OPB Politics Now

Oregon legislators will be starting their short session that they hold in even years. We talk about what’s on the agenda in the latest episode of OPB Politics Now.

Oregon voters have overwhelmingly approved a package of health care taxes to ensure low-income Oregonians will keep their health coverage.

We discuss the aftermath of the $320 million referendum that will tax hospitals and certain health insurers. Who wins, who loses and what’s the future of health care -- and health care politics -- in Oregon?

Since Donald Trump’s presidential victory, Oregon’s lone Republican congressman, Greg Walden, has enjoyed a higher profile and more power. But with more influence comes extra scrutiny. OPB political reporters Jeff Mapes and Lauren Dake, along with Central Oregon reporter Amanda Peacher discuss Walden’s tenure representing the state’s 2nd Congressional District with Trump in the Oval Office.

Oregon voters will decide on Jan. 23 whether or not to approve up to $320 million in hospital and insurance taxes to help pay for the state’s share of Medicaid. The system funded by both federal and state dollars covers more than a million Oregonians.

We explain how the taxes help pay for Medicaid and what supporters and opponents are saying. And we explore what the Legislature will do when it meets in February if voters reject Measure 101. Host Anna Griffin is joined by OPB political reporters Lauren Dake and Jeff Mapes and by Courtney Sherwood, editor-in-chief of The Lund Report.

There are many questions facing Oregonians in 2018. Who will be Oregon’s next governor? Should any Congressional representatives worry about midterm elections? Will Oregon highways get tolls? We look into the big political stories of 2018 with OPB political reporters Jeff Mapes and Lauren Dake, and news director Anna Griffin. Geoff Norcross hosts.

Please fill out our survey and tell us what you want to hear in 2018: http://opb.org/politicsnow

Vera Katz was small in stature, but she had a big influence on Oregon politics. She was elected to three terms as Portland’s mayor and was the first woman to serve as speaker of the Oregon House. She died earlier this month at the age of 84 after a long battle with cancer.

We talked a bit about Katz and her political legacy on a recent episode, but this is a woman who did so much that it’s hard to capture in one conversation. So today, we’re bringing you a more in-depth look at Vera Katz.

The deadly crash of Amtrak train 501 near Tacoma Monday is drawing new scrutiny of passenger rail funding and oversight. Communities have been voicing concerns about the rerouting of the Cascades line for years, and Congressional efforts to make train travel safer haven’t materialized yet. Geoff Norcross is joined by OPB political reporters Jeff Mapes and Lauren Dake, and Seattle Times transportation reporter Mike Lindblom. We’ll also discuss the $1.5 trillion tax bill, and how it will be felt in Oregon.

Vera Katz passed away this week at age 84. She served three terms as Portland mayor, which has become a rare accomplishment.
Every mayor since has only served one term. She was also the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House in the Oregon Legislature.
We look back on Katz’s legacy in both roles.
We also dive into Columbia Sportswear’s role in the Portland homelessness debate.
Host Julie Sabatier talks with OPB news director Anna Griffin and senior political reporter Jeff Mapes, and Dirk VanderHart of the Portland Mercury.

The local non-profit Healthy Democracy saw a problem and an opportunity after the last election. They decided to put together a program to try to bridge the differences between rural and urban Americans. We’ll talk to two people who participated in this program this fall. Tom Van Diepen lives in Baker, and Damon Turner lives in Portland.

The Federal Communications Commission is poised to vote Thursday on what’s known as “net neutrality.” We talk to Oregon’s senior U.S. Senator Ron Wyden about what that could mean for your Netflix bill -- and the impact on the telecommunications industry and the economy more broadly.