Editorial

Legislature's grade: B+

The 2007 Legislature convened in January with the ingredients for a successful session. But it's a long way from the grocery bag to the dinner table, and there was no guarantee that legislators could nourish Oregon's hunger for leadership with the ingredients that fortune and the voters had placed in their hands.

By the time they reached the day of adjournment Thursday, however, lawmakers had compiled an impressive record of achievement. It was the best session in recent memory.

There were many reasons for high expectations. Gov. Ted Kulongoski had just begun his second term and, unencumbered by concern for re-election, was strongly motivated to improve upon a lackluster legacy. Democrats had taken control of the House of Representatives for the first time in 16 years, and were eager to release a flood of pent-up political energy. With both legislative chambers and the governor's office in the hands of a single political party, the Democrats needed to show they could get things done. And above all, a strong economy had delivered enough money to lubricate an ambitious public policy agenda.

It was a year of opportunity, and for the most part, legislators made use of it. Public policy-making in Oregon shifted into forward gear and began reaching for possibilities rather than merely coping with limitations. The session was animated by a sense that the Legislature could actually make life better, instead of simply slowing Oregon's rate of decline. At times, it even looked as though legislators were having fun.

From our point of view, the best evidence of a successful session comes in the form of comprehensive improvements in funding for higher education. The details of this achievement were outlined in an editorial published Friday. More broadly, spending for colleges and universities reflects a particular kind of thinking. The payoff from such an investment, though certain, is not immediate. A strong financial commitment to higher education is a mark of optimism, of confidence in Oregon's long-term prospects. It's refreshing to see that attitude guiding decisions in Salem.

Similarly, the 2007 Legislature compiled a solid record on environmental issues, setting targets for renewable energy production, expanding the Bottle Bill to require deposits on bottled water, starting an electronics recycling program, creating tax incentives for biofuels production, and sending to the voters a rewrite of Measure 37, the voter initiative that has exposed vast tracts of farm and forest land to development pressure. By assigning a high priority to such issues, lawmakers showed they have lifted their sights above immediate economic and budgetary concerns and are attempting to protect the state's livability far into the future.

An expansive view also was evident in legislation to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and to permit same-sex couples to form domestic partnerships. By approving these measures, the Legislature showed a determination to continue Oregon's advance toward the ideal of equality.

Much of the session's progress occurred with bipartisan support. A large appropriation for public schools was agreed upon relatively early in the session. Democrats and Republicans alike agreed on the need for a substantial increase in the number of state troopers; 100 will be added. A bipartisan plan to create a budgetary reserve fund was approved early in the session, greatly improving the state's financial stability.

There was more: An indoor smoking ban. A law to require self-extinguishing cigarettes. Limits on predatory lenders. Protection for victims of identity theft. A bill to ensure that food served in schools is nutritious. New safety rules to protect young riders of all-terrain vehicles.

There were disappointments. The House was unable to muster a three-fifths majority to support a tobacco tax to finance health insurance for 117,000 Oregon children. Instead, lawmakers sent the plan to voters as a constitutional amendment.

A proposal to finance low-income housing with money from an increase in document recording fees fell by the wayside. Democrats could not persuade their Republican colleagues to raise the $10 minimum corporate income tax or the state beer tax - although by the end of the session, rising revenue projections made it more difficult to make a compelling case for tax increases of any kind. State and local transportation needs largely went unad- dressed.

Lawmakers beat their June 29 deadline for adjournment. They held the shortest session in a decade. They avoided ending the session with a flurry of midnight votes on important bills. In all, Oregonians were well-served.

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/07/01/printable/ed.edit.xgr07.0701.C9hBNl6V.phtml?section=opinion