Latest news with #TinaKotek
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
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Oregon Senate overrides Gov. Kotek's veto of foster children bill in rare legislative move
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The Oregon Senate has overridden a veto by Governor Tina Kotek in a maneuver not seen in the Oregon Legislature in more than a decade. Governor Kotek had vetoed Senate Bill 875, which codifies the rights of foster children into law. The bill was championed with bipartisan support from both chambers of the legislature, said Senator Cedric Hayden (R-Fall Creek). Portland boba shop vandalism suspect arrested The Senate overrode Kotek's veto of the bill, which is the first time this has happened in the Oregon Legislature since 2011. The override passed with a 21-6 vote. SB 875 will now move to the House of Representatives for veto consideration. The bill was championed by both Sen. Hayden and Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin (D-Corvallis). SB 875 would expand the Oregon Foster Children's Bill of Rights and the Siblings Bill of Rights, providing added protections for children in foster care, according to proponents. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
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MultCo parents to Gov. Kotek: ‘Hands off' Preschool for All
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Multnomah County parents rallied in Southeast Portland on Wednesday to save their children's' preschools. They are worried they could close if state lawmakers make good on a threat to stop the county funding for free Preschool for All. City Council approves $65M in Children's Levy grants Money comes from a tax on high-income earners in Multnomah County. Parents are concerned about an that would ban the county from collecting the income tax from high earners, which would end the program by 2027. 'My daughter is now in a preschool she loves. She lives in a community she loves, and we are not grappling with the choice of paying a tremendous amount of money, or pursuing our careers, or paying rent. So I would like to say, hands off to Governor Tina Kotek. Please preserve preschool for all our communities and our youth,' said parent Courtney Dawson at the rally. The governor has concerns about the tax paying for free preschool, saying it is driving high-income earners out of Portland. At a legislative meeting on Tuesday, Multnomah County Board Chair Jessica Vega Pederson urged legislators not to cut off the county's funding source. On Wednesday, KOIN 6 reached out to the head of the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee about the attempt to stop the funding. Portland-made film shines light on senior homelessness Senator Mark Meek's chief of staff told us in a statement, 'I can confirm the bill is not moving forward this session. The senator looks forward to continuing these conversations during the interim.' Governor Kotek's office said it has received hundreds of emails on this issue. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
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‘Not working': Gov. Kotek responds to criticism over attempt to ditch Preschool for All
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Gov. Tina Kotek has this week for advocating to get rid of Multnomah County's Preschool for All funding as the county chair criticizes the governor's stance and families rally to save the initiative. But Kotek said 'the program is not working' after Senate Bill 106 — which could have put a stop to the county's tax on high-income earners — . 4.4 earthquake strikes off Oregon Coast early Thursday morning 'Kids that should be eligible are not getting a seat in the classroom. The economic landscape has changed since the passage of the measure that set the program in motion, and we must plan ahead with a more accurate picture of where we actually stand today,' she said in a statement on Thursday. The governor previously said she had concerns about the tax paying for free preschool, claiming it is driving high-income earners out of Portland. Preschool for All is funded by a personal income tax on Multnomah County individuals with a taxable income over $125,000 and joint filers with a taxable income of over $200,000. In a letter to Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, Kotek said there has been a drop of more 1,700 high-earning taxpayers in Multnomah County since the tax kicked in in 2021. In response, and do not reflect the city's work to follow up with other potential taxpayers. She urged legislators not to cut off the county's funding source. Portland man accused of luring models, sexual assault facing first of four trials On Wednesday, Sen. Mark Meek's chief of staff told KOIN 6, 'I can confirm the bill is not moving forward this session. The senator looks forward to continuing these conversations during the interim.' Gov. Kotek's latest statement can be read below: 'Oregon families face uncertain childcare and preschool options, whether because it is more than they can afford every month, it is hard to find, or both. Bottomline, families deserve better – especially those who do not have money to spare. My entire career, as a nonprofit advocate and then as an elected leader, has been about finding solutions to help families get ahead. Frankly, Oregon needs a statewide plan to improve access to affordable childcare and preschool across the state. 'Multnomah County's Preschool For All program is well intended and works for many families. It represents hope, possibility, and opportunity, for families and for children. I get that — and will fight for the goal and the smart governance it takes to achieve that goal. 'But for many families and the community at large, the program is not working. Kids that should be eligible are not getting a seat in the classroom. The economic landscape has changed since the passage of the measure that set the program in motion, and we must plan ahead with a more accurate picture of where we actually stand today. When you are elected and given authority over tax collection and budgets, it comes with the responsibility of adapting to the evolving needs of the people you serve. It comes with measuring outcomes against every penny you spend. Right now, the scales are out of balance. 'From the beginning of my discussions with the County Chair, my north star has been the sustainability of the program because one of the reasons I ran for Governor was to make things better for our youngest learners. The program as it stands cannot fulfill its promise to Oregon children. It is breaking beneath its own weight, with at least $485 million in unspent funds combined with spotty implementation, scope creep, and a line of providers waiting on the other side of stacks of paperwork to serve families while tax dollars continue to be collected. As of 2025, only 11% of potential licensed sites are participating, while others are left waiting to participate or opting out. 'I believe we need targeted changes to make sure the program and its supporting taxes are sustainable, serve more families, and keep childcare providers from closing their doors and get more slots up and running. The County Chair has committed verbally to moving in that direction. Changes can and should be made while making sure not a single child currently being served by Preschool For All loses their seat in a classroom. 'I stand firm in my position that the County must walk and chew gum at the same time – continue to serve the children it is serving, amend the tax, and fix the program before the next tax year to reduce the burden on Multnomah County residents. This may come as a surprise, but this desire comes from a position of optimism, not cynicism — that complex problems can be solved, that we can serve children and build prosperity at the same time.' Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek In response, Chair Vega Pederson shared the following statement with KOIN 6 News: 'It's disappointing that the Governor is doubling down on undercutting a program that is successfully serving thousands of young children, building a much-needed early education workforce and allowing thousands of parents to participate in our wider workforce in the largest county in our state, as a means to push for drastic cuts for the wealthiest taxpayers. We have seen a massive community response by people outraged by these attempts to dismantle PFA at the state level – over 70,000 letters have been sent to the Governor and local leaders. Parents, teachers, and community have been loud and clear: Hands off Preschool for All. My hope is that the Governor would listen to these advocates, families, voters, a growing number of state legislators and other elected officials. The next steps we take on Preschool for All will include the Board of County Commissioners and the community, as any policy should, especially one passed by 64% of Multnomah County voters. There absolutely should be a statewide program serving all Oregon children. Until that day, state leaders need to focus on their own efforts to fully fund and support the early childhood education programs they already have. A successful program in Multnomah County helps light the way for the rest of our state. Children and families in our community should not be asked to wait to have quality preschool until some uncertain future day when there is a statewide plan.' Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
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Last-ditch effort to fund Oregon Department of Transportation fails
A last-ditch effort on the final day of Oregon's 2025 Legislature to prevent job cuts and service reductions for the Oregon Department of Transportation failed. House Bill 3402 was amended in the House Committee for Rules but did not receive the required votes to suspend the rules and move it to a final reading and vote on the House floor. Despite having until June 29 to conclude the session, the Senate and House moved forward with adopting sine die resolutions and bringing the 83rd legislative assembly to an end. The placeholder bill would have raised the gas tax to 43 cents per gallon and increased registration and title fees to raise an estimated $2 billion over 10 years. Without it, Gov. Tina Kotek said she would have to begin the process of ordering 600-700 layoffs at ODOT starting on June 30. Lawmakers presented the stopgap solution just hours earlier when it became clear the passage of House Bill 2025, an $11.7 billion transportation funding package, did not have the votes needed to pass. HB 2025 required a three-fifths majority for passage because of tax increases. Democrats currently hold that exact majority in each chamber, but some expressed opposition. The bill was not heard on the floor of the House of Representatives after being re-referred to the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment on June 23. Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, said if Democrats are "ready to get real," Republicans would discuss funding options. House Republican Leader, Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, said in a press conference following adjournment, that during the amendment's public hearing on June 27, she "did not hear from a single Oregonian that was not going to be a recipient of that tax. I was stunned by that." Bonham and Drazan both cited "failed leadership" as a contributor to the failure. 'Obviously the result of the transportation package was disappointing, but I'm really proud that my Democratic colleagues stuck together and we fought for our communities until the very end,' said House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene. Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, said that unlike previous transportation packages focused on projects, lawmakers were focused on preservation and maintenance. "It is really hard to have conversations about paradigm shift," Wagner said. The amendment to HB 3402, which had previously been a placeholder, was uploaded at 11:17 a.m. June 29. Lawmakers scheduled ahearing for 3:45 p.m., but the House Committee on Rules did not convene until 6:05 p.m. with Gov. Tina Kotek testifying. Lawmakers voted 4-3, along party lines, to send the amended House Bill 3402 to the House floor. Reps. Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, Hải Phạm, D-Hillsboro, Jason Kropf, D-Bend, Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland, voted in favor and Reps. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, and Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville, voted against. 'I would say that getting to this amendment was potentially faster than it should have been and tonight was potentially slower than it should have been,' said Rep. Christine Drazan, R-Canby. Rep. Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland, sympathized with people concerned about cuts to safety improvements, but said she would support the bill to avoid causing larger budget problems for ODOT. Bowman, chair of the House Committee on Rules, said he was "extremely frustrated" and "really upset that this bill (House Bill 2025) is dead." "My 'yes' vote tonight is because a 'no' vote is a vote not to pay for paving, not to pay for fogline striping, not to pay for filling potholes, not to pay for snowplowing," Bowman said. "We have to protect these services. This is our choice, a 'yes' or a 'no.' Protect hundreds of jobs and provide basic safety measures, or vote 'no' and don't fund those basic safety measures. The House of Representatives convened just after 8:30 p.m. Many people waited hours to testify online or in person to share their thoughts on the newest transportation proposal. While they waited more than two hours for the committee to begin, Democrats were caucusing and having dinner without providing updates on the schedule. 'I've been struck, actually, by how many people are still hanging on here. They've been here since 3:45. And I think that is a testament to the opposition to the dash 3 amendments, which the League of Oregon Cities shares,' said Jim McCauley, legislative director for the League of Oregon Cities. McCauley joined other city and county representatives in calling for the revenue split of 50% to ODOT, 30% to counties and 20% to cities included in House Bill 2025 to be restored. Garlynn Woodsong, executive director of PLACE Initiative, said lawmakers who sign an amended House Bill 3402 should 'just resign now,' so as not to 'face the wrath of Oregonians.' Woodsong called on lawmakers to either pass the most recent version of House Bill 2025 or convene in a special session. The committee concluded public testimony, which was limited to two minutes per speaker, at about 7:45 p.m. Al Pollock, general manager of Cherriots bus service in Salem, Keizer and the Mid-Valley, testified against the amendment to HB 3402 on behalf of the Oregon Transit Association. The association is worried that if the stopgap bill is passed, lawmakers' support for transportation improvements will lose momentum, Pollock said "My ask of you would be to defer action on this bill during this session in order to have a conversation on a solution that addresses the needs of all transportation voices, either in the special session or the 2026 session," he said. Phil Chang, a member of the Oregon Transportation Commission, which functions like a board of directors for ODOT, submitted written testimony against the amendments to House Bill 3402 proposed by Democrats and Republicans. Chang did not mention his affiliation with the OTC, identifying himself as a Deschutes County Commissioner. Chang was appointed to the OTC by Gov. Tina Kotek in 2024. Neither amendment provides the funding local governments need, Chang said. "Please go back to working on a comprehensive package like what is found in HB 2025," he wrote. Chang was in the queue to testify virtually, but the committee moved to the next person due to technical issues. House Republicans sent out a press release following Kotek's testimony to the House Committee on Rules, celebrating the defeat of House Bill 2025, which had been a major priority for Democrats. 'Forcing families to pay one of the largest tax hikes in history when they can barely get by was a cruel policy from the start,' said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby. 'While our work represents a major victory for working-class, low income, and rural communities, House Republicans will continue to listen to and fight on behalf of Oregonians against any future taxes that raise the cost of living," Drazan said in the statement. "We welcome House Democrats to join us.' Gov. Tina Kotek all but confirmed the fate of House Bill 2025, telling the committee: "I know it is disappointing when you get to this point in the session and such a big bill with so much work is not going to move forward.' She called the amendment to HB 3402 "a Band-Aid in every sense of the word." If the amended placeholder bill is not passed, Kotek said, between 600 to 700 ODOT employees will have to be laid off beginning July 1. The amendment would increase the gas tax by 3 cents per gallon, from the current 40-cent-per-gallon and increase the standard vehicle registration fee from $43 to $64. House Bill 2025 would have increased that fee to $75. Title fees for a standard vehicle would go up to $168 from $77. House Bill 2025 would have increased the standard title fee to $312. A revenue estimate predicts the amendment would raise $2 billion over the next 10 years, with all the money going to ODOT. The amendment, which would take effect 91 days after the session ends, could prevent cuts to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Lawmakers passed a budget for ODOT on June 27 that assumed revenue increases from HB 2025. ODOT Director Kris Strickler submitted written testimony June 27 in support of the amendment to House Bill 3402, calling it an "interim step." The bill would not address structural revenue problems, Strickler said, but would provide the department enough funding to keep its current service levels for the 2025 to 2027 budget cycle that begins July 1. As of 10 p.m., 225 people had submitted written testimony, with 220 in opposition and two neutral. The only support came from Gov. Tina Kotek, ODOT and a single constituent. Tara Wilkinson, director of The Intertwine Alliance, said in written testimony: "This bill would be a disaster for our state and for all of our communities. It's an outrage." "It is a betrayal that deepens injustice and harms those who need support the most," Joel Iboa of the Oregon Just Transition Association said in a statement to the Statesman Journal. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson issued a statement against the amendment, saying it "threatens to sideline local authority and transit priorities at a time when collaboration is most needed." Another proposed amendment by House Republican leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, includes language to ensure that light and heavy vehicles pay their fair share. A placeholder funding bill was scheduled for a work session in the Joint Committee on Ways and Means for Transportation Reinvestment before being removed from the agenda on June 27. The likelihood of House Bill 2025 succeeding in the Senate seems uncertain. Sen. Mark Meek, D-Gladstone, walked off the floor June 26 and shared on Facebook that he would be voting against the bill. Meek was removed from the Joint Committee on Transportation Reinvestment June 23. He said his removal was because he spoke against the bill. Senate Republicans said in a press release on June 27 that they were unanimously opposed to House Bill 2025 and would not support it. That would mean every Senate Democrat, including Meek, would have to vote in favor of the bill for it to pass. Lawmakers have long said passing a new transportation package would be a priority for the 2025 session. The Joint Committee on Transportation held workgroups with stakeholders and toured the state to assess transportation needs. But the bill faced a series of delays, culminating in a scramble in the last days of the session. Legislators must finish this year's session by sine die, June 29 at midnight. Sen. President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, told reporters in February he believed a framework could be available by Valentine's Day. That week, the Statesman Journal published a three-part investigation on the results of legislation passed in 2017 to fund ODOT and major projects. The bill was not introduced until June 9 and revenue estimates were not available until after days of public testimony. An amended version of the bill was sent to the House floor on June 23, then returned to committee for more revisions because it lacked support. An updated version was approved June 26 with all committee members voting along party lines, with the exception of Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, voting in favor. Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@ or 971-208-5615. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Stop-gap transportation funding bill fails in final hours of session
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2 hours ago
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Oregon legislative session ends as hundreds of transportation jobs face cuts
SALEM, Ore. () — The Oregon Legislative Session concluded for the year late Friday night, with sine die officially adopted. Now, the death of one bill on the House floor with an added amendment is expected to usher in hundreds of layoffs for state transportation workers. House Bill 3402 passed out of committee with an amendment to help fund the Oregon Department of Transportation. It was headed to the House floor in the hopes that the bill can prevent the layoffs. Police officer found justified in shooting armed man This comes after a marathon committee meeting took place in Salem on Friday. The House Rules Committee discussed the amendment to HB 3402, looking to bridge the ODOT's funding gap, after a . ODOT has said if its $350 million shortfall is not addressed, several hundred jobs will be on the chopping block. The new amendment featured bumps to registration and titling fees, with a 3-cent increase to the gas tax, allowing for all that money to go to ODOT. The bill and all of its amendments were supposed to go before the House floor at 6 p.m. However, the deadline got extended several times until the House finally met after 8 p.m. Without the funding, ODOT could face 700-800 layoffs on Monday. House Republicans said working Oregonians don't want more taxes. Governor Tina Kotek said during the amendment's public hearing that not passing it would be catastrophic for Oregonians. Kotek said the possible ODOT job cuts include roles like incident response teams and maintenance crews, which would be 'unacceptable' for Oregonians. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Christine Drazan echoed the sentiments of her Republican colleagues. 'It's really, really simple for us. Oregonians themselves have said our number one issue is affordability, and this is tone-deaf. It flies in the face of what Oregonians are telling us as policymakers that they need right now,' Drazan said. KOIN 6 News has reached out to ODOT for comment. We will update this story if we hear back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
