Huffman gets the nod for District 59 seat in House

Blue Mountain Eagle
October 15, 2008

Grant County faces a win-win situation in the state House District 59 race.

Both candidates have been highly visible in Grant County, appearing at forums and community meetings. We believe voters would be well served by either candidate, but we give the edge to Huffman and urge voters in Western and Northern Grant County to do the same. – SC

By SAM CRAIG
of The Chronicle

     With Nov. 4 just around the corner, several candidates for city, county and state positions marched into The Dalles Civic Auditorium on Tuesday, Oct. 14 to give their views.
     Each candidate had a chance to give a four-minute speech followed by a question and answer session moderated by Kathy Gray, editor of The Chronicle.
     A majority of the candidates are running unopposed for office, and the only contested races are for Position No. 2 in The Dalles City Council and for District 59 State Representative.
     Brian Ahier, running unopposed for city council, started the event, speaking of his desire to evaluate city proposals for fiscal responsibility, among other topics.
     Randy Cole and Dan Spatz, both running for City Council Position No. 2, were among the first to take the stage, offering their plans to make The Dalles a more prosperous town.
     Spatz, the Chief Institutional Advancement Officer for Columbia Gorge Community College, would like to keep business growing in The Dalles; the focus of new businesses being creators of clean, renewable energy, as well as new businesses brought to the downtown area. He’s also got his eyes on what a major company is doing on their port property.
     “One thing I’d like to see is the completion of the Google Data Center down there,” he said. “They have about a third of their plant that they have yet to construct so it would be good to see that built out.”
     Cole also has a mind for Google finishing up, but not at the expense of the economic wellbeing of The Dalles.
     “First of all,” said Cole, Traffic Safety Commission chair and a conductor for Union Pacific, “I don’t believe that we as citizens need to give tax exempt status to a multibillion-dollar corporation. Sure I’d like to see them here and I’d like to see them develop the rest of their property, but I don’t think we need to give them tax exempt status. Our economy hurts, we need that tax base.”
     As the sole candidate, Nikki Lesich isn’t looking at a long battle to the mayor’s desk, but she is poised to make history. As mayor, she would be the first female to take the job in the 151-year history of The Dalles.
     Lesich, an ad sales representative at The Dalles Chronicle, is focused on making the town a more attractive place to new industries. Having worked with the urban renewal committee, she believes by creating a place that would be more appealing to tourism, The Dalles could be a force to reckon with when it comes to flirting with new businesses.
     “I’ve been on that committee for nine years,” she said. “And that committee has proved to me that we can dream big, that we can attract business and we can make our community healthy with its spirit and I hope you vote for me, even though I’m unopposed, for mayor of The Dalles.”
     Sherry Holliday beat Georgia Murray in the May primary election and now will run uncontested to maintain her position as county commissioner. She says her main goals are for expansion, development and growth within the county, more funding for the Sheriff’s Department, as well as finding solutions to help the mentally ill other than housing them at NORCOR.
     Running as the only candidate for clerk is Karen LeBreton-Coats (not pictured). She’s held the position for 21 years, worked in the office for another 15 and has officiated at more than 1,100 marriage ceremonies. Her goals for her next term are for increased voter registration and to “overwhelm” the public with the content available on the new clerk’s section of the county’s website.
     Wasco County Sheriff, Rick Eisland is also running for re-election. Being sheriff of a big county can be tough, especially when there aren’t that many deputies on patrol, but Eisland said he always maintains at least two deputies on at a time. Even if sometimes they are 100 miles apart from one another. Next term he’d like to see more deputies on the force, as well as more money to make the job safer for the ones already on patrol. He’s also planning on making sure radio contact is available to deputies no matter where they are in the county.
     Also at the event were John Huffman, the Republican state representative of District 59, and his opponent for the position, Madras Democrat Mike Ahern.
Both promised to bring the concerns of rural Oregon to the forefront in Salem.      Huffman vowed to bring back the proposal for the Rural Investment Program and Ahern said, if elected, he would do his best to reinstate the Center for Rural Policy.
     Sitting at opposite ends of the same table, the two exchanged a few barbs during the night.
     When asked what he expected would be different if his opponent were elected, Huffman said, “I would hope there would be no changes, because I’ve set the bar pretty high. If Mike were to beat me, quite frankly, he’s got big shoes to fill, because I do put a lot of time in on this job.”
     Ahern, who’s also a real estate agent, was asked if he’d be willing reach across the aisle to work with members of the other party.
     “I have always served with Republicans,” the Democratic candidate said. “Jefferson County is overwhelmingly Republican. Most of my campaign donations are Republican. You think I don’t like Republicans? I love Republicans.”

Return Huffman for a full term

Bend Bulletin
October 7, 2008

A pair of very good candidates would like to represent Oregon’s enormous House District 59, which stretches all the way from Deschutes County to the Columbia River. Mike Ahern, a Democrat from Madras, is a member of the Jefferson County Commission. John Huffman, a Republican from The Dalles, was appointed last August to the seat he and Ahern now seek. Voters should give Huffman the nod, if only because of the experience he’s gained over the last 13 months, a period that includes the Legislature’s 2008 “emergency” session.

Ahern and Huffman are not as different as their party affiliations and hometowns might suggest, at least in ways that should matter to District 59 voters. Both have many years of small-business experience, Ahern as a grocery-store owner and Huffman as a radio-station owner. Both describe themselves as fiscally conservative. Both are committed to economic development, and to this end both have mentioned the potential value of more windmill installations. Both believe the Legislature can do a better job serving rural areas like those in District 59. And both decided to seek the House seat at the urging of others. Huffman says he was nudged by U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, whom he has known for years. Ahern says he was recruited by Oregon Rep. Dave Hunt, the House majority leader, who appealed to Ahern’s spirit of public service.

The biggest relevant difference between the two candidates, apart from party affiliation, is experience. Huffman has been learning the ropes for 13 months, and he’s even participated in one session, albeit a short and experimental one. Ahern’s argument for placing him in Huffman’s seat rests largely on his determination to represent rural areas like those in Jefferson County. We have no doubt he’d represent the district well, including those areas he highlights.

But Ahern hasn’t accused Huffman of indifference to rural issues, and Huffman himself argues he hasn’t been. As evidence, he points to his efforts to restore funding to the defunct Office of Rural Policy and the many miles he has put on his car crisscrossing his district.

We confess to a Central Oregon bias in Ahern’s favor. But Huffman has done a credible job so far, and voters should send him to Salem for a full term. He’s not likely to disappoint.

Oregon Catalyst 

[State Rep. John Huffman Press Release]
REPRESENTATIVE HUFFMAN CO-SPONSORS NEW LOCKSMITH OVERSIGHT LAWS

THE DALLES – Representative John E. Huffman (R-The Dalles) announced today that he is co-sponsoring legislation for the 2009 Legislative Session that will provide better oversight for the locksmith industry in Oregon. Rep. Huffman is working with State Representative Linda Flores (R-Clackamas) to draft the legislation.

“The information and tools to walk through any locked door is out there and it is getting into the wrong hands,” said Ernie Blatz, President of the Pacific Locksmith Association (PLA). “In an industry where every aspect is security – homes, auto, businesses – why wouldn’t you want tighter licensing for locksmiths?” Blatz is also the owner of Ernie’s Locks and Keys in The Dalles.

The PLA endorsed the idea of moving ahead with a new law for better oversight at their recent monthly meeting. “This is a great example of how a business group is trying to police their trade and restore some of the credibility they may have lost with customers,” said Rep. Huffman. “I am hoping we can add some protection and peace of mind for consumers.”

Blatz noted similar attempts to strengthen licensing laws have been unsuccessful, however, “in the last couple of years there has been a large group of out-of-state illegal locksmiths scamming and ripping off the public in Oregon. They use 1800 numbers that go to other states where the job is then dispatched to local people who are not licensed and who have been trained out of a hotel room. Once they size up a customer they over charge them.”

Under current law, locksmiths who work on homes, businesses or other structures need to be licensed as a contractor. The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) estimates around 72 locksmiths are presently licensed, yet there are hundreds listed in the phone book, many with false addresses. The CCB recently issued several penalties and warning letters but only 60 such enforcement actions have occurred over the last 20 years. The Oregon Department of Justice has limited investigative powers but they have recorded over 900 consumer complaints in the last two decades. Ten other states have stricter laws than Oregon.

Some potential changes that are being considered are giving locksmiths a separate specialty license similar to Washington State, requiring more training and certification or moving the licensing duties to another agency.

This press release and an archive of previous press releases issued by Rep. Huffman’s office are available on the web at: www.leg.state.or.us/huffman.

Posted by The Associated Press March 28, 2008 07:57AM

MAUPIN, Ore. — This city has become at least the second in Oregon to lose its planning commission because of a new financial disclosure law.

Four of the panel’s seven members resigned because of a state law that requires more public officials — including unpaid, small-town volunteers — to submit a statement of their economic interests to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, The (Dalles) Chronicle reported.

The resignations left the commission without a quorum. Mayor Denny Ross said the City Council will take over the commission’s duties.

The entire commission for the city of Elgin, north of La Grande, resigned earlier this month for the same reason.

The statements, due April 15, must identify the source of income for the officeholder, their relatives or member of their household — anything above $1,000, though not the specific amount. The statements also address property holdings, shared business with lobbyists, honoraria and certain types of debt and investments.

Ross complained that the state legislators made a "sweeping" rule change that hurts small towns. He said the rules provide an extra layer of bureaucracy and expose more information to the public without adequate protection.

"It’s a slap in the face" to the integrity of volunteers, Ross said. He added that the ethics rule isn’t necessary in a small town, where "everyone knows what’s going on."

Ross has written a letter to state Rep. John Huffman, R-The Dalles, and plans to forward a summary of the resignation letters to the ethics commission. Ross said it took two months to find the last volunteer for the commission and he has no confidence he can fill four vacancies.

REPRESENTATIVE HUFFMAN SUPPORTS TAX RELIEF FOR OREGON’S FAMILY FARMERS AND RANCHERS

February 15th, 2008

SALEM – Representative John Huffman (R-The Dalles) supported providing tax relief to small farmers and ranchers with his aye vote on House Bill 3618. House Bill 3618 will give a tax break on estate taxes for family farmers, forest owners and commercial fishing businesses. The House of Representatives passed HB 3618 by a vote of 41 to 18. The bill now goes to the Senate.

HB 3618 will provide tax relief through a credit schedule depending on the size of the estate. The credit schedule is highest at $7.5 million and lowest at $15 million. In order to be eligible for this tax credit, two criteria must be met:

- 50% of the total estate’s value must be natural resource or commercial fishing property.
- In the event that ownership of the property transfers to heirs of the family, the property must continue to be used for the same purpose for five of the next eight years.

“This bill still needs to be amended to extend this benefit to small woodland owners,”
said Rep. Huffman. “I will be working with Senator Ferrioli to ensure this amendment is added.” If signed by the Governor, HB 3618 will become effective 91 days following the adjournment of the 2008 supplemental legislative session.

This press release and an archive of previous press releases issued by Rep. Huffman’s office are available on the web at: www.leg.state.or.us/huffman.

###

By CORY ELDRIDGE
of The Chronicle
Commissioners from seven counties in District 59 chose former broadcaster John Huffman of The Dalles to fill a vacancy in the Oregon Legislature. The district was left without representation by the surprise resignation earlier
this month of Rep. John Dallum. Dallum himself was originally appointed to the seat in a similar procedure when former Rep. John Mabrey resigned in 2004.

The county commissioners met at Cousins Restaurant’s banquet room today at 9 a.m. to choose from a pool of three candidates selected by Republican Precinct Committee People on Wednesday, Aug. 23. The other
candidates were Meredith Van Valkenburgh of The Dalles and Mick Goss of Madras.

After a short introduction, the candidates separately answered questions from the commissioners. Most of the questions addressed the three men’s views and plans concerning the district’s rural communities. About these issues, Huffman said he wants to work with the counties to decide which issues they need state assistance with and “what Salem can stay out of.”

During his introduction, Huffman stressed what he called his “stick-to-itivness”, and throughout his questioning said his first business would be to build relationships with the district’s counties and state agencies to solve problems,
such as those concerning land and water use. In the election, each commissioner was given a vote, but the weight of the vote was determined by the number of registered voters in the commissioner’s county. The commissioners from Deschutes, Gilliam, Wheeler and Sherman had 1/3 of a vote while Wasco’s commissioners each had 4 1/3 votes. A candidate would win by plurality, receiving more votes than either of the other candidates.

The first four counties to report their votes, Deschutes, Gilliam, Grant and Wheeler which all phoned in, went unanimously to Huffman. Goss received one vote, weighted to be worth three, from a Jefferson commissioner. Huffman then took Sherman county unanimously. Van Valkenburgh received two votes from Wasco County’s commissioners, worth 8 2/3 votes. Needing only a plurality, Huffman won with 18 1/3 votes of a potential 30. While accepting his new post, Huffman said to the commissioners, “I will visit every one of you until you are sick of me.”
After the meeting adjourned, Huffman said his first task will be to fulfill his promise to build relationships with his constituents. Mostly it will be learning the issues. “I’m going to have to get up to speed on all of the issues,” he said. “I’m being loaded up as we speak.”

He said rural issues such as farming, property and water rights, cellular service, and timber receipts will be at the forefront of his work as District 59’s representative. House District 59 is one of the largest districts in the state. It covers all of Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler and Jefferson counties plus two thirds of Grant County, a portion of Deschutes County, and tiny unpopulted slivers of Marion and Clackamas counties.