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Seen a Rogue on
the loose?
What's a state lawmaker doing trying to kill that rarest of beasts, a useful bureaucracy? Not even the sponsor of the legislative draft, Sen. Marilyn Shannon, seems to know for sure. Still, the Brooks Republican asked for a bill to be drafted that would abolish Multnomah County's Tax Supervising and Conservation Commission. "I want to get money out of bureaucracies and into the classroom," she says. Give her an A in rhetoric but an F in logic. Created in 1919, the TSCC certifies the budgets of 36 entities within Multnomah County, including Metro, the Port and each of the county's school districts and cities. The three-person staff holds public hearings on each budget and reviews every proposed levy and bond issue, serving as an invaluable resource and much-needed watchdog. The commission's $230,000 budget comes entirely from the Multnomah County general fund, which begs the question why a state legislator--particularly one who doesn't represent Multnomah County--cares. Shannon, who is running for Congress, admitted she had never even discussed her proposed bill with any Multnomah County legislators. In fact, the idea to ax TSCC came from her husband, Al Shannon, an Oregon School Board Association official. While her knowledge of the commission's origins and purpose is sketchy, she is nonetheless willing to propose its elimination. "Discussion can't hurt," she says. "They're always complaining that they need more money up there [in Multnomah County]; maybe they should spend what they have more wisely." Shannon's real motivation, however, may stem from the commission's two-year spat with Reynolds School District, which wasn't properly funding early retirement liabilities. Last spring, in order to force compliance, the TSCC made its criticism public. Outgoing TSCC director Courtney Wilton believes that the bill Shannon proposes is payback. The connection? Al Shannon and Ward Moyer, Reynolds' finance chief, both serve on the Association of School Business Officers. Sen. Shannon denied knowledge of the Reynolds link. WW was unable to reach her husband.
Originally published August 12, 1998 |
