All The News We Could Stuff Into One Stocking.

[December 24th, 2008]

• Inspired by how much cash flowed through the initiative system in the November election (union-backed Defend Oregon disclosed spending $15.5 million ), higher-ed advocates are planning an independent advocacy group. Its goal? To seek a statewide ballot measure to increase funding. Former City Commissioner Jim Francesconi, now a member of the Board of Higher Ed, is spearheading the group’s formation. And he’s helping raise a $250,000 operating budget. “It is time to stop playing defense and talking to ourselves,” Francesconi told Murmurs. “We need to take a page out of the [Kevin] Mannix and [Bill] Sizemore playbook by going directly to the voters.” 

• Salem budget battles begin: Earlier this month, Gov. Ted Kulongoski proposed diverting $8.1 million of the $80 million collected by a monthly fee on phone bills for 9-1-1 service to the state’s general fund. Providers of 9-1-1 services hit the emergency button on the guv’s call and warned Kulongoski that diverting 9-1-1 funds violates federal rules and could prevent Oregon from levying 9-1-1 taxes on cell phones. “Trading $8.1 million in general-fund dollars will result in a $40 million loss in revenue collected,” says Hasina Squires, the group’s lobbyist. A Kulongoski aide, Joe O’Leary, says lawyers will evaluate those concerns. But O’Leary adds that a “different economic reality” for the state led Kulongoski to see whether 9-1-1 service can be delivered more efficiently. For more, go to wweek.com.

• Out with the old year, and in with the old hands at the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. As required by county code, newly elected Sheriff Bob Skipper, 69, has named a successor in case he leaves office unexpectedly. And no surprise—it’s Undersheriff Tom Slyter, an old friend Skipper brought out of retirement to help reform the agency after Skipper took over from scandal-ridden Sheriff Bernie Giusto last summer (see “Skipper’s Castaways,” WW, Aug. 27, 2008). And if Slyter, 62, needs any advice on a “successor’s duties,” he can ask Skipper, who was Giusto’s appointed successor.

• Mayor-elect Sam Adams has hired Portland Mercury News Editor Amy J. Ruiz to be his strategic planning and sustainability policy adviser. Ruiz, who covered City Hall for the Mercury, ended her latest Hall Monitor column largely lauding Adams’ recent assignments of city bureaus. She also wrote that Hall Monitor would return Jan. 8 with a “peek inside Adams’ swearing in.” We’ll assume the peek will be well-sourced.

• Since we noted Mayor Tom Potter’s scheduled Dec. 18 going-away party at City Hall in last week’s paper (“To Honor Hizzoner”), we feel duty-bound to report that his bash joined your holiday plans on the list of events canceled due to crappy weather. The rescheduled soiree is planned for 5:30 pm on Tuesday, Dec. 30. And do feel free to borrow from our list of gift suggestions from last week’s piece.

• With the midnight Dec. 31 deadline approaching for donations to WW’s Give!Guide, you have already astounded us with your generosity to the 55 awesome nonprofits we’re featuring. As of press time, you’ve already topped last year’s record by contributing more than $520,000. Remarkable that, given that the economy has hit the skids over the past year. But please continue to astound us and, more importantly, help out some very worthy folks over the holidays by going to wweek.com and donating.