How green is your legislator?
Oregon conservation group rates politicians
Despite Democratic victories in 2008, the Oregon Legislature was a little less friendly to the environment this year according to a leading green group.
The Oregon League of Conservation Voters’ 2009 Environmental Scorecard, released Tuesday, tracked votes on 21 bills and found lawmakers supported the group’s position about 60 percent of the time, down considerably from the 2007 tally.
In western Washington County, lawmakers’ scores fell along party lines, with local Democrats voting with OLCV at least 75 percent of the time and Republicans supporting the group no more than 32 percent of the time. Here are the specific scores:
• Sen. Larry George (R-District 13, including Dilley and Gaston): 5%
• Sen. Bruce Starr (R-District 15, from Hillsboro to Gales Creek): 32%
• Sen. Betsy Johnson (D- District 16, including Banks): 75%
• Rep. Matt Wingard (R-District 26, including Dilley and Gaston: 14%
• Rep. David Edwards (D-District 30, Hillsboro): 90%
• Rep. Chuck Riley (D-District 29, from Hillsboro to Gales Creek): 90%
• Rep. Debbie Boone (D-District 32, including Banks): 81%
Bills that passed with bipartisan support included fighting costly invasive species outbreaks, creating marine reserves along Oregon’s coastline, and a landmark water management package.
“More times than not, legislators represented the will of the vast majority of Oregonians, voting to protect public health, preserve fish and wildlife habitat,” said Evan Manvel, OLCV’s legislative affairs director. “But despite significant progress, the science is clear that we’ve got much more work to do.”