Biggest Individual Contributor to Yes on Measure 97 Campaign is Former Top GOP Giver

It was not a huge surprise this week to see mammoth checks from public employee unions arrive in support of the Yes on Measure 97 campaign.

The National Education Association chipped in $1.85 million; the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees gave $1.25 million; the Oregon Education Association another $1 million; and the American Federation of Teachers gave $750,000 in a $5 million haul this week.

That's not too surprising: Public employee unions sponsored the measure, which would raise $3 billion annually by levying a 2.5 percent tax on the Oregon sales of C corporations above $25 million.

But one contribution is eye-catching: $50,000 from Karl "Rick" Miller, the founder and chairman of Avamere, a chain of 40 senior living facilities and a founder of Rogue Venture Partners.

As recently as 2012, Miller, who lives on a private island in Lake Oswego, was a top Republican donor. That year, he gave $100,000 to the Oregon Transformation Project, a conservative political action committee that sought to further GOP causes and elect GOP candidates. In 2010, he'd contributed $75,000 to Chris Dudley, the GOP candidate for governor.

But Miller has moved toward the middle in recent years. In 2014, he considered running for a Clackamas County Senate seat as an independent and even retained Tim Nesbitt, a former public employee union leader and top aide to Democratic Govs. Ted Kulongoski and John Kitzhaber, to advise him.

Miller, is a respected figure in Oregon's business community and a noted philanthropist—he recently gave $8 million to his alma mater, Portland State University. For someone of his stature—in addition to Avamere's success, he stands seven feet tall—to support raising taxes on big business is a boost for the "Yes" campaign.

Miller didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Willamette Week