OPB Politics Now

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.