Governor Kate Brown and Democrats in the Oregon Legislature are getting lots of laudatory press about proposing campaign finance reform.  But their bill, SB 75, is 100% loophole and 0% limits.  The only thing it would actually accomplish is repeal of the meaningful limits and disclosure requirements adopted by Oregon voters as Measure 47 of 2006.  See the Testimony of Daniel Meek.

Shame on Mayor Hales and the Portland City Council for Rejoining the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF)

The Progressive Party applauds Commissioners Fritz and Novick for voting against rejoining the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF)

Progressive Party members Jason Kafoury and David Hess spoke against the City of Portland rejoining the JTTF agreement at the February 5, 2015, City Council meeting. Only Police Chief Larry O’Dea, U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall and a representative from the Portland Business Alliance supported rejoining the JTTF. Over 35 activists, including Brandon Mayfield, spoke against rejoining the agreement. Over a hundred citizens attended. Please watch the videos at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/article/518464.

IN a letter to the editor of the The Oregonian, OR Progressive Party state council member wrote:

The Oregonian continues to repeat Kate Brown's talking points of favoring campaign finance reform. The record suggests that is a smoke screen to get votes. In fact, as Secretary of State, she has had the opportunity to enforce Measure 47, passed in 2006 by the state's voters, with strict limits on campaign contributions and expenditures. She has chosen not to enforce the law.

In the present legislature she has proposed two bills - one a constitutional amendment to allow limitations on contributions in candidate elections only. An effective amendment would also cover independent expenditures in candidate elections as well spending on initiative campaigns. The second would set some contribution limits in candidate elections but leaves gaping holes, and then, to add insult to injury, would overturn those limits contained in the voter approved Measure 47.

If Ms. Brown were truly in favor of campaign finance reform, she would have enforced the law which already exists instead of trying to eliminate it.

Our party stands for keeping fossil fuels in the ground. Public resources should be dedicated to clean, renewable energy such as wind and solar power.  

We urge the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission to vote No on the proposed zoning amendment that will allow propane to be piped through an environmentally sensitive area. That zoning has existed since 1989 and exists to stop  environmentally dangerous activity like this proposed terminal. Why change it now?

Environmentalists worry that storing this propane could result in a massive explosion that would endanger thousands of citizens. In addition to accidental explosions, trains with 100 cars of compressed liquid propane are easy targets for terrorism.

The Canadian company Pembina wants to use Portland as its major export point for fossil fuels shipping to Asia.

We urge residents to attend the March 17 Planning and Sustainability Commission meeting and oppose the export terminal.

Tuesday, March 17, 3:00 PM
Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC)
1900 SW 4th Ave.
Portland OR

Send comments to psc@portlandoregon.gov with "Terminal Zoning" in the subject line or send a letter to the PSC at above address, Attn: Terminal Zoning

More information is available on this informative flyer from ILWU, Columbia Riverkeeper, and Audubon Society of Portland.