MKirk's blog

Today OSPIRG released a report about the practices of the payday lending industry in the City of Portland. You can read the news release at this link: http://ospirg.org/OR.asp?id2=20550&id4=HP and the report here: http://ospirg.org/OR.asp?id2=20549&id4=HP. Researchers went in-person to payday loan storefronts in the city and inquired about and observed based on a short checklist of consumer information. What we found were staggering interest rates and in almost half of the cases, a lack of compliance with a basic state rule.

Our survey results indicate that in the City of Portland: The most common annual percentage rate charged by payday lenders, based on a $300 loan principal for a full 14-day term is five hundred twenty-one percent (521%).

We've just heard that the U. S. Senate narrowly passed its version of a budget reconciliation bill after failing to strip out language that would turn America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge into an industrial oil field.

I am very disappointed in today’s vote. However, I want to thank Senator Ron Wyden and the other courageous Senators who voted to reject oil and gas drilling in one of America’s last wild places in the earlier vote on the Cantwell Amendment and also by voting NO on this budget reconciliation bill at final passage.

Now our attention turns to the House of Representatives. Our staff on Capitol Hill tell me that a significant number of members on both sides of the aisle have been outspoken in their opposition to Arctic drilling language in this unrelated budget bill, creating serious concerns about whether a bill with Arctic drilling in it can pass the House at all. Let's do all we can to send the message to the Oregon House delegation as they consider their budget bill.

The Arctic Refuge is one of the last truly wild places left on earth. But Senator Gordon Smith is planning to vote "yes" on a bill that will open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. The drilling provision is tucked into the larger budget reconciliation bill, and the Senate could vote on it as early as the end of this week.

We've just heard that a Marion County Circuit Judge has overturned Measure 37 today....this measure was passed by voters last November. A broad range of groups and state leaders had opposed Measure 37, due to concerns that it would roll back Oregon's landmark land use planning system and threaten community liveability. Congratulations to 1000 Friends of Oregon and the plaintiffs...and, heck, congratulations to Oregon!!!

AP article here: http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/XCLUDED/112...

Bend.com article here: http://bend.com/news/ar_view.php?ar_id=23397

Several weeks ago, the Tonkin auto dealers sued Oregon trying to block the Clean Cars program. Over the last two weeks, Oregonians have flooded the dealership with over 3,000 emails urging them to drop the lawsuit! Now, we're holding a rally in front of a Tonkin dealership in your area, and I want to invite you and your friends to join in. We'll have signs and posters as well as flyers to get passers-by involved too.

What: Rally for Clean Cars in Oregon
Where: Ron Tonkin Acura, 9655 SW Canyon Rd. Portland, OR 97225
When: 11:00am on Wednesday, September 28th

To let me know you'll attend this event, please click on this link or paste it into your web browser:
http://ospirg.org/OR.asp?id=1107&id4=ES

Background

What is the lawsuit?

On Friday September 9th, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers financed a lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Environmental Quality Commission attempting to block or delay the Clean Cars program.

Today OSPIRG released a report on the myths of drilling in the Arctic Refuge. As gas prices skyrocket after the two gulf hurricanes, the oil industry is wasting no time increasing pressure on Congress to open up sensitive areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling. Industry has a set of new fangled claims about how drilling can be done with little or no environmental impact....thus, our decision to release this report to debunk these claims.

VP Al Gore will give a speech on global warming.
The event is Tuesday evening at the Oregon Convention Center.
Doors open at 6pm, and it's free of charge, no ticket required.