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Golden heated about climate bill By Damian Mann of the Mail Tribune Jul 02, 2019 05:11 PM A A 2 View all photos Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, denounced Republican senators and others Tuesday who helped spread misinformation about a cap-and-trade bill that was derailed in the waning days of the legislative session. “The charge that it would destroy rural Oregon is fear mongering,” said Golden at a press conference at the Medford library. While Republicans have insisted they were excluded from helping draft House Bill 2020, Golden responded that many changes were made to the bill at the behest of Republicans. But the same Republicans turned around and joined a chorus of protest against the bill, he said. “Either they have no idea about this bill or they knew better,” Golden said. House Bill 2020 prompted a walkout by all 11 Republican senators, denying a quorum for the Senate that lasted just over a week. After three Democrats indicated they wouldn’t support the bill, it died. Gov. Kate Brown and Democratic senators say they will continue to push for some kind of legislation to limit carbon emissions in Oregon. Golden, who didn’t know when the Legislature would take up a climate bill again, said he received calls from constituents who perpetuated incorrect information that they were going to have their diesel vehicles taken away or that they’d pay $3,000 a year in fuel taxes. Gas taxes would have risen about 20 cents a gallon in the first year, he said. According to the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles, the average Oregonian would have paid about $100 more per year for fuel. Golden cited changes made to the bill that specifically would have helped rural Oregon. To help poor families, gas tax credits would have been available for a family of four with an income below $65,000 annually. Residents of rural counties would have received tax refunds because they drive more than those in metro areas. Refunds would also have been available for fuel used for off-road vehicles in agriculture and forestry. Only three counties around Portland would have had to deal with restrictions on diesel vehicles, he said. A special fund was designed to help farmers retrofit older vehicles, converting them from diesel to natural gas, he said. Rural and coastal communities will be disproportionately impacted by climate change, and 40% of investments from a climate fund would have gone to those counties. A majority of large rural manufacturers would have received emission permits for free. Golden said those additions to the bill, many of which were requested by Republicans, would have helped rural Oregon more than hurt it. He said an economic analysis showed it would have helped stimulate business in rural Oregon. Sen. Herman Baertschiger , R-Grants Pass, and Sen. Dennis Linthicum, R-Klamath Falls, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Golden, who represents most of the southern part of Jackson County from Medford to Ashland, said that one of the reasons he decided to run for office was to pass a meaningful climate change bill. He said the extreme weather events that will come to pass with climate change will hurt the poor the most. “The people who can least afford it will get the short end of the stick,” he said. As for other legislative efforts, Golden said he was disappointed that the Legislature didn’t provide more money for fire prevention efforts, calling the resources being given to the Oregon Department of Forestry “skinny.” Representatives from Southern Oregon fought for more funding but the idea didn’t get enough traction in Salem, Golden said. In the past, Golden said, he’s engaged in civil disobedience tactics similar to those employed by Republicans when they walked out. But, he said, he always knew that he could expect consequences for those actions. “Nobody knows if this will happen again,” he said. “I really doubt this is the kind of system they want going forward.” Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on www.twitter.com/reporterdm. Andy Atkinson / Mail TribuneSen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland discusses the 2019 Session at the Jackson County Medford library Tuesday. Sen. Jeff Golden - Senate Session 2019Thumbnail