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Clout in doubt Southern Oregon will still have plenty of power in the Senate when the Oregon Legislature opens Monday, but the region has lost pull in the House BY PETER WONG SALEM -- When the 70th Oregon Legislature opens Monday, Southern Oregon's delegation is likely to have less influence than it did two years ago. The effect will definitely be seen in the House, where Oregon's term limits and election turnover resulted in 27 new members, including four of the five from districts covering Jackson and Josephine counties. The fifth is Rep. Judy Uherbelau of Ashland, a Democrat who starts her third and final term. Only one of them is scheduled to head a committee. Two years ago, the region's House delegation included the speaker pro tem, co-chairman of the Legislature's budget committee and chairman of one of its subcommittees, and the chairman of another committee. Together with the region's senators, they helped deliver more than $20 million in projects -- something unlikely to be repeated this session -- and influenced state policy. The region's influence will remain strong in the Senate, where Brady Adams of Grants Pass will return as president and Lenn Hannon of Ashland will head one of the Legislature's six budget subcommittees. Oregon is one of seven states where legislators meet every other year. Sessions generally run six months, though there is no official deadline. With just six years in the House allowed under term limits -- and 12 overall in the Legislature -- Southern Oregon's new representatives say they are eager to get started. The first-term class is the largest since 1972, when Oregon switched from county to single-member districts. "Given that this is such a huge freshman class with the advent of term limits, people are going to be hustling to make an impact quickly," said Jason Atkinson, a Republican from Jacksonville who will take the House seat vacated by Eldon Johnson. "I know that is part of my strategy." He said he has asked for committee assignments dealing with business, water and salmon recovery. "I feel optimistic about where I might land," he said. Rob Patridge, a Republican from Medford, will take the House seat vacated by John Watt. "It's going to take a while for everyone to get organized, and it's a new experience for a lot of people," he said. "But from a personal standpoint, I'll hit the ground running." While in college, Patridge worked for then-Sen. Ron Grensky, R-Medford, and for the Senate Republican Office. But he said being a legislator is different. "Because I've been moving in, I haven't been dressed up in a suit the past few days," he said. "People have come to me and talked, said thanks and then asked me what I do. I say I'm a state representative -- I work for you. "People look at me a little differently, but I hope I don't treat them differently." He resigned Dec. 31 after three years as a deputy district attorney, part of whose salary is paid by the state. But he said he expects his committee assignment to allow him to continue as an advocate for public safety. Committee assignments generally are announced after the House formally chooses a speaker Monday. Speaker-designate Lynn Snodgrass, R-Boring, has named freshman Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, to head the House Committee on General Government and second-term Rep. Ken Messerle, R-Coos Bay, as House chairman of the committee overseeing Oregon's salmon recovery efforts. Second-term Rep. Steve Harper, R-Klamath Falls, is the new House majority leader. Jim Moore, a political science professor at the University of Portland, said it's noteworthy that most Southern Oregon members -- and first-termers generally -- were shut out of House committee chairmanships. "That means the delegation will have to get together with the chairmen in the House and work hard, so that they show their mettle and are tapped for leadership the next time," said Moore, who grew up in Medford and follows regional politics. The influx of new members prompted a committee that Uherbelau was part of to organize a longer training period, offer new rules for the House and emphasize civility in relationships among members. But Uherbelau said the large number of first-term members is not the only cause for uncertainty in the coming session. As late as last week, some dissident Republicans were considering forging a coalition with the 25 Democrats to deny the speakership to Snodgrass. Later this past week, Lundquist said he won't challenge Snodgrass. Uherbelau said the talk only calls attention to the intentions of the speaker-designate. "She is the main unknown," Uherbelau said. "She has had one agenda her first two terms, but now she says she recognizes there is a difference between a member representing a single district and being the speaker of the whole House. I would hope that is the case. "Are the conservatives going to push social issues? Or are we going to deal with basic issues such as adequate funding of education or our transportation system? I don't know that we know where we're going yet." In contrast with the House, the Senate is expected Monday to choose Adams for a second term as president without fuss. But the Republican majority dropped to 17-13 when Democrats won three seats Nov. 3. "So this is an entirely different ballgame than it was two years ago," political scientist Moore said. Backed by a 20-10 Republican majority in the 1997 session, Adams often was the antagonist in budget showdowns with Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber. But a closely divided House helped give the governor much of what he wanted. "I think it is more conciliatory than it was last session," said Hannon, the Senate's senior Republican, who often is a go-between. "I think the governor has sensed the willingness on the part of Senate Republicans to participate that maybe wasn't exemplified last session." Though Adams has put forth a budget proposal of his own, Hannon said many points agree with those in the 1999-2001 budget that Kitzhaber unveiled Dec. 1. "This proposal is not to indicate the final point of the state budget, but to put some ideas on the table for people to look at,'' Adams said. "This budget says what I would do with what I've got right now. But I recognize it's going to change." Hannon said he expects the Senate, five of its six new members coming from the House, to be ready for business starting Monday. "I am not so sure that same situation will exist in the House," he said. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA