OPB’s First Look: Republicans no-show in the Oregon Senate

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Good morning, Northwest.

Republicans in the Oregon Senate did not show up to the chamber yesterday as a vote to move the gas tax referendum from November to May neared.

OPB’s Dirk VanderHart starts today’s newsletter with a report from the Capitol on why GOP leaders say they walked off the job.

This morning’s First Look concludes with a dive into Puget Sound with professional geoduck harvesters.

Here’s your First Look at Thursday’s news.

—Bradley W. Parks

Republicans are a no-show in Oregon Senate as contentious bill vote nears

Republicans in the Oregon Senate were a no-show in the chamber yesterday, stopping action as Democrats teed up one of the session’s most controversial bills.

As the Senate attempted to reconvene at 1:30 p.m., none of the chamber’s 12 GOP members were in sight. That denied the majority Democrats the 20-member quorum needed to conduct business.

The quorum denial appears connected to transportation funding, an issue that has dominated the Capitol for the last year. The maneuver came as the Senate neared a vote on Senate Bill 1599, a Democratic proposal that would move the date of a public vote on an increase to gas taxes and other transportation fees.

Republicans are adamantly opposed to moving that vote from the November general election to the May primary. (Dirk VanderHart)

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3 things to know this morning

• The New Seasons Labor Union intends to fight 95 layoffs — 72 of which are at unionized locations — at stores across the Portland area, while the grocery chain says the job cuts are needed after December’s labor agreement raised wages. (Kyra Buckley) 
• Yesterday, Portland’s budget office announced the city needs an additional $169 million to keep programs covering homelessness and public safety running in the next fiscal year. This is far higher than the roughly $67 million anticipated shortfall outlined in December. (Alex Zielinski) 
• Currently, Oregon taxes estates valued at more than $1 million. A bill in the Legislature would raise that threshold to $2.5 million and increase rates on those estates. (Dirk VanderHart)

Headlines from around the Northwest

• Bend Democrat created ‘hostile working environment’ during gun bill vote, Portland lawmaker says (Bryce Dole)
• Judge orders former Deschutes County sheriff to pay OPB attorney fees in public records fight (Jen Baires)
• Portland councilors again delay decision on unspent housing dollars (Alex Zielinski)
• Eugene City Council rejects proposed ban​​​​​​​ on drivers donating money in traffic (Nathan Wilk)
• More bills falter as time dwindles for Washington Legislature (Jake Goldstein-Street)
• Paul Allen’s estate says it has begun the process of selling the Super Bowl champion Seahawks (Andrew Destin)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• Hood River art exhibit anchors Black History Month events by group Black in the Gorge
• Investigation reveals impact of federal immigration raids on agriculture workers in Oregon and other states

What it’s like to dive for quirky geoduck clams in Puget Sound with professional harvesters

“Oregon Field Guide” producers were hunkered down in an aluminum boat crammed next to bags of camera gear, scuba equipment and empty crates that smell of seafood.

Wind blasting face. Ears stinging. Nose dripping.

Just the typical daily work commute for Ocean Landis and Mena Snyder, professional geoduck harvesters in Puget Sound.

OPB’s Ian McCluskey, Stephani Gordon and Brooke Herbert set out with Landis and Snyder last January to learn how they make their living digging for the world’s largest and quirkiest clams. (Ian McCluskey)

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