Rick Metsger

Measure 118 has officially qualified for the November 5th general election ballot, seeking to impose a $6.8 billion tax on sales and services for Oregon businesses and then redistribute the money in relatively small annual payments to every Oregonian, regardless of age or means. 

The initiative petition drive was funded primarily by an out-of-state f…

Sleepless in Seattle? Or, how about Los Angeles, Sacramento or Boise? Issues surrounding if, where and when homeless individuals are allowed to camp on public property has resurfaced now that the United States Supreme Court has overturned a landmark 9th Circuit ruling that had declared camping ordinances like the ones in Boise, Idaho, and Grants Pass, Ore

Dedication, engagement, and respectful disagreement all highlight the deliberations of the City of Salem’s Revenue Task Force as it prepares to hand its homework back to the City Council.

The task force, created last December, was given a six-month window to address what the City says is a shortfall in the revenue necessary to fund city services. It evo…

This fall, Oregon's political landscape is set for a transformation as three state offices welcome new leadership, with the most intense competition expected in the Democratic primary for Secretary of State and State Treasurer.

Oregon Treasurer

The race heats up with the May primary election, featuring a contested battle for the Democratic nomination b…

The economic and social impacts of having a state capitol located in your city has long been a discussion topic of elected officials and local municipalities. Faced with a significant budget shortfall in the years ahead, the City of Salem is exploring all options to fill a funding gap estimated to be at least $14 million in the next fiscal year, and escal

Ambitious, comprehensive, complicated. Three words that define Gov. Tina Kotek’s effort this legislative session to help address Oregon’s decade-long failure to meet housing goals critical to Oregon’s societal and economic future.

The second-year governor has made it clear from day one of her term that moving the housing debate from conversation to …

Oregon is about to undergo a seismic shift in how it funds its transportation system, and business leaders are starting to take note. Faced with state and federal mandates to reduce carbon emissions by moving away from internal combustion engines to a fleet powered by electricity, the days of relying on gas tax revenue as a principal source of funding for

“Two can be as bad as one, it’s the loneliest number since the number one.”

Last week the President of Oregon State University and the school’s athletic director, came before the House Committee on Higher Education to plead their case for financial help in the wake of the implosion of the Pac-12 Conference. Left as roadkill by their ten conference…

Oregon entered uncharted waters last week with the announcement that Legacy Health System, a private healthcare provider, would ‘merge’ with the state-sponsored Oregon Health and Science University. While the word ‘merger’ has a softer and gentler tone, make no mistake - this is an acquisition. Mergers generally are distinguished as two entities