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news & events
Life on the razor's
edge California emissions standards hang in the balance as Senate
Democrats and House Republicans try to reach an agreement on the state budget. OADA doesn't usually
get involved in the biennial battle over the state budget. It just isn't an auto dealer
issue. Well, at least not until
this session. Now, with California
auto emissions standards hanging in the balance, OADA is working to kill one
version of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) budget while
championing another. OADA is working
on the DEQ budget because the agency already has the authority to impose California
emissions standards by simply adopting administrative rules, which do not need
legislative approval. Governor
Kulongoski has already announced his intentions to ask the agency to impose the
standards as early as this year. OADA's only
chance to stop the Governor is to restrict the ability of DEQ to spend money on
California emissions standards.
Placing a prohibition on spending within a state budget is a rarely-used,
slight-of-hand maneuver. But
without it, California emissions standards might be a done-deal. OADA is
asking dealers to contact key members of the Legislature to (1) thank some for
their support and (2) to urge others to stand up for local businesses instead
of environmentalists. A list of
Legislators to contact is at the end of this article. The House version
of the DEQ budget (House Bill 5135-A) contains the prohibition language
supported by OADA. It prohibits
the DEQ staff from expending any money in the next two years to adopt or
enforce California emissions standards for Oregon vehicles. The House of Representatives passed
this modified DEQ budget on June 16th with 32 "aye" votes and 26
"nay" votes (see below for the final House vote results). The vote was basically along party
lines with only three Republicans (Vicki Berger, Scott Bruun and Billy Dalto)
voting "nay" and three (Deborah Boone, Mike Schaufler and Arnie Roblan) voting
"aye." Down the hall,
the Senate version of the DEQ budget (Senate Bill 5536-A), which does not have
the OADA amendment, passed on June 20th, also along party
lines. All twelve Republican
Senators voted against the DEQ budget.
They were joined by Democrat Senator Joanne Verger who is co-owner of
Verger Chrysler in Coos Bay (see below for the final Senate vote results). A number of Democrat Senators who tout
themselves as "moderate" or "pro-business" privately said they don't like
California emissions standards.
Nevertheless, when it was time to take a stand, they supported the
Oregon League of Conservation Voters over auto dealers, farmers, contractors
and other business groups opposed to the California emissions standards which
will reduce vehicle choices and increase the cost of new vehicles. At some point,
both the Senate and the House must pass the same version of a DEQ budget. Whether or not the final DEQ budget
will contain the OADA-supported language is uncertain at this time. This disagreement is now one of many
festering between Senate Democrats and House Republicans. The biggest disagreement is over
funding for schools and human services programs. But the two sides also disagree on issues ranging from land use planning
to gay marriage, from a "rainy-day" emergency fund to, well, motor vehicle emissions
standards. Eventually it
is looking like later rather than sooner -- the two sides will start cutting
deals on budgets and issues, and the fate of California emissions standards
will likely not be known until those final days of the session. Please scroll
down and review the list of key Legislators. If you see a name or face you recognize, contact them soon
and ask them to support a DEQ budget that includes language stopping Governor
Kulongoski from imposing California emissions standards without Legislative
approval. Even if you don't
recognize anyone, please consider writing a letter, making a call or sending a
note. Contact information for Governor
Ted Kulongoski:
PHONE Contact Deputy
Chief of Staff Peter Cogswell FAX Key Legislators for OADA members to contact about California
emissions standards A KEY TO
SUCCESS: All Legislators file incoming mail or
messages based on the bill number assigned to the issue which is the topic of
the letter. So, when you contact a
Legislator, try to include the bill number. In this case, refer to the DEQ budget bills, Senate Bill
5536 and House Bill
5135. Senate Democrats These three Democrats
voted for a DEQ budget without the OADA-supported amendment to stop California
emissions standards. However, all
of them have indicated some level of opposition to imposing the standards in
Oregon. Contact them and ask them
to support the OADA amendment to the DEQ budget to stop Governor Kulongoski
from adopting California emissions standards without legislative approval. All of the Senators face a re-election
campaign in 2006.
Senator Alan C. Bates Chair, Senate Budget Committee Subcommittee on Natural Resources Party: D District: 3
Senator
Richard Devlin Member, Senate Budget Committee Party: D District: 19
Senator
Betsy Johnson Member, Senate Budget Committee Party: D District: 16 The following three
Legislators are the leadership team for the Senate Democrats who have a
commanding 18-12 majority in the Senate.
Even with that strength, they could not muster enough support to pass a
bill (Senate Bill 344) adopting California emissions standards by law because
so many members of their own caucus are concerned about the implications. Any budget agreement with or without
the OADA amendment will need their support.
Senate President
Peter Courtney Party: D District: 11
Senate Majority Leader
Kate Brown Party: D District: 21
Senator
Kurt Schrader Chair, Senate Budget Committee Party: D District: 20 The following two
Democrat Senators label themselves "pro-business." Both Senators are also up for re-election in 2006. They are likely looking at how they
want (or need) to position themselves on this issue for the next election. They don't want to alienate business
interests. On the other hand, they
also need the support of environmental groups which oppose the OADA amendment
to the DEQ budget.
Senator Ryan Deckert Party: D District: 14
Senator Rick Metsger Party: D District: 26 House Republicans The following
three Republican House members are the backbone of the House GOP effort to
negotiate a fair budget deal with the Democrat Senate and Governor. They are standing up for OADA and small
businesses on many issues beyond just the OADA amendment to the DEQ
budget. A note or call to say
"thank you" on behalf of small businesses and auto dealers would be a great
morale booster to these hard-working lawmakers.
Speaker of the House Karen Minnis Party: R District: 49
House Majority Leader Wayne Scott Chair, House Budget Committee Party: R District: 39
Representative Susan Morgan Party: R District: 2 The following
three Republican Representatives voted with the Democrats and opposed the House
Majority version of the DEQ budget which included the OADA amendment. While their vote against the DEQ budget
may have been for reasons other than just the California emissions issue, it
would be helpful for them to hear from auto dealers. Contact them and ask them to support the OADA amendment to
the DEQ budget to stop Governor Kulongoski from adopting California emissions
standards without legislative approval.
All Representatives face a re-election campaign in 2006.
Representative Vicki Berger Party: R District: 20
Representative Scott Bruun Party: R District: 37
Representative Billy Dalto Party: R District: 21 House Democrats The following
three Democrat House members voted in support of the DEQ budget containing the
OADA amendment. All three have
some reservations about the budget and may be hoping the final version does not
have our amendment. Nevertheless,
a call or note thanking them for supporting a DEQ budget that stops California
emissions standards would help reinforce their good vote.
Representative Deborah Boone Party: D District: 32
Representative Arnie Roblan Party: D District: 9
Representative Mike Schaufler Party: D District: 48 House of Representatives vote on
HB5135-A, DEQ budget INCLUDING
OADA-amendment June 16, 2005 YEAS, 32, Anderson, Boone, Boquist, Brown, Burley,
Butler, Cameron, Dallum, Esquivel, Farr, Flores, Garrard, Gilman, Hanna,
Jenson, Kitts, Krieger, Kropf, Krummel, Lim, Morgan, Nelson, Olson, Richardson,
Roblan, Schaufler, Scott, G. Smith, P. Smith, Sumner, Thatcher, Whisnant NAYS, 26, Ackerman, Avakian, Barker, Barnhart,
Berger, Bruun, Buckley, Dalto, Dingfelder, Galizio, Greenlick, Hansen, Hass,
Holvey, Hunt, Komp, Macpherson, March, Merkley, Nolan, Riley, Rosenbaum,
Shields, Tomei, Wirth, Witt Excused, 2, Speaker
Minnis, Beyer State Senate vote on SB5536-A, DEQ budget WITHOUT OADA-amendment June 20, 2005 YEAS, 16, Bates, Brown, Burdick, Carter, Courtney,
Deckert, Devlin, Gordly, Johnson,
Metsger, Monnes Anderson, Morrisette, Prozanski, Schrader, Shields, Walker NAYS, 13, Atkinson, Beyer, Ferrioli, George, Kruse,
Morse, Nelson, B. Starr, C. Starr, Verger, Westlund, Whitsett, Winters Excused, 1, Ringo Useful Links Oregon Legislature website: Listing of contact information for all Oregon State Senators: http://www.leg.state.or.us/senate/ Listing of contact information for all Oregon State Representatives: http://www.leg.state.or.us/house/ |
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