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45 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, January 24, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend November 7, 2004 Senators tap Bates for leadership post Staff and wire reports Newly elected state Sen. Alan Bates, D-Ashland, was chosen Saturday as the Senate’s deputy majority leader for the 2005 legislative session. Bates, who won the Senate District 3 seat on Tuesday, was named to the third-most powerful position of that body’s leadership by Oregon Senate Democrats during a caucus in Newport. Central Point Republican Dennis Richardson was elected Thursday as speaker pro tem for the state House’s Republican majority, the second-most powerful spot in that body. Richardson won his second House term on Tuesday. Senate Democrats also chose Peter Courtney of Salem as Senate president and Portland Sen. Kate Brown as majority leader, the No. 2 post. Courtney had shared the title while the Senate was split in a 15-15 tie with Republicans. But Democrats added three more seats in the Nov. 2 general election, putting them in a leadership role with an 18-12 majority. Advertisement The coming session will be the first time in more than a decade the Democrats have controlled the Senate. Senate freshman Bates, a medical doctor, previously held the District 5 state House seat. "I’m honored and somewhat surprised," Bates said in a telephone interview Saturday. "I look forward to this opportunity," he added. "This appointment will bring to Southern Oregon some power we wouldn’t normally have." However, he stressed that the Democratic majority is committed to the future of the state, not to the body politic. "The leadership we’ve got is smart enough and dedicated enough to put Oregon first, and put politics in the back of the closet," he said. A bipartisan approach is the best way to deal with problems facing the state, he said. Those problems include an expected state budget crunch, creating challenges in funding for education, human resources and other items, he said. "(But) we are going to walk in there and get the job done," he said. "We’re going to do some serious work." Like Bates, Courtney said the budget will be a top priority when the new session convenes Jan. 10. Courtney emerged as a compromise candidate to lead the state Senate when it was evenly split with Republicans during the contentious 2003 session, followed by a record five special sessions in 2004 to plug holes in the state budget. He said Democrats will encourage bipartisanship not only with Republicans in the Senate but also in the House, where the GOP still holds a 33-27 advantage after losing two seats to Democrats. "We’re going to have to show the process is open and reach out to all of Oregon and all of our colleagues," Courtney said. State Sen. Rick Metsger of Welches said the 18 Democrats at the caucus meeting spent several hours talking over issues. As Senate president, Courtney has the power to appoint committee chairmen or remove them, and can determine how fast proposed laws move through the chamber — or don’t. Courtney emphasized that Democrats are already reaching out to Republicans. "Did you notice anything about Democrats this week?" he said. "You haven’t heard a single comment about winning the majority. Nobody is rubbing it in anybody’s face because we have a heavy responsibility to bring people together." Brown, meanwhile, is considered the architect of the campaign strategy that helped Democrats take over the Senate. Now she sees her role as finding the right strategy for approaching difficult issues, such as balancing the state budget. "And to do it in a way that is fiscally responsible, and in a way that voters feel gives them a good bang for their buck," Brown said. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers