Pacific Green Party of Oregon

On Wednesday 5/24/2017 testimony from Pacific Green Party members opposing Oregon Senate Bill 990 was received by the House Committee On Energy and Environment in Salem.  SB 990 - which passed the Senate 24 to 6 with broad support from both Democrats and Republicans - exempts small modular reactors from certain siting restrictions that apply to nuclear power plants.

As noted in an emailed statement to the committee by our Lane Greens Chapter - "There is no known way to safely dispose of nuclear waste, regardless of the technology used. It is feasible to meet our energy needs through energy conservation, efficiency and renewable resources."  Testifying at the committee meeting was Charles Newlin of our Linn/Benton Chapter.  He noted that SB 990 is direct defiance of the will of the people (who passed an initiative 30 years restricting nuclear power in Oregon) and will (should!) cause a political backlash if passed.  The House Committee has blocked the bill from moving forward.  

That said, the Green Party should run candidates especially against those Senate Democrats who voted for this ethically reckless bill.

Congratulations to the two Oregon Greens elected in the May 16th elections - Alex Polikoff (an incumbent) and Cindy Johnsen - a new officeholder - bringing to five Greens currently holding office in Oregon and 133 Greens in 19 states nationwide.  Click Continue Reading to get more details on our seven Green candidates who ran for office.

Designed by Melissa Wright of Bee Scene Studios LLC, our gorgeous new trifold brochure is ready for printing in quantity!

The bad news is that we urgently need to print these brochures as we are completely out of stock of our previous brochure.  

The good news is that you can help us reach our $1,000 fundraising goal by donating today.  Even better news, once you make a contribution we will not solicit you for another contribution this year.  The best news of all is that your donation of up to $50 may cost you nothing due to Oregon's Political Tax Credit.

If you are a member of the Pacific Green Party please consider contributing and becoming a Supporting Member. Anyone may donate regardless of party affiliation.

Listed in Continue Reading are the Constitution and Bylaw changes proposed by Alan Zundel, our party Secretary, for consideration and a vote at our June 11 convention in Salem.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” I know that quote from Mahatma Gandhi is somewhat cliché but I feel that it is a great way to describe my approach to politics. 

My name is Josiah Dean and I decided to run for office at the last minute just before the November 2016 election, and I won!  I am a newly elected city council member for the city of Dufur, Oregon.

How did I do it? Well, I live in a small town and I basically just showed up. It is interesting to note that since my landslide win of 12 votes, I have come to realize that many positions in local government are filled by the people who just show up. You may live in a city where city council races might be a major campaign but there are many positions that are unopposed.

If you are interested in running for office in the May 16th Special Election, a good place to start is to visit the Pacific Green Party's Run For Office page, then check in with your local County Elections office right away.  They can tell you exactly which election districts you are in and which offices are open.  But don't delay, the deadline for filing for office is March 16th!

Even if you are not up for running for office this election, you can still help out by becoming a Supporting Member or by volunteering to help those Green candidates running in the upcoming special election.  Something to keep in mind is that your Supporting Member donation may cost you nothing (visit Oregon Political Tax Credit for full details). 

I look forward to leading my little community in the direction that I want to see. I am working with several conservative folks but by demonstrating what cooperation and good governance is, we can create positive solutions.  As a business person with progressive Green Party values, my intention is to make the changes that I can.  And so can you!

Josiah Dean
Dufur City Council Member

By Nick Perry-Guetti

Seven Greens have announced their candidacy and filed for local offices in the upcoming 2017 Special Election to be held statewide on 15 May 2017. Jacqueline DeVaney is running for Clatsop Care Center Health District Director position 3, Daniel Polehn for Northern Wasco Parks & Recreation Director position 5, Alex Polikoff for Corvallis Rural Fire Protection District Director position 2, Zach Dotson for McMinnville School District Director position 1, Kindwyn Hoge for Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Director position 1, Cindy Johnsen for John Day Water District Commissioner position 5, and Bob Goldberg for Astoria School District #1C Director position 5.  

You can help these candidates today by volunteering to help their campaigns or by donating to the Pacific Green Party!

By Nick Perry-Guetti

On February 14^th, in Salem, OR, the Oregon State Land Board (SLB) in a public hearing voted 2-1 for sale of the Elliot State Forest (a public land trust attached to the state’s Common School Fund (CSF), and comprising some 83,000 acres of beautiful, ecologically diverse forest rich in old growth and known to be habitat for federally threatened species) jointly to Lone Rock Timber, a private timber company, and the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe. The SLB consists of Oregon Governor Kate Brown (D), Secretary of State Dennis Richardson (R), and Treasurer Tobias Read (D). Brown, who favors an option for continued public ownership of Elliot that still allows for logging, cast the dissenting vote. The sale is not finalized, awaiting another meeting set for April 11^th.

By Nick Perry-Guetti

On February 2nd, an Emergency Relocation Ordinance introduced by Commissioner Chloe Eudaly was unanimously passed after an approximately five-hour hearing where 118 people in addition to those formally invited to testify gave testimony, overwhelmingly in favor of the ordinance. The law requires landlords who instigate no-cause evictions must pay three months rent (actually a flat rate determined by Portland Housing Bureau [PHB] information on the average rent paid by renters whom the law would affect) in relocation assistance to the tenants.

Proponents, citing PHB data as well as much direct experience, argued that in low and moderate income households, incomes are not keeping up with rent increases. Meanwhile landlords in the city have had the right, for the last thirty years, to perform no-cause evictions: a process that bypasses many of the restrictions landlords face in ordinary evictions where they must state a cause. Moving costs around 2.5 times the average monthly income of Portland renters.  Short-term rent assistance has had only limited effect, and representatives of Human Solutions––a homeless sheltering organization that would be housing 5,000 people that night––reported that every homeless shelter which opens immediately fills, that a high percentage of those needing shelter are experiencing homelessness for the first time, and that the city is about 25,000 housing units short. Before the hearing, Commissioner Eudaly addressed a large and appreciative crowd gathered outside, citing her own experience of housing loss as a significant inspiration for crafting the ordinance.

The hearing had an impressive attendance. The two-floor hearing room at City Hall quickly filled, and attendees not giving testimony were obliged themselves to relocate to the nearby Portland Building to watch the proceedings via live stream in an equally packed auditorium. The overall atmosphere was of strong support for the ordinance; though some testimony expressed concerns that the law might create difficulties for landlords in some circumstances, or that the law does not go far enough to assuage the housing crisis and that overturning a current ban on rent control remains necessary. Proponents, including commissioner Eudaly, responded that landlords’ difficulties did not outweigh those of tenants, but the Commission did craft a number of amendments to the law excusing landlords under certain circumstances; they also agreed that the ordinance was only an emergency stopgap measure to arrest the sharp increase in homelessness, and that the ban on rent control was a major cause of conflict and should be reexamined. In the meantime, to avoid difficulties, landlords are encouraged to reconsider no-cause evictions unless absolutely necessary.