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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW A question of intent ... New police chief named in Talent ... New wine festival planned for Ashland in October ... A question of intent ... New police chief named in Talent ... New wine festival planned for Ashland in October ... FROM THE EDITOR From the Editor: Forum is a chance to talk to, not past each other Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News If there's one thing that some of the recent presidential debates have taught us about our political life, it's that we have mastered the art of talking past one another. It appears we've decided that "I'm right and the other guy is wrong," which makes moot the point of listening. We hope to move beyond that kind of conversation by hosting a Legislative Review here this week at the Mail Tribune, 111 N. Fir St. The brown-bag session will run from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, and I'd like to take the opportunity right now to invite you to attend. The session will feature a number of Oregon legislators who represent the Rogue Valley in Salem. Among those who have indicated they will attend are Sen. Alan Bates, D-Medford, and Reps. Duane Stark, R-Grants Pass, Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, and House Minority Leader Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte. (Don't let the Powell Butte tag throw you, his House district stretches from north of Prineville to the city limits of Medford.) We invited all legislators whose districts include Jackson County, but several had previous commitments. The topics they could touch on in Thursday's forum are big — huuuge, in today's parlance — and will have a lasting impact on Oregon. Whether that impact is good or bad is a matter of perspective and we'll no doubt hear some differing perspectives from the legislators. In case you missed them, those big topics include a major increase in the minimum wage, a plan to eliminate the use of coal in generating power for Oregon and a variety of additions and tweaks to the state's marijuana laws. The minimum wage law will have the biggest near-term effect. Over the next six years, the three-tiered wage plan will boost hourly rates from the current $9.25 to $13.50 in mid-sized counties, including Jackson and Josephine, while it will climb to $14.75 in the Portland area and $12.50 in smaller rural counties. The effects of the plan to eliminate coal as a power source by 2030 are less certain. Opponents say consumers will pay a big price, although no one knows how much, while supporters say it will help curb global warming, although, again, no one knows how much. Legislative efforts solidified Oregon's place among the legal-marijuana states, allowing medical and recreational pot to be sold in the same building and declaring pot to be an agricultural crop, and to be treated as such when it comes to land use. In Jackson County, that actually limits the options for some marijuana growers. Those measures and more led to political friction, with Republicans saying the Democratic-controlled Legislature ran roughshod over the minority in the GOP. Republicans tried stalling tactics and refused to show up for an evening session in hopes of slowing the D's advance, but in the end the majority party got the majority of what it wanted. All of the above means our legislators should have plenty to talk about on Thursday. We invite you to join in the session and see what they have to say. Bob Hunter is editor of the Mail Tribune. Reach him at [email protected] . MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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