Perspective from the 19^th Hole is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus to use an image from my favorite sport, golf.  Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as a private sector lobbyist.  This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

A new element was introduced into Oregon transportation funding yesterday, one that could help Governor Tina Kotek down the road in her bid for re-election.

House Speaker Julie Fahey and Senate President Rob Wagner said they will introduce a bill in the February legislative session to move the transportation funding measure (read, gas tax) onto the May 19 statewide primary election.

It is likely that Democrats in both the House and Senat will go along with the proposal – we’ll know in a few weeks.  So, it appears voters will get their say this spring.

The alternative was that Republicans who oppose the tax had submitted enough voter signatures to get the measure on the ballot next fall in Oregon’s general election.

That would have presented this problem:  The unpopular proposal to increase gas taxes (and other taxes) would have been on the ballot at the same time Kotek’s re-election.

Irritated voters could have opposed the tax increases AND Kotek.

So, without saying so directly, legislative leaders found their way around the problem:  They proposed to set the election sooner.

Does all this matter?  Of course, the answer is “yes.” 

Voters will get their chance to express their views and the general election next fall will produce a clean slate for Kotek – if there ever is a clean slate in politics in Oregon or elsewhere.  She’ll be running against Republicans on the basis of her record in office.

So far, several Republicans have said they will file.  The leader is State Senator Christine Drazan who ran last time and lost to Kotek, but could be on the ballot again next November, setting up the re-match.