The PSU Office of Government Relations prepares an occasional update of activity. Jesse Cornett, Interim Assistant to the President for Government Relations is the editor. If you have questions about the content of the update, please contact him at 503-725-5040 or
cornett [at] pdx.edu. For an easier to read version of this newsletter, please visit: http://www.pdx.edu/gov-relations/news/

Items in this newsletter:

• State Salary Pool: Contact Your Legislators
• Murdock Clock Tower
• Following the Races

State Salary Pool: Contact Your Legislators

Many of you are already aware of the issue of the state legislature potentially withholding promised salary funds, and I wanted to provide you with additional information and ask for your help.

The Joint Legislative Emergency Board (E-Board) decision is scheduled for June and one of the key decisions could be the release of $128 million in funds designated for state agency salary increases. When this trickles down to Portland State, we are talking about over $5 million for our campus.

It was originally thought the state would release the salary funds during the supplemental session in February but when that month’s revenue forecast showed a $150 million loss in revenues, legislative budget leaders decided to delay releasing the salary pool until after the next revenue forecast, scheduled for May 29th.

If the revenue forecast is down and the funds aren’t released, the alternatives aren’t great. The funds we budgeted will still go to raises and PSU would either have to raise tuition or face programmatic cuts. A raise in tuition would both run counter to the direction set by the last legislature and diminish the effectiveness of the highly touted shared responsibility model and is very unlikely. This decrease would likely be in almost direct
proportion to the increased enrollment funding provided by the legislature.

Releasing the salary funds in June regardless of the forecast would give the Legislature time to rationally and equitably address the problem of future revenue declines. If future forecasts increase, there may be no need for any cuts but our cuts will already have been made. If the forecasts continue to decline, then a special session may be inevitable anyway.

I hope you will consider contacting your legislators and let them know that balancing the state budget this way is not an option. If you don’t know who your legislator is, please visit http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/. If you need any additional information, please let me know.

Murdock Clock Tower

To make sure her many years of service and success for Portland State will not go unnoticed by future generations of PSU students, faculty and staff, the clock tower in the Urban Plaza was finally installed last month and named after Debbie Murdock. As readers of this update already know, Debbie Murdock, Assistant to the President for Strategic Planning, Public Policy, and Government Relations passed away this past
summer.

Debbie was and widely respected for her tireless belief in and dedication to public education and Portland State University. Her intellect, passion, and powers of persuasion helped transform the University to the largest in the state system, leading to tens of millions of dollars in funding.

In addition to the clock tower, the Deborah Murdock Scholarship Fund has been created by Debbie's friends, family, and colleagues to honor her memory in the way she would love: by helping PSU students reach their educational goals. For more information or to contribute the scholarship to, please visit: http://www.pdx.edu/media/g/o/gov-rel_murdock_scholarship.pdf. Gifts to the Deborah Murdock Scholarship Fund are fully
tax deductible. Donations of all sizes are welcome.

Following the Races

We’ve passed the May Primary and now know how the fall 2008 races will shape up. Of note:

Oregon Speaker of the House Jeff Merkley narrowly defeated Portland political consultant Steve Novick for a chance to face off against incumbent Gordon Smith for the seat he occupies in the US Senate.

Newcomer to the Oregon political scene John Kroger ran a hard race and managed to come out on top in the race for the Democratic Nomination for Oregon Attorney General. The Republicans did not field a candidate, virtually assuring Kroger will assume the post in January.

State Senator Kate Brown prevailed in the Democratic Nomination for Secretary of State. Former Eugene news anchor Rick Dancer was unopposed for the Republican Nomination. This is considered an important race because the victor may oversee legislative redistricting in 2011, which may determine control of the legislature for the next decade.

State Senator Kurt Schrader had no problems securing the Democratic Nomination in the race for replace Congresswoman Darlene Hooley in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District. Mike Erickson prevailed in the Republican Primary.

PCC Professor Michael Dembrow and EcoNorthwest consultant Jules Kopel-Bailey each beat several opponents in seats they are virtually assured of winning in the fall. Oregon Bus Project Founder Jefferson Smith ran unopposed for the seat vacated by Merkley.

Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams easily won his race to become Portland’s next Mayor and Portland Lawyer Nick Fish handily won his bid to replace Erik Sten, who recently retired. Ethos Music Founder Charles Lewis got just enough votes to face off
against Amanda Fritz for the seat vacated by Adams.

If you live in a seat that voted on a new (or even returning) legislator, send them a note of congratulations. If you can’t easily find an address, please let me know and I will help.