On 9/12, the Josephine County chapter of Americans for Prosperity held a Tea Party in Grants Pass, Oregon. There were ten speakers and two singers at the event. This 3-part program shows the highlights.

In Part 1, Linda Anderson sings the national anthem and Pastor Tony Russo delivers the invocation. Then Jack Swift tells us our legislators ignored the first Tea Parties, but we can get their attention (at least in Oregon) by closing the checkbook. Jack Brown explains the importance of electing representatives who understand fiscal responsibility and respect the Constitution. 14-year old Taylor Rose follows up with a song she wrote with her father about our soldiers serving overseas.

In Part 2, Margaret Goodwin tells us we cannot have a sound economy without production, which is being stifled by overregulation and punitive taxation, Jean Sweat talks about the flaws in the healthcare plan proposed by the current administration, and Jim Frick demands that the government allow us to utilize our natural resources, which provide employment for our local communities.

In Part 3, Damon Mancuso cautions us about the risks of a Constitutional Convention, Jon Lesh tels us how to get involved and make a difference at the local level, Bill Ertel explains the four new tax bills passed by the Oregon state legislature, and Paul Walter discusses the differences between living in a communist society and a free society. Jack Swift closes the rally and sums it al up.

On April 15, Americans for Prosperity sponsored a TEA Party in Grants Pass. 1200 people from all over Southern Oregon and Northern California gathered to send a message to our government that we have had enough!

We don’t want any new taxing, spending, borrowing, stimulus packages, bailouts, or government takeovers. We have enough restrictive regulations driving industries off shore. Enough redistribution of wealth. What we want from the government is to get out of the way! And we, the People, will get the economy going again by increasing production at home.

Obviously, the government didn’t pay attention. Right here in Oregon, the state legislature passed four new tax bills in the last session! This time, we’ll get their attention by closing the checkbook on them. Government can’t expand without our money. If we cut off their allowance, you can believe they’ll sit up and take notice.

There will be petitions at the Tea Party, demanding the new taxes be put on the ballot. Let the voters decide, — not the legislature.

Please join us on Saturday, 9/12, at the Josephine County Courthouse from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Our theme this time around is Starve the Beast!

This is the second half of a one hour program that examines the types of minerals found in Oregon, their importance to our economy and in our daily lives, and the impacts of state and federal regulations and land withdrawals on the mining industry. (The first half is posted here.)

In Part 4, an ex-Navy SEAL who has been instrumental in developing the suction dredge technology for placer mining in river beds talks about the environmentalists’ litigation against mining and the recently passed law that bans suction dredging in California. Then the state geologist from the Josephine County office of the Dept. of Geology and Mineral Industries discusses how the Dept. of Geology assists miners, and we learn that it is being shut down.

In Part 5, we visit a minig camp where a miner lives with his wife and three children. Then we meet a miner who’s family developed a process for smelting a nickel ladderite ore into a “master metal” from which any grade of stainless steel can be easily produced. He has spent 17 years fighting legal battles to be allowed to mine his claim.

In Part 6, we learn about aggregate mining, and how important it is to our economy. Then we learn more about the endless litigation tactics employed by the environmental lobbies, and how they manage to manipulate both the courts and government agencies at great cost to the mining industry and the taxpayers.

In the last legislative session, the Oregon state legislature passed a number of new taxes, which Governor Kulongoski subsequently signed into law. Because we have a referendum process in Oregon, if we get enough signatures on petitions, we can refer these taxes to the voters and give the citizens the final say in whether to raise our taxes, rather than leaving it up to the legislature and the governor.

There are four petitions in circulation, calling for referendums the four most eggregious new tax bills.

• Petition #301:   HB 2649 increases the personal income tax rate for people earning over $125,000 per year. This will give Oregon the highest top income tax rate of any state in the country.
• Petition #302:   HB 3405 will increase business taxes, and will tax gross receipts of all corporate entites (including S corporations), regardless of whether they make any profit. This tax will undoubtedly result in more small businesses having to shut down or move out of state.
• Petition #303:   HB 2116 assesses a 1% tax on all healthcare premiums, which will be passed on directly to consumers.
• Petition #304:   HB 2001 increases the gasoline tax from 24 cents per gallon to 30 cents per gallon, — a 25% increase. it also mandates new land use regulations designed to reduce greenhouse gases…

PLEASE NOTE: You can only sign a petition if you are a registered voter in Oregon, and received a ballot in the last election at your current address, (or, if you moved since the last election, if you have re-registered at your current address).

Please DO NOT sign any petition more than once. You cannot sign a single-signer (downloaded) petition if you have already signed a petition for the same referendum in person, or vice versa. We do recommend signing all four petitions, however. If you have already signed the first two petitions (personal income tax and corporate/business tax), then you can use the single-signer petitions to sign the other two (healtcare tax and transportation/gas tax).

DOWNLOAD PETITIONS

If you have NOT already signed these petitions, you can now download single-signer petitions for each of these bills, sign them, and mail them to:

AFP-Oregon
7100 SW Hampton, Suite 201
Tigard, OR 97223

To download the first two petitions (personal income tax and corporate/business tax), Click Here.

To download the second two petitions (healthcare tax and gas tax/transportation bill), Click Here.

Please be sure to read the instructions thoroughly.

If you would like to circulate petitions and gather signatures from friends, family, and co-workers, or volunteer to gather signatures from the public, please contact us to get a petition packet and more information.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at your local chapter of Americans for Prosperity.

This is the first half of a one-hour program that examines the mining industry in Southern Oregon. (The second half hour of this program will be posted next month.)

In the first segment, a gold miner shows us the adit of a gold mine in Josephine County, Oregon, where there’s still plenty of gold in the ground but the challenge is getting it out. He also shows us one of the best places for gold panning along the Rogue River, but cautions about running afoul of the new regulations. Then a retired state geologist discusses the different types of minerals found in Southern Oregon, and why it’s so difficult for miners to extract them.

In the second segment, we visit the Dawg Mining SummerFest and learn about highbanking and gold panning. Then we visit the site of one of the largest and highest grade silica deposits west of the Rocky Mountains, and learn why it’s taken 24 years to get to the point where the owner of the claim has any hope of mining it.

In the third segment, a gold miner shows us the reclamation project he implemented at a gold mining site in Golden, Oregon, where he established a wetlands with eleven ponds, providing habitat for fish and wildlife and trails for recreation. Then the former owner of the largest mining shop in the US discusses mining and mining regulations, and their impact on the local economy.

These three videos make up the second half hour of a one-hour program that looks at how responsible forest management is important for healthy forests, and examines the negative impact of federal regulation and environmental litigation on the timber industry and on local economies in rural Oregon.

The first episode focused on the people working in the forests and sawmills. This episode includes interviews with people from county, state, and federal forestry agencies.

In Part 4, the Josephine County Forestry Supervisor hoots for a spotted owl and explains the impact of federal regulations on county forestry practices. Then, the retired Director of Forestry in Josephine County talks about the Biscuit fire and how current federal forest practices leave our forests vulnerable to an even more catastrophic fire.

In Part 5, a retired Timber Program Manager with U.S. Forest Service talks about the programs that were funded by timber revenue on federal lands, and the impacts of environmental litigation on those programs. A former County Commissioner discusses the economic and social impacts of the decline of the timber industry on Jackson County, Oregon.

In Part 6, a District Protection Planner for the Oregon Department of Forestry talks about a balanced approach to timber management. Then the Executive Vice President of the Southern Oregon Timber Industries Association shows us the demolition of the last remaining sawmill in Jackson County, and discusses what it means and why it didn’t have to happen.

The Josephine County chapter of Americans for Prosperity will be giving away copies of the Costitution and Declaration of Indepenence at the Josepehine County fairgrounds on July 4th, from 7:00-9:00 PM, before the fireworks display. We have 300 copies to give away on a first come, first served basis.

Happy 4th of July! Remember, this is the day we celebrate the birth of our nation, and all the rights and freedoms we enjoy as American citizens. Come get your free pocket copy of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. (And don’t forget to read them!)

This is the first part of a two-part series focusing on the timber industry in Oregon. This one-hour program looks at how responsible forest management is important for healthy forests, and examines the negative impact of federal regulation and environmental litigation on the timber industry and on local economies in rural Oregon.

These three videos make up the first half hour of the program, which includes interviews with people working in forestry, logging, trucking, and sawmills. The second half hour, which includes interviews with representatives of county, state, and federal forest programs, will be published next month.

In Part 1, a forester explains the lifecycle of a timber stand, and a logger talks about his work and his love of the forests.

Part 2 contains interviews with the owner/operator of a small logging business, a log truck driver, and a sawmill supervisor.

In Part 3, the owners of a private forest company and the last remaining sawmill in Josephine County talk about effects of the curtailment of federal timber harvests on their businesses and on the local economy.

The Josephine County chapter of Americans for Prosperity sponsored a Tax Day Tea Party in Grants Pass on April 15. There were 12 speakers, three singers, and over 1200 attendees who turned out to protest excessive taxing, spending, borrowing, bailouts, and overregulation of individuals and industry. This 3-part video shows highlights from the Tea Party.

In Part 1, Lorrie Ahrens opens with the national anthem, and Pastor Tony Russo gives the invocation. Richard Burke, of AFP Oregon, talks about why we’re attending this event, and Jean Sweat talks about our Republic. Jack Swift discusses the economy and the message we want to send to our legislators, and then reads a letter from state Representatives Ron Maurer and Dennis Richardson.

In Part 2, Gary Spangler discusses the Constitution, Gil Gillingham talks about the government spending our money, and Paul Walter tells a parable about how we’re losing our country. Margaret Goodwin lists our grievances and issues a call to action, and Jim Frick talks about how the government needs to allow us to use our natural resources.

In Part 3, Jack Swift decries the effects of too much government regulation, Bill Davis explains how to replace a Congressman, Damon Mancuso talks about working together for freedom, and Shaun Curry talks about the DHS warning of “right wing radicals” on the eve of the Tea Parties. Jack Swift closes the event with a summary of what the Tea Parties are about.

Click here to view an extended, one-hour version of this video. The complete speeches can also be viewed, either individually or sequentially, at www.youtube.com/afpjocoteaparty.

On April 23, Scott Jorgensen hosted a talk show on KAJO radio about the Grants Pass Tax Day Tea Party. His guests were Jack Swift, Margaret Goodwin, and Shaun Curry.

Click here to listen to the show.