BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- Governor Ted Kulongoski announced on Monday that Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler will take over as State Treasurer.

In a press release announcing the appointment, Kulongoski stated, “Ted Wheeler brings the perfect balance of expertise from both the public and private sectors to this job with an impressive record managing the county’s budget to a working knowledge of the financial industry.”

This announcement comes following the death of State Treasurer Ben Westlund, 60, on Sunday.

Wheeler issued a statement Monday saying, “It is with conflicted emotions that I accept Governor Kulongoski’s appointment to the office of Oregon State Treasurer. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of this great state and believe I am well prepared for the challenges ahead but am saddened by the circumstances that bring me here today.”

Wheeler has served as the Multnomah County Chair since 2006, also filling the positions of Chief Executive Officer for the county and Chair for the Board of Commissioners. Previously, Wheeler worked in the financial sector with companies including Bank of America and Copper Mountain Trust. He received degrees in economics, business, and public policy from Stanford, Columbia, and Harvard universities.

Oregon voters will elect a permanent replacement for Oregon State Treasurer in November.

Wheeler has tendered his resignation as Multnomah County Chair effective March 11. Chief Operating Officer Jana McLellen will serve as Chair until the Board of Commissioners selects a replacement to serve throughout 2010. A permanent replacement will be voted on in May.

Filings for Wheeler’s position, so far, include Mike Darger, Margaret Carter, and Jeff Cogen.

BY SARAH ROSS

PORTLAND- With the passage of tax Measures 66 and 67 on Tuesday, a concern for business migration and job loss has begun brewing.

One study headed by Oregon Politico’s parent organization, Cascade Policy Institute, found that with the passage of both measures, 8,000 additional taxpayers per year are expected to migrate out-of-state due to increases in the state’s marginal tax rates.

Steve Buckstein, Senior Policy Analyst at Cascade, says, “It will clearly influence business migration. Many of them have already left Oregon for more tax-friendly states like the state of Washington, and this will only make it worse.”

Ryan Deckert, President of the Oregon Business Association, presents Washington’s proximity as a particular challenge for Oregon. With Oregon now having the highest capital gains tax in the nation, and Washington having no capital gains tax, businesses may be drawn more to Oregon’s neighbor to the north.

“I think in Washington, especially the border towns like Vancouver, we’re going to see positive repercussions from it,” says Kris Greene, Director of Government Affairs for the East Vancouver Business Association. “I think people will do business over here. I think companies will relocate here a little more easily or will be motivated to move here because of taxation. ”

Yet, not all say the tax increases will bring devastation to the state’s job market.

“What I’m hopeful of is that our policymakers…are as concerned about job loss and migration as we are. And I think they are,” stated Deckert. “The legislature meets Monday, [and] there are things that we can do to start getting back on a path that will draw jobs to our state and not push them out.”

Governor Ted Kulongoski said that even with the passage of the tax increases, Oregon and the entire country is in a slow growth recovery. “We must continue working together if we want to position Oregon for economic success in the long term.”

A representative from Yes for Oregon was unavailable for question but that input will be in updated version of the article.

BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- Senate Republicans are calling for an override of Governor Ted Kulongoski’s veto of Senate Bill 897.

This bill, introduced last March, passed almost unanimously in both the Senate and the House and was subsequently vetoed by Gov. Kulongoski in August. It covers a range of Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) protections, including the ability to purchase more health insurance benefits among other things.

The most influential aspect of the bill is the demand for the state’s data calculations for retirement benefits to be verified and locked in so that when an employee signs on to the plan, it cannot change.

“It’s time to stop letting bureaucrats dump liability for their mistakes onto the back of citizens,” said Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). “Under a policy advanced by the current administration and defended by Governor Ted Kulongoski’s veto, if bureaucrats screw up, retirees lose. If they complain, the government says, ‘You trusted us? Too bad.’”

Gov. Kulongoski’s office has said that he stands by the reasons laid out in his veto letter to the body in August. He cited the pending legal decisions currently in the courts as a reason to hold off on any legislation until these proceedings have been finalized. He also stated that SB 897 was a one sided fix to the problem because it allowed for retirees to collect after being underpaid but not reimburse the state when they’re overpaid.

BY SARAH ROSS

SALEM- The state’s unemployment situation remains bleak with 11 percent of Oregon workers out of jobs, the state reported this week.

The report showed some gains in the private sector and the manufacturing sector but listed a total of 209,576 Oregonians unemployed in December, up from 173,121 unemployed in December 2008.

Gov.Ted Kulongoski issued a statement calling the news promising but still showing that many Oregonians remain in need of work.

“Because of this need, I will continue to urge Congress to consider another unemployment benefit extension to ensure those who are out of work will continue to be able to look for work and support themselves and their families. On the state side, I will also work with legislative partners in February to reauthorize a state extension of unemployment benefits to complement any action at the federal level.”

In a presentation to a House Committee on January 14, the Employment Department showed a list of all unemployment programs for which Oregonians are eligible, ranging from 26 weeks to over 2 years of benefits.

Christina Martin, an analyst at Oregon Politico’s parent company the Cascade Policy Institute, rebutted the governor’s plan, stating, “While it feels good to extend unemployment insurance benefits, economics teaches that it will extend unemployment for the average beneficiary and that it is a poor investment in economic recovery. It fails to truly help the unemployed. Ultimately, workers need opportunities. That means we should be stimulating entrepreneurial activity through tax cuts and other incentives.”

Gov. Kulongoski ended his statement by saying, “As Governor, my focus remains on working across public and private-sector lines to ensure Oregon is well positioned for the long term, which means investing in job creation as well as helping Oregonians manage this difficult period.”

By SARAH ROSS

SALEM- Governor Ted Kulongoski announced on Thursday that he and Attorney General John Kroger intend to oppose the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authorization of the Jordan Cove Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility and pipeline near Coos Bay.

Oregon Governor

The facility would deliver up to 1 billion cubic feet of gas to consumers throughout the region each day. In Thursday’s press release, FERC stated that the project “will serve the growing energy demand in the Pacific Northwest.”

The governor protested, saying, “Today’s decision by FERC does not address Oregon’s very real concerns about the environmental impact of the pipeline associated with the proposed LNG facility.”

He expressed concerns that the federal agency should not issue any licenses until the State has granted approvals for coastal zone management, clean air, and water pollution.

This announcement comes in the midst of a continuing battle between the State and the Bradwood Landing facility, another natural gas project on the lower Columbia River.

The governor, along with the attorney general, intends to file a request for rehearing with the federal agency in January. Following these administrative procedures, the State may make an appeal to the Ninth District Circuit Court. The State followed similar proceedings with the Bradwood Landing project and is currently pursuing an appeal for that project in the Ninth Circuit.