Press Release: FRIENDS OF VIC GILLIAM HOST TOWN HALL ON NORTHWEST HYDROGEN ENERGY

note: change in location

SILVERTON—Friends of Vic Gilliam will host a Town Hall on Hydrogen on Thursday, October 7th at 4 PM. The event will be held at Silverton Inn & Suites at 310 N Water Street in Silverton.

Representative Vic Gilliam and special guest, Jack Robertson, founder of the Northwest Hydrogen Alliance will deliver a presentation on Hydrogen Hubs and what they mean for our energy future, specifically in Oregon.

“Oregon can be a leader in natural and renewable alternatives” says Rep. Gilliam. “We need renewable energy policies that are cost-effective and energy efficient. Hydrogen energy is one example of using Oregon’s unique resources, allowing for the production and storage of this clean-burning fuel.”

Friends of Vic Gilliam invite the community to learn more about this exciting new technology. Rep. Gilliam stated, “I am looking forward to sharing Oregon’s Hydrogen Hub future with the community, as well as my past and future efforts in the Legislature to make this a reality.”

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Molalla Pioneer - House District 18 candidates: Vic Gilliam (Republican)

By: Bethany Monroe

Published: 9/8/2010 10:11:35 AM

Rep. Vic Gilliam (District 18 - Molalla, Silverton) will look to retain his seat in the Oregon House of Representatives in November’s election.

Gilliam, a Silverton resident since 1998 and an Oregonian since 1966, has served in the House since being appointed after the late Rep. Mac Sumner resigned his seat due to a battle with cancer in 2006. After serving Sumner’s term, Gilliam was elected by voters in 2008.

“Dismal” was the word Gilliam, a Republican, used to describe Oregon’s past legislative session.

“While I am proud of my voting record, I am not proud of the legislature and that is largely due to our inability to stop spending,” Gilliam said. “This session was about jobs and we failed miserably.”

When the state economist announced the budget forecast last month, Gilliam said the news of a shortage came as no surprise.

“I knew we were in trouble and when you’re in trouble, you stop spending. And we haven’t done that,” Gilliam said. “We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a jobs problem — let’s get to work on it together.”

From his view, Gilliam said he sees a lot of “rubber-stamping” going on in Salem, especially when it came to accepting the governor’s proposed budget. Gilliam said he earned the reputation of being a “no” voter.

“I have some great colleagues on the Democratic side who honestly believe the only way out of this recession is taxing and I disagree,” Gilliam said.

He said the atmosphere at the state capitol would change dramatically if the House returned to a 30-30 split between Republicans and Democrats, rather than the current Democrat majority.

“I’m about balance and we don’t have it. We need conservatives and we need liberals,” Gilliam said. “I would like to be there for a change. It would be fun to not vote no all the time … I would like to be part of a group that’s effective.”

One place Gilliam said the state could make cuts is in health benefits for state employees.

“We’re the only state in the nation where public employees don’t pay anything on their health premiums,” he said.

While he admitted the “Cadillac plan” was nice — as a member of the legislature, he’s one of the beneficiaries — he said he can’t rationalize continuing it when he knows many constituents in his district cannot afford healthcare.

Gilliam supported a bill to have all state employees begin paying a small portion for their healthcare, but said it never received a hearing.

As an alternative, he encouraged at least the members of the Oregon House and Senate take on a portion of their healthcare expenses, but again, it was not accepted.

Gilliam said that while his fellow legislators were willing to work with him on most issues, when it came to money and budget talk, he feels Republicans in the House were marginalized and their ideas left unheard.

Government spending is one of the biggest complaints Gilliam hears from constituents. He said one constituent — a Democrat employed by the state — gave him multiple examples of bloated bureaucracy.

As he watches jobs in the private sector drop, Gilliam said it is unsustainable to have public employee jobs continue to increase.

Not everything that went on in the past legislative session was negative from Gilliam’s viewpoint. He said one bright spot was that a proclamation he presented for looking at hydrogen hubs as a potential alternative energy source for Oregon passed unanimously in the House.

While he’s not looking to use state money to fund hydrogen energy projects, Gilliam said the state can take steps to make such development more feasible for the private sector.

Ever since his first political job working as a constituent liaison for Senator Mark O. Hatfield, Gilliam said communicating with members of his district and working as their advocate has been one of his favorite parts of being a politician.

“I’m excited to go back if people want me,” he said.

Gilliam said that he and his Democrat opponent, Dr. Rodney Orr, know each other well and even attend the same church.

“He really wants to keep this clean and so do I,” Gilliam said.

GILLIAM’S REVENUE FORECAST: FIX THE JOBS PROBLEM FIRST

REPRESENTATIVE VIC GILLIAM

OREGON HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HOUSE DISTRICT 18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 26, 2010

CONTACT

Rep. Vic Gilliam 503-960-0128

GILLIAM’S REVENUE FORECAST: FIX THE JOBS PROBLEM FIRST

SALEM—Today’s economic forecast confirmed the gloomy predictions of last week. “We should’ve easily anticipated that today was not going to be encouraging-- economic gurus won’t fuel an Oregon comeback in the near future” Rep. Gilliam said. “Oregon’s 1.1 billion dollar decrease in the General and Lottery Funds since the close of the 2009 Session illustrates our need to stop hinging our budgeting system on these economic forecasts. We need leadership in the executive office and in the legislature that realizes Oregon has a jobs problem-- not a revenue problem” Rep. Gilliam added.

Rep. Gilliam stated that even after the 2009 Legislative Session in which the Legislature increased Oregon’s Total Funds budget by 9.3 percent and raised taxes by $733 million, we saw a 3.7 billion dollar increase in State spending in the 2010 “Special” Session. Rep. Gilliam pointed out that: “The Legislature ‘relies’ on these economic forecasts yet ignores them by refusing to address our spending addiction.”

“With PERS increases looming, federal bailouts evaporating and rampant unemployment showing no sign of recovery, it’s time we acknowledge these forecasts as one source of many useful references, but also heed advice from the private sector about their calls for tax relief and listen to their strategies for re-hiring Oregonians.” Gilliam insists that adding public sector jobs, burdensome regulations and job-killing taxes are not examples of government partnering with private enterprise.

“I’m not one to shoot the messenger” Gilliam concluded, “but, again, the state economist’s predictions are not even as enlightening as the forecasts on the weather channel. We don’t have a revenue problem, we have a jobs problem – let’s get to work on it together.”

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Rep. Gilliam visits with Molalla area constituents

By Bethany Monroe

Molalla Pioneer

District 18 Representative Vic Gilliam (R - Molalla, Silverton) visited with constituents at the Molalla Public Library on Wednesday.

Gilliam said he invited the public to drop in and chat with him one-on-one to give constituents a chance to share their concerns and ask questions without having to attend a big event or listen to a speech. He also plans to hold similar meetings in Silverton and Mt. Angel.

“I just think that I should be accessible,” Gilliam said.

About 10 local residents stopped by, discussing topics such as school budgets, mental health issues and veterans’ services with Gilliam.

Constituents also expressed concerns about the proposed tax hike that will go to Oregon voters in a special election on Jan. 26, 2010.

“That was probably the biggest issue that was in the room,” Gilliam said.

The Oregon Legislature will enter a month-long special session in February and, like this year’s session, budget issues are expected be a hot topic. Gilliam opposes tax hikes and said he hopes Oregon legislators can work together to find ways to control government spending, rather than accusing each other of not caring enough about education and other services to raise taxes.

“What I hope doesn’t happen is that we just stoop to name calling,” Gilliam said.

Most recently, legislators met in their committees for three days of meetings in September. The committees will also meet for three-day sessions in November and January, Gilliam said. The three-day meeting blocks were designed this summer as a way to reduce transportation expenses.

Gilliam is gearing up for a busy session in February, but said he has some doubts about the Legislature’s decision to hold a special session. Under current Oregon law, the state Legislature only meets every other year, unless an emergency special session is deemed necessary.

In many states, the Legislature meets annually and Gilliam said Oregon has been testing that system, but hasn’t gone to voters to ask them to change the state constitution.

“I still question the constitutionality of these special sessions,” Gilliam said. “If you’ve got reasons (to hold annual sessions), take them to the people as a constitutional amendment, but don’t fudge the rules and meet.”

Gilliam can be reached via e-mail at gilliam.rep@state.or.us.

Original Article