-lands grazing, KGW.com posted to KBC 5/9/07 "Ranchers argue that they're using land that can't produce crops and grazing doesn't cause the damage that environmentalists allege. Public lands are an integral part of many Western livestock operations, with ranchers combining privately held land with tracts they lease from the government.