News briefs

Transportation bills on the move in Oregon Legislature

SALEM — A pair of transportation bills that are expected to create thousands of jobs moved out of the House Transportation Committee last week.

At committee hearings last month, lawmakers were told that House Bill 2041 will generate new revenues sufficient to back $1.9 billion in bonds for highway and bridge repair over the next 10 years, effective Jan. 1, 2004. The funds will come from increases in vehicle registration fees (from $15 to $27 per year), title fees (from $30 to $55), weight-mile taxes paid by truckers and in-lieu fees for other vehicles.

House Bill 2367 will raise fees for driver’s licenses, vehicle inspections and Department of Motor Vehicle tests to generate $7.8 million per year for counties (60 percent) and cities (40 percent) for local transportation projects, effective Jan. 1, 2004.

“These are the first new dollars for (transportation) maintenance and preservation in over a decade,” Ralph Groener, a lobbyist for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Oregon Council 75, told the House Transportation Committee.

Jeff Carlson, a business representative and lobbyist for Iron Workers Local 29 said, “I have three words for everyone involved in this: Hip, hip, hooray.”

Oregon AFL-CIO President Tim Nesbitt called the bills “a political and economic two-fer.”

Number one, he said, the bills are the best economic stimulus and job creation bills on the legislative docket and, number two: “They are a critical component of our economic development agenda.”

Pat Egan, transportation policy adviser to Governor Ted Kulongoski, told the committee that transportation and Oregon jobs are inextricably linked. “For every $1 million we spend on transportation, 19 family-wage jobs are created or sustained,” he said. “The economy benefits, too, as lower transportation costs are passed on to businesses and consumers ... This package over the next 10 years will mean, on average, an additional 4,750 jobs sustained over that time.”

The only objections to the bills came from the Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) and State Treasurer Randall Edwards. The OEC objected to a tax credit for the purchase of Environmental Protection Agency-certified diesel truck engines, whose costs will be offset by the diversion of income tax receipts from construction workers to reimburse the state’s general fund. This so-called “sequestration” of income tax revenues elicited concern from Edwards, who said bond-rating agencies look unfavorably on such financing mechanisms.

The House Transportation Committee is expected to act on these two bills this week.

CPBCTC backs Oregon College Savings Plan

The plan is part of the Oregon 529 College Savings Network and is administered by the Oregon Treasury Department. It was designed more than two years ago to help Oregonians save for their kids’ college education while offering significant state and federal tax advantages. Oregon taxpayers can receive up to a $2,000 state-tax deduction on contributions each year, and all earnings and withdrawals are federal and Oregon state tax-free when used for higher-education expenses.

Money saved can be used for a broad range of higher educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books, and room and board at any eligible university, college, professional or vocational institutions.

“More than 90 percent of current plan participants agree that the generous tax benefits, and the flexibility to use the savings at schools nationwide are what attract them to the Plan,” said State Treasurer Randall Edwards.

Participants can invest in specialized portfolios ranging(from ultra-conservative to aggressive. Money management is performed by the Oregon Qualified Tuition Savings Board through a choice of four investment firms that work with the state. Principal and earnings on investments are not guaranteed and account values will fluctuate.

A free seminar on the 529 college savings plan will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, at the Plumbers and Fitters Local 290 hall, 20210 SW Teton Ave., Tualatin.

For more information, call 503-221-1221, extension 358, or on the Web go to www.OregonCollegeSavings.com.

Labor, employers support BOLI’s apprentice program

SALEM — Business and labor, Democrats and Republicans, trainers and apprentices overflowed one committee room and filled another May 23 when they turned out to support continuation of the Bureau of Labor and Industry’s (BOLI) Apprenticeship Division.

Supporters of apprenticeship, who testified in opposition to the legislative co-chairs’ budget that would eliminate BOLI’s oversight and support for apprenticeship, outnumbered opponents 31 to 3.

BOLI’s opponents argued that the federal government could take over supervision of the state’s apprenticeship program, but former Labor Commissioner Jack Roberts said that would mean “deep and debilitating cuts” in the quality and scope of the state’s program.

Labor Commissioner Dan Gardner produced data showing that Oregon’s building trades apprenticeship programs produce a five-for-one return for each dollar invested in training, when one takes into account investments by employers and taxes paid by workers.

Those who testified in support of BOLI’s apprenticeship program included Roberts, Oregon State Building Trades Executive Secretary Bob Shiprack, Columbia-Pacific Building Trades Executive Secretary Wally Mehrens, Oregon AFL-CIO President Tim Nesbitt, representatives of all major building trades unions, employer trade groups, Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc., and apprenticeship coordinators.

Nesbitt also testified on behalf of himself and Quiktrak chief executive officer Matt Hennessee, as co-chairs of the governor’s Workforce Development Task Force.

The budget bill that would eliminate funding for BOLI’s Apprenticeship Division is SB 5526.

Siegner elected by national Painting Contractors

Portland union painting contractor Dave Siegner of Siegner and Company has been elected vice president of the national Painting and Decorating Contractors of America’s six-member executive committee. It is the first time in the history of the PDCA Oregon Council and Portland chapter that a local member has been elected to serve the national organization.

PDCA has 3,100 members and 221 chapters nationwide.

Siegner is a past president of the PDCA Portland chapter and a member of the PDCA Oregon Council’s executive board.

Siegner and Company is signatory with Painters Local 10 and Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5.

Mano Frey wins coveted award from United Way

SEATTLE — Mano Frey, past president of the Alaska AFL-CIO, received United Way of America’s Joseph A. Beirne Community Service Award. The award is presented annually to honor a labor leader who has provided outstanding volunteer service to United Way.

Frey, a member of the Laborers Union, served for over six years as a board member for the United Way of Anchorage. He was instrumental in creating the AFL-CIO Community Services Division in Anchorage in 1987.

The award is named after Joseph Beirne, the first president of the Communications Workers of America and the first labor representative to serve as president of United Community Funds and Councils of United Way (now United Way).

Frey, president of the Alaska AFL-CIO since 1984, recently was assigned as a vice president and regional manager for the Laborers International Union’s Northwest regional office and resides in Seattle.

Anderson re-elected to Salem Electric Co-op

SALEM — Jeff Anderson, a union representative with United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, was re-elected to the Salem Electric Co-op Board during its annual meeting May 13.

Anderson was first elected in 1985, and will begin a seventh term of three years. Anderson has held the position of president, vice president and secretary-treasurer over his tenure on the board.

Salem Electric is a consumer-owned electric utility that receives power from the Bonneville Power Administration, including renewable wind generation.

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