OPB Politics Now

Last week, two Oregon lawmakers bucked their respective parties in a major vote on transportation taxes. This week, both of them face very different political futures. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we look at what their votes mean for the Democratic and Republican parties in Oregon. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

The special session that was supposed to funnel billions of dollars into the state’s roads and prevent hundreds of layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation…well similar to a crumbling bridge, it fell apart. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss the last week of politics in Salem. Democratic state lawmakers said they will be back later this month to pass a transportation package, because despite holding supermajorities in both chambers, the full package has not crossed the finish line.

Lawmakers will be back in Salem this week to consider a proposal that would help stave off layoffs for hundreds of transportation workers. But it would also raise taxes at a time when a lot of Oregonians are already hurting financially. Does this sound familiar? Yes, we’ve been here before but this time Gov. Tina Kotek said she’s confident lawmakers will approve a transportation package that will raise billions for the state’s road and bridge upkeep. We’ll discuss the politics at play on both sides of the aisle. Find the show anywhere you get your podcasts.

Much of Oregon relies on our forests to generate cash for roads, bridges, law enforcement and more. But for decades, that money has faded as the timber industry has struggled. Now those problems are coming to a head in a whole new way.. On the latest episode of OPB politics now, we explore how Oregon’s timber counties are bracing for losses after the passage of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and the complex history of logging, federal lands and politics mix. Find the show anywhere you get your podcast.

Gov. Tina Kotek’s office released an analysis this week detailing how much money Oregon stands to lose in federal funding. The state could lose more than $15 billion it uses to pay for health care and food assistance programs and a whole lot more. But Republicans have a different take: It’s not the big beautiful bill that’s going to hit Oregon’s economy, it’s the overtaxing of Oregonians that is hurting the working class. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, reporters Dirk VanderHart and Lauren Dake discuss the latest.   

Portland and other Democratic-leaning cities are trying to figure out how to respond to Trump administration 2.0. On the latest live edition of "OPB Politics Now," reporters Bryce Dole and Alex Zielinski talk about what the city did before, what it's doing now and what observers have to say about it.

Oregon has some of the strictest land-use policies in the nation. And those laws have made Oregon what is today. They’ve protected farmlands and preserved coastlines. They’ve pushed developers to build up - not out - in an effort to avoid sprawl. And they have prompted endless battles as housing becomes more expensive and farm land becomes less available. The latest land-use battle pits farm stands - think U-pick, corn mazes, and concerts -- up against some of the state’s biggest conservation groups. We’ll discuss all that and more on the latest episode of OPB Politics Now.

President Donald Trump has spent his first six months back in the White House using broad executive orders and aggressive raids and deportations to overhaul longstanding immigration practices. The unpredictability of these actions has stoked fear and confusion among immigrant communities across the country – and in Oregon.On this week’s OPB Politics Now, reporters Conrad Wilson, Troy Brynelson and Alex Zielinski help us understand how federal immigration policies under this administration are impacting the lives of Oregonians – and how advocates, lawyers and the courts are stepping in.

For months, there has been speculation that U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley would not seek re-election. But we learned last week that one of the U.S. Senate’s most outspoken progressives will indeed seek a fourth term. On the latest episode of OPB Politics Now, we’ll break that down and dig into the latest rumblings about a possible special legislative session in Salem.

Oregon lawmakers have finished their more than five-month session, where they debate, pass laws and approve a budget for the next two years. The session ended with drama, intrigue and one major political failure by the majority party. On this week's OPB Politics Now livestream, political reporters Dirk VanderHart, Bryce Dole and Alex Zielinski help us understand why the transportation package failed and what it may mean for your commute. They also discussed new gun laws, changes to how the state handles mental illness, and what’s being done to pay Oregon's wildfire bills.