Sen. Boquist: OHSU rated worst, Kotek, Wyden, more…

By Oregon State Senator Brian Boquist,
Highlights, excerpts from Sen. Boquist newsletter

— Oregon Capitol Insider.  11/26/2024.  “Sen. Wyden calls on Oregon’s largest electric utility (PGE) to detail true drivers of massive rate hikes:  Customers of Oregon’s largest investor-owned electric utility pay more than 40% more for their electricity today than they did just four years ago …  Wyden said it was past time to “put the brakes on any further rate hikes.”  Just how is Wyden going to “put on the brakes” in the Democrat controlled Oregon Legislature?  Democrat appointed PUC Commissioners approved these rate increases as it is 100% the fault of laws passed by the Democrats in the legislature.  PGE who cannot be trusted, is a pure profiteer, does not give a damn about customers, is simply doing the job Democrats directed them to do … save us from climate change.  Oh, and help Cuban workers trim trees!  Want a lower power bill then vote out the Democrats … sorry too late.  Note Wyden’s letter is after the election?  How convenient!

— Willamette Week.  11/25/2024.  “OHSU Ranks Among Worst in Country in Employees’ Confidence in Leadership:  The results are back, and they are atrocious … Overall, the hospital’s employee “engagement score” was among the worst 7% of health care organizations across the country.”  No surprise: ‘there doctors don’t you know!’  USA spends the most for the most unhealthy population in the world?  Obesity is 40 to 75% depending upon which government agency is asked.  Instead of promoting proper diets and exercise doctors promote drugs for profit when OSHU is not promoting child mutilation?  Defund and decouple OSHU completely from the State of Oregon?

— Oregon Capitol Chronical.  11/26/2024.  “Kotek calls special legislative session to pay outstanding bills from record Oregon wildfire season:  The state owes more than $200 million to firefighters and contractors who helped put out more than 2,000 fires this summer and fall.”  This is a must read as you are not safe as the Oregon Legislature goes into Special Session on December 12, 2024.  Why?  The actual agency written requests are for $105 million not $218 million.  So where is Kotek going to spend the rest of the money?  Once in session the legislature can pass any law or bill regardless of the topic.  Note per the article, 75% was grasslands burnt in Eastern Oregon, not forests, and 62% was on federal lands while “42 homes and 132 other structures were burned.”  Bad yes, record no, and what is a structure?  Outhouse?  Treehouse?

— Bend Bulletin.  11/27/2024.  “ Democrats win supermajority in Oregon House, Senate:  Oregon Democrats appear to have eked out a supermajority in both the state House and Senate, with a narrow win confirmed in a rural Woodburn-based House seat late Tuesday.”  None of the four caucuses in the Oregon Legislature can even beat all their own members to vote for nearly anything.  Geography meaning urban verses rural is the reality in caucuses.  It is the fractured caucus not political parties that control the legislature … and most are very busing fighting amongst themselves.  Having exactly 18/36 members in a caucus is no better than predicting the weather?  Media is simplistic in pointing to Democrat verses Republican.  Thank goodness!

— Washington State Standard.  11/20/2024.  “New Oregon economic forecaster predicts higher state revenue:  Oregon’s new chief state economist estimates the state will have about $37.8 billion available to spend in the next two-year budget cycle after reworking how the state calculates its economic forecast … The state’s also on track to pay out a $1.8 billion kicker to taxpayers in 2026. … But new chief economist Carl Riccadonna, a former Wall Street analyst hired in September, is changing the way Oregon models its expected revenue.”  Saved by New York?

— Oregonian.  11/27/2024.  “Pension spikes will cost Oregon public employers $1.8B in the next biennium: ‘It will be more intense before it gets less’:  Unfortunately, those contribution rates are at historical highs as the system looks to dig out of unfunded liability that has grown from $1.5 billion at the end of 2007 to $29.4 billion at the end of last year. On average, pension costs now eat up nearly 25 cents of every payroll dollar for PERS employers, going to 27 cents in July.”  Note the PERS Board goes public after the election why?  Public employee unions supported the status quo Democrats thus now get laid off?  Democrats either cut jobs or increase taxes: which do you think?  Add in government pay increases thus more layoffs or more taxes?  Which?

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