OPB Politics Now

On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we talk about the political aftermath of the recent attack on a MAX train that left two men dead and one seriously injured. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s response brought up some serious questions about free speech vs hate speech. And two competing political rallies are planned for this weekend.

This week, the Portland Water Bureau and the Washington Legislature were told to stop lollygagging on critical issues. The Oregon Health Authority ordered the City of Portland to treat its water for cryptosporidium, which it has refused to do for over a decade. And Washington Governor Jay Inslee called lawmakers back to Olympia for another special session to fix its infamous school funding problem.
Host Geoff Norcross and OPB news director Anna Griffin will talk with Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins and Portland Mercury reporter Dirk Vanderhart.

Depending on their party, lawmakers saw very different things in the quarterly economic and revenue forecast that came out this week. Either we have a broken tax system or more tax revenue than the state has ever seen. Can it be both?

Meanwhile, voters just passed the largest school bond measure in Oregon history. It means $790 million to upgrades for four Portland schools and getting lead out of the drinking water. Voters in the Bend-La Pine district also passed a measure to finance 159 projects in the district. But smaller districts weren't so lucky.

This week, host Julie Sabatier talks with OPB news director Anna Griffin, education reporter Rob Manning, and Gordon Friedman, political reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Oregon lawmakers unveiled an $8.2 billion transportation package, which will widen highways and shore up bridges. The money will come from a combination of gas and sales taxes, and maybe even tolls. We’ll dig into the details of the proposal. We’ll also hear why the state Land Board changed its mind and voted not to sell the Elliott State Forest. Plus we find out what flavor is in the running to become the official state pie. Host Geoff Norcross talks with OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes, Oregonian reporter Anna Marum, and EarthFix reporter Cassandra Profita.

This week, the U.S. House took up a replacement bill for the Affordable Care Act, a protest in Portland got violent, and the Oregon Legislature released a corporate tax proposal. Sound familiar?
Host Julie Sabatier talks with OPB news director Anna Griffin and senior political reporter Jeff Mapes about these recurring themes in the news, and what's different this time.

Voters across Oregon will decide whether to devote millions to new school construction this May. At the same time, the Legislature is trying to come up with school funding for the next two years. We talk to OPB education reporter Rob Manning about a proposed $790 million construction bond in the Portland Public School district. Senior political reporter Jeff Mapes also updates us on the budget negotiations in Salem. Geoff Norcross hosts.

Now that we’re about halfway through this legislative session, OPB political reporters Jeff Mapes and Chris Lehman join host Julie Sabatier to talk about which bills are dead and which ones are moving forward. And how budget negotiations heated up this week.

Oregon’s only Republican member of Congress is holding six town hall meetings in his district this month, and boy do his constituents have a lot to say! This time, host Geoff Norcross talks with OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes and Bend reporter Amanda Peacher about the raucous reception Rep. Greg Walden has gotten so far, and what it might mean for his reelection bid next year.

With Tax Day approaching, we dig into tax reform efforts at the national, state and local levels. OPB senior political reporter Jeff Mapes brings us input from former Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood on the joys and pitfalls of overhauling the federal tax code. We’ll also talk with Oregonian reporter Anna Marum about the big fight brewing over a proposed state tax on corporations. And Multnomah County government wants to protect us all from the dangers of sugary drinks the only way it knows how... with taxes of course! Julie Sabatier hosts.

We bring you a wide-ranging interview with Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney from OPB's Think Out Loud. As you'll discover right away, he's not only a fixture in Oregon politics — he's a real character.