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CLOUDY Temp: 45 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, February 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend January 23, 2003 Bill would fund police through fee Patridge co-sponsors legislation that would raise insurance rates By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune A fee on automobile insurance policies that would head off a 28 percent reduction in manpower at the Oregon State Police will be part of a legislative bill. Republican Rep. Rob Patridge of Medford, who is co-sponsoring the bill with Democratic Sen. Rick Metsger of Mount Hood, said the plan would raise nearly $90 million in the next biennium by tacking on a monthly $1.83 fee to the average $704 annual policy. The total still would be less than the national average of $785.80, said Patridge, who chairs the Ways and Means Public Safety subcommittee. The bill, which would place a 3.125 percent premium on all auto insurance policies, would raise $74.4 million for the OSP and provide $15 million for district attorneys to help prosecute traffic safety laws. If the bill doesn’t pass and Measure 28 fails, Patridge said the OSP would be devastated by cuts, reducing the number of officers from 467 to 333. "In the last 20 years, they’ve continued to have a decline in their force," he said. Robin Marshall, regional manager for the Medford office of AAA, said the average annual insurance bill for her company’s customers is $902, and she predicts any sort of fee increase will cause some complaints. "I know people will be angry with us because there’s a fee tacked on to it, because they think there are already high rates," she said. Patridge, who said all but five states do some kind of assessment on insurance policies, said a person paying $902 annually would see an increase of $28 because of the fee. Oregon already has a small surcharge on property and some auto insurance premiums, with the revenues earmarked for the state Fire Marshal’s Office. Patridge predicts the bill, which is still being drafted, has a fairly good chance of surviving the Legislature and getting the governor’s endorsement. He will continue to push the bill through the Legislature if Measure 28 passes because it would free up general fund dollars for other programs. OSP Lt. Kurt Barthel at the Medford regional headquarters said state police manpower is 39 percent smaller than 1979 levels, and this bill will just maintain the manpower established at the beginning of the 2001-03 biennial budget. At his office, pink slips have been handed out to seven of the 27 officers and five of the seven support staff. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S