4th Tuesday Fun & Budget Talk
Please join your fellow Republicans this Tuesday, February 28, at 6:00 PM, at the Evergreen Room, Taprock NW Grill, 971 SE 6th St, Grants Pass, for our monthly 4th Tuesday mixer — where politics is fun!
Meet old friends, make new ones, discuss current political events, and touch base with your local elected office holders.
This month’s guest speakers will be Roy Lindsay (Grants Pass Budget Committee) and Keith Heck (Josephine County Budget Committee), who will bring us up to date on the status of city and county budgets.
We will also be holding a presidential straw poll. So please join us, and bring a friend!
For more information call Bill Ertel at 541-218-6538.
Wilderness Expansion Town Hall Report
The Wilderness Expansion town hall on Thursday evening, sponsored by the Josephine County Republican Party, was a huge success. Between 200 and 250 people attended.
Jim Frick was master of ceremonies, pastor Tony Russo gave the invocation, and Republican party chair Bill Ertel welcomed the attendees and explained why the Republican Party has taken an official position opposing wilderness expansion.
Margaret Goodwin, a member of the JoCo Republican executive committee, gave a presentation on the proposed Rogue Wilderness expansion, and why the JoCo Republican party thinks this is a bad idea.
Then Herman Baertshiger, who owns a company that specializes in wildland fire fighting, spoke about the peculiar challenges of fire fighting in a wilderness area, and the specific lands at issue. Herman Baertshiger is also running as a Republican candidate for the Oregon state Senate.
Link Phillippi, president of Rough & Ready Lumber, spoke about the nature of wilderness, and the nature of the lands proposed for this wilderness expansion.
Jack Swift, JoCo Republican executive committee member and vice president of the Southern Oregon Resource Alliance, spoke about the history and significance of the O&C lands.
Jim Frick, president of the Southern Oregon Resource Alliance, addressed the mineral resources on this land, and the economic potential that would be curtailed by the proposed mineral withdrawal.
Nick Dordon, local farmer and miner, spoke about the closure of roads and the shutting down of public access to our public lands.
Art Robinson, scientist and Republican candidate for U.S. Congress, spoke about the limits placed on government by our Constitution, and how this wilderness expansion bill is one more example of government overstepping its bounds. He also addressed the failure of our elected representatives to represent our best interests in Washington.
After the presentations, attendees had an opportunity to circulate, engage in discussions with speakers, pick up literature, and sign up for activities to keep the momentum going.
For more information on the Rogue Wilderness expansion proposal, and how you can get involved in opposing it, please e-mail Ron Glynn, chair of the Natural Resources Committee of the Josephine County Republican party.
Congressmen want your comments on O&C Trust
Representatives Greg Walden (R-OR), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) have proposed a bill to take all O&C Lands and divide them in half, setting aside half of them to be permanently withdrawn from timber management. The other half would be put in a forestry trust, administered by the state of Oregon, for the benefit of the O&C counties.
This is theoretically supposed to increase timber production and jobs in the forest, but the trust lands would still be subject to environmental regulations, and the environmentalists would no doubt continue to litigate any and all timber sales on them. The trust would be managed according to the Oregon Forestry Practices Act, rather than NEPA, but it’s not hard to imagine how long it would take the environmentalists to start targeting the OFPA, once half of the O&C lands are under its jurisdiction.
What is the up side for the O&C Counties? We lose all economic benefit from half of the O&C lands forever, and the rest is potentially not much better off than it is today. Your congressmen want to hear your comments on this. Please let them know how you feel about it by visiting their Web sites and posting a comment.
The O&C lands are a small portion of all the federal land in Oregon. And this small portion was dedicated by Congress in the 1937 O&C Lands Act to be used for permanent sustained yield timber production for the benefit of the O&C Counties. The reason for that designation was because most of the land in these counties is owned by the federal government (70% in Josephine County) and the counties receive no tax revenues on federal land.
In the 1990s, as part of the Northwest Forest Plan, the O&C lands were declared critical habitat for spotted owls, and since then nearly every timber sale has been litigated into oblivion by environmental activist organizations, decimating the local economies of the O&C Counties.
Our Congressmen apparently believe that by ransoming half of the O&C lands to the environmentalists, they’ll back off and let us use the other half the way all of these lands were mandated to be used by Congress in 1937. That is a pipe dream. The environmentalists are already claiming that this trust doesn’t provide enough “protections” for the half of the O&C lands that are not being handed over for permanent preservation. There is no reason to doubt that they will continue to litigate every significant sale on the remaining lands.
Far from creating more jobs and helping our economy, it will cut in half the little that remains. This is a bad idea!
The Josephine County Republican Central Committee adopted a resolution on January 31 officially opposing the Rogue Wilderness Expansion, which is part of this bill. Please let your congressmen know that you oppose this misguided plan to sell the O&C counties down the (Wild & Scenic) river!
To learn more about the Wilderness Expansion proposal, please attend the Wilderness Expansion Town Hall, sponsored by the Joesphine County Republican party on Thursday, February 23, at 6:00 in the Floral Building at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.
Wilderness Expansion Town Hall
The Josephine County Republican Central Committee is sponsoring a town hall meeting to address issues arising from the Rogue Wilderness Expansion Act, introduced in Congress by Rep. Peter DeFazio and in the Senate by Sen. Ron Wyden.
This bill would permanently withdraw 64,000 acres of Josephine County’s O&C lands from all economic utilization. It would shut down all timber production and mining activity and close all roads within the wilderness expansion area, cutting off most recreational access.
Please come and learn more about the Rogue Wilderness Expansion Act and what you can do to help in our efforts to stop it.
| What: | Rogue Wilderness Expansion Town Hall |
| When: | Thursday, February 23 6:00 PM |
| Where: | Josephine County Fairgrounds Floral Building 1451 Fairgrounds Rd, Grants Pas |
| Sponsored by: | Josephine County Republican Central Committee |
For more information, contact Ron Glynn, Chair of the Jo Co RCC Natural Resources subcommittee, at ronglynn@hughes.net.
Represent Your Precinct in the Republican Central Committee
Members of the Republican Central Committee are elected by their precincts. The official title is a Precinct Committee Person (PCP). PCPs attend the twice yearly Central Committee meetings and vote on policy issues, campaign strategy, delegates to the Oregon state Republican convention and Oregon state Central Committee.
PCPs are also eligible to be elected by the Central Committee as delegates themselves, and as members of the Executive Committee. PCPs represent their precincts in the Central Committee, and are the representatives of the Republican Party in their precincts. They’re the heart and soul of the Republican Party.
Republican PCPs are elected by the registered Republican voters in their precinct. If you would like to be a PCP, you need to file with the County Clerk’s office. The filing deadline is March 6.
Every precinct has an equal number of men and women PCP allotments. The number of Republican PCPs allotted to a precinct is determined by the number of registered Republicans in that precinct, so most precinccts in Josephine County have multiple PCPs.
Many of these positions go unfilled because people aren’t aware of the opportunity, or don’t know how to file. Also, many people are unaware that, even if your precinct allotment of PCPs is already full, you can file as a PCP in an adjacent precinct.
When you file your PCP candidate form with the County Clerk, be sure to ask whether there are currently any vacant PCP positions in your precinct. If not, ask which of the adjacent precincts have open positions. The County Clerk’s office is very helpful and will be glad to assist you in filing so that you have the best chance of getting elected as a PCP!
If you have any questions, please call Art Harvey at (541) 474-5240, or e-mail him at clerk@co.josephine.or.us.
Remember, grass roots begins with you.
JoCo Republicans Pass Two Resolutions
The Josephine County Republican Central Committee met on January 31. At the meeting, the Central Committee voted to pass the following resolutions presented by the Natural Resources subcommittee.
- Resolution 2012-01:
The Republican Party of Josephine County will, as a matter of political policy, oppose the planned expansion of the Wild Rogue Wilderness: H.R. 3436 (DeFazio) and S.2001 (Wyden).Passed unanimously upon presentation by the Natural Resources Committee at Official Call of the Central Committee on January 31, 2012.
- Resolution 2012-02:
The Republican Central Committee of Josephine County shall, as a part of the campaign against the Wild Rogue Wilderness Expansion, host a public participation town hall or symposium during the last week of February.Passed unanimously upon presentation by the Natural Resources Committee at Official Call of the Central Committee on January 31, 2012.
Natural Resources Subcommittee
Josephine County Republican Central Committee chair, Bill Ertel, has appointed Ron Glynn of Wolf Creek as chair of the RCC Natural Resources Subcommittee. Jack Swift is vice chair, and subcommittee members include Jim Frick, Margaret Goodwin, and Trenor Scott. The purpose of the committee is to research natural resource issues that impact our county and to promote the responsible utilization of our natural resources for the benefit of our economy.
Special Guest for 4th Tuesday Mixer
On the 4th Tuesday of every month, the Josephine County Republican Party holds a mixer where Republicans and friends can get together, meet each other, make new friends, and reconnect with old ones. We also discuss current Republican issues and upcoming events, and we usually have a guest speaker.
This Tuesday, our guest speaker will be Dr. Knute Buehler, Republican candidate for Oregon Secretary of State. He is an orthopedic surgeon from Bend, Oregon where he and his wife Patty are raising their two children. He was born and raised in Roseburg and attended Oregon State University where he played on the school’s baseball team, graduated at the top of his class with a degree in micro-biology and became OSU’s first Rhodes Scholar. He holds a master’s degree in Politics and Economics from Oxford University and received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
As Secretary of State he will advocate accountability in government spending, a government that partners with businesses to help them succeed, removing the politics from our State Election Division, and a balanced use of our state lands.
| What: | 4th Tuesday Republican Mixer |
| Who: | Dr. Knute Buehler, Republican candidate for Oregon Secretary of State |
| When: | January 24, 6:00 PM |
| Where: | Taprock Northwest Grill 971 NW 6 St Grants Pass |
See you there!
House Republicans Announce 2012 Agenda: 50,000 Jobs in Five Years
SALEM— House Republicans today announced a detailed, two-part policy agenda for the 2012 legislative session. The agenda offers solutions to promote private-sector job creation while limiting government spending, as well as reforms to reduce red tape, improve classroom funding and make health insurance more affordable.
“House Republicans are returning to Salem with an aggressive agenda that empowers the private sector to create jobs and boost our economy,” said House Republican Leader Kevin Cameron (R-Salem). “Our agenda recognizes that without business growth in the state, there won’t be tax revenue to fund the government and its programs. Our solutions will create a better climate for Oregon businesses, while putting more money in the pockets of Oregon families.”
Highlights of the “50,000 Jobs in Five Years” agenda include:
- Providing tax incentives to businesses that hire Oregonians and invest in the state.
- Providing tax relief to Oregon families.
- Leveraging Oregon’s natural resources to help generate new jobs in rural Oregon.
“According to nonpartisan analyses, the plan’s $3.97 billion investment over five years would generate an estimated 50,000 jobs and generate $7.89 billion in personal income growth,” said Deputy Republican Leader Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville). “The Legislature can pay for this entire plan by simply limiting new government spending to the rate of inflation. We believe Salem can meet this challenge, and put 50,000 Oregonians back to work in the process.”
Highlights of the “Reform Oregon” agenda include:
- Reducing regulations to help businesses grow and create jobs.
- Increase classroom funding through cost-saving PERS reforms.
- Make health insurance more affordable for individuals and families.
“House Republicans are offering solutions to grow Oregon’s economy, but it is not a partisan agenda,” Rep. Cameron said. “We intend to work with Democrats, just as we did in 2011, to pass measures such as these to improve our state’s business climate and generate the private sector jobs many Oregonians need.”
Senate Republicans will continue focus on middle-class priorities in February session
Salem, OR – Senate Republicans announced a set of policy proposals for the upcoming legislative session on Wednesday morning. Republicans have dubbed the five concepts a “Blueprint for Prosperity,” and believe the ideas represent a long-term vision for the state that is filled with opportunity and success for Oregon’s working class families.
The agenda contains five planks that Republicans believe will make Oregon a place where families can thrive. The first three pieces of the “Blueprint for Prosperity” focus on job creation:
1. Enact a two year rules moratorium and give legislative committees veto authority over existing and future rules.
2. Give local jurisdictions power over their economic destiny by granting an exemption from Oregon Land Use Zoning laws if a county with less than 50,000 people has not seen an increase in population over the last 10 years.
3. Refocus priorities on job growth by generating job and business impact statements for major new regulations and bills. Establish the Small Business Services Division to serve as a proactive advocate of individual small employers, helping them navigate the regulatory environment and creatively look for ways to help up-and-coming Oregon job-creators succeed.
“We want to create an ecosystem in Oregon where businesses can germinate and grow, where Oregonians can find jobs that hold opportunity for long-term advancement,” said Senator Alan Olsen (R-Canby). “In order for that to happen, we have to remove the toxins and contaminates that kill the success of Oregon employers, like run-away red tape and one-size-fits all regulations.”
The fourth piece of the Republican agenda aims to cap excess government growth while increasing stability:
4. Establish a state spending cap and reserve fund. Benchmark state spending to personal income growth and enforce regular savings to build a safety net for core services. When tax collections exceed the spending growth rate allowed, excess revenue cannot be spent but will be put into a rainy day fund. Once the reserve fund is filled, excess tax collections will be returned to taxpayers.
“For too long, government spending has chased unsustainable spikes in revenue, leading to a boom-bust cycle of spending and higher taxes,” said Senator Frank Morse (R-Albany). “This proposal sets boundaries on government spending growth while filling a safety net account with excess revenue. We can protect classroom, prison and healthcare funding in future economic downturns without raising taxes.”
The final plank of the “Blueprint for Prosperity” agenda increases government accountability:
5. Set sunset dates for all major agencies, programs, boards and commissions and establish the Joint Oregon Sunset Committee to perform a careful review of each sun-setting state agency, program, board or commission. The goal of the committee is to evaluate whether an entity is still necessary and still fulfilling its original purpose.
“We believe that Oregon families have a common dream for the future of our state,” said Senator Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day). “Part of that dream is an Oregon with an ample supply of family wage jobs, where a family’s earnings grow faster than government spending, where classroom funding isn’t a victim of economic squalls, and a place where government at all levels is accountable to voters. Our February agenda can help make this dream a reality.”
The Senate Republican agenda document can be read and downloaded at http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/senaterepublicans/Blueprint_for_Prosperity.pdf.
