I tried to make the title of this blog post convey an enticing peek into what's going to be focused on during the 35-day short legislative session in this even numbered year, which begins February 5.
But anyone who follows Oregon politics at all closely won't be surprised by what the Speaker of the House, Democrat Dan Rayfield, and House Minority Leader, Republican Jeff Helfrich, agreed would be the session priorities at a Salem City Club meeting today: Big Decisions -- A Preview of the 2024 Oregon Legislative Short Session.
Addressing the shortcomings of Measure 110, which largely decriminalized the sale and use of formerly illegal drugs, and addressing homelessness and a lack of housing.
I'd never heard Dan Rayfield, shown above, speak. He was impressive. Sharp, witty, personable. After the program ended, someone mentioned to me that he's talked about as a future governor of Oregon. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened from what I saw of him today.
My apologies to Jeff Helfrich for not including a photo of him. He was stuck in his Hood River district due to the continuing bad weather in that area, so had to participate in the City Club meeting via a sometimes balky Zoom connection. Helfrich's fuzzy image on a screen didn't do justice to him, so I didn't take a photo.
Rayfield and Helfrich engaged in some entertaining banter. They clearly like and respect each other, an appealing quality given how nasty things are between Democrats and Republicans on a national level. Both spoke of wanting to engage in bipartisanship during the upcoming legislative session. Of course, most politicians speak that way. We'll see how it goes when the rubber meets the bill-passing road soon.
Both men said that a key problem with Measure 110 is inadequate incentives for drug users to get into treatment programs. Rayfield noted that some drug users need a public health approach, while other users need a criminal justice approach. Helfrich said that something like DUI (driving under the influence) diversion into treatment would provide more accountability for drug users.
Regarding housing, Helfrich said that it takes too long for housing projects to be approved. Oregon's land use laws are a big issue. He favors expanding urban growth boundaries to enlarge the supply of available land for housing. Rayfield said the legislature is engaging in community outreach to determine the best mix of addressing (1) people who don't have housing, (2) keeping people in housing, and (3) building more housing.
A question from the audience asked about the possibility of using 20% of the "kicker," which refunds money to taxpayers when actual revenues exceed projected revenues by a certain amount, to support local government budgets. Rayfield said that kicker reform won't be addressed in the upcoming session. He noted that Salem isn't alone among cities with budget crises.
Answering a final question about their degree of optimism for the short legislative session, Rayfield said he couldn't do his work without a sense of optimism. What unites us, he added, is a desire to tackle big issues. Helfrich likened their relationship to an extended family with whom you hope you have a good relationship.
Rayfield said, "Am I the crazy uncle?"
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