2016 Legislative Begins Monday February 1, 2016

The "short" session of the legislature begins this coming Monday February 1st, 2016, and we will be in session for 30 days. The constitutional amendment passed by the people intended for this session to take up necessary budget emergencies, rebalance spending and to make needed technical fixes to bills passed in the last legislative session.

Your communication to me will be very time sensitive as bills need to have had a hearing scheduled in their 1st committee by February 11th. The next deadline is to have the bill scheduled in the second house a week later on the 18th. The third deadline is for the bill to have a work session scheduled in the second house by February 23. The session will end on March 6th.

If you see a bill you want to comment upon or to convey your position, please email me. I would urge you to follow the bills through the state legislative information system (OLIS).

I will be serving on the Rules committee, Revenue and Finance Committee, chairing the Veterans Affairs and Emergency preparedness as well as 6 other special sub committees and task forces.

While attending to the state budget is the highest priority, there will be undoubtedly many other issues brought forward that should be carried over to the 2017 session.

I look forward to serving you.

Cascade's next Policy Picnic will be at noon on Thursday, February 25th at the Cascade office. John Charles will talk about what's happening in the Legislative session. Seating is limited so please RSVP soon at cascadepolicy.org.

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Undergraduate or graduate students looking for a summer internship at Cascade should apply at cascadepolicy.org. Deadline to apply is March 1.

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While there are many practical arguments against raising Oregon's minimum wage, Cascade also opposes the entire minimum wage concept on principle. Read why in Oregon's Minimum Wage Law Perverts Compassion into Coercion.

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Details of all Cascade events and publications are available at cascadepolicy.org and you can sign up for Cascade's free weekly Courier email list here.

In the absence of Steve Buckstein and The Cascade Policy Institute, I want to mention to everyone that the recent City Club guest for the Friday Forum, a friend of Steve's and the CPI, was Arthur C. Brooks, the president of American Enterprise Institute. Mr. Brooks has a new book out, "The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America," which I highly recommend based on hearing Mr. Brooks speak twice and after reading the sample chapter we received at the City Club lunch.

Following the January 30 Western Liberty Network's U.S. Senate debate, it's becoming clearer all the time there is only one candidate in the U.S. Senate race who has the breadth and depth of knowledge required to do the job from day one. It's also clear there's only one candidate with the real-world credentials to deliver on reducing deficits and debt. And make no mistake about it, there's only one candidate with the backbone and subject-matter expertise to tell Ron Wyden Oregonians are no longer going to accept his lies about entitlements. With only 90 days until ballots arrive, it's time conservatives in Oregon got behind the candidate who can and will take the fight to the 35-year career politician, all the way to November.

And finally, having grown up in Juneau, Alaska, I enjoyed receiving a letter from a campaign donor who was married to Katie McIntire, Don McIntire's niece. In the letter, the writer mentions Don's time as a dj at KJNO, Juneau's flagship (only) radio station in the 60's. It may only be interesting to me, but it's nice to think perhaps Don McIntire influenced me as a conservative thinker when I was a young boy, even if I wasn't listening closely at the time. The writer concludes his letter saying, "God rest his soul. I loved that guy."

Please visit www.Laschober2016.com to learn more.

I encourage you to read "Benefits of Proposed energy overhaul questioned,"
The Oregonian, pages A8-A9, January 17, 2016 (link below).

I have worked as a senior economist for the Oregon Public Utility Commission, and as an
energy economist for the Bonneville Power Administration. This article points to several
disturbing elements of Oregon's electric utility governance.

(Download and read the full news report here)

PROTEST MARKING THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF EX-GOV KITZHABER'S RESIGNATION

Friday, February 12th, 2pm to 4pm, on the State Capitol Steps in Salem

One Year Anniversary Commemorating the dethroning the Fallen King of Corruption - Disgraced Ex-Gov Kitzhaber. We will be protesting to draw attention to the unaddressed "Crisis of Corruption" in Salem that we've witnessed under his successor Gov. Kate Brown and her legislative leadership accomplices in the Senate and House. We'll be sounding the call for Oregon's leaders to bring to an end their gross negligence in reforming Oregon's corrupt, dishonest, unaccountable, and unrepentant state government. Come Ready to demonstrate and send a loud message that DIRTY GOV'T IN SALEM MUST END.

Go here to let us know you're interested in attending and participating

You can also sign up here