FaRPAC
Freedom and Responsibility Political Action Committee
PAST CAMPAIGNS
2013 Oregon Legislative Session
Columbia River Project
During Oregon's 2013 regular legislative session, governor Kitzhaber, state treasurer Ted Wheeler, and lawmakers from both major parties proposed a new bridge to replace the existing bridge on I-5 between Oregon and Washington. While FaRPAC supports the concept of a new bridge, this particular plan was not in the interests of people on either side of the border.
The proposed project would have resulted in serious traffic problems, tolls, higher taxes, and would have forced light rail on the citizens of Vancouver, Washington (who do not want it). FaRPAC paid for the two mailings shown at right, which you can download by clicking on their images.
Under the CPC plan, both Oregon and Washington were required to approve the plan and provide funding. While Oregon provided approval, Washington did not. The project failed.
Since then, there have been efforts to resurrect the project under a scheme where approval is only required by the Oregon legislature. Stay tuned for future developments as they unfold.
2013 Oregon Legislative Session
Reform of Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System
Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) is underfunded by billions and billions of dollars and is becoming an albatross on Oregon's economy. FaRPAC took a position against Senate Bill 822.
While billed as a partial fix for Oregon's PERS debt, it did nothing to fix systemic problems built into PERS and only "kicked the can down the road" with a high back-end cost. This proposal was, in effect, nothing but a payday loan, and bad for the people of Oregon. Rep. Brent Barton was a key vote on this issue, and you can read the FaRPAC mailer that was sent to his constituents by clicking on the image at right.
2007 "NO" Campaign Against Ballot Measure 50
A Proposed Tax on Cigarettes
By a wide margin, voters REJECTED the Measure 50 tax hike against cigarette smokers. In conjunction with the "No Blank Check Committee," FaRPAC ran a statewide media campaign against the measure and participated in numerous debates.
The proposed tax was intended to fund health insurance for children, bringing with it the moral hazard of making children's health insurance dependent on others undermining their health. FaRPAC argued that this hazard created a situation where public institutions, who typically ban cigarettes from their property, would be endangering childrens' health by not allowing people to smoke.
FaRPAC debated several times, most notably on the campus of the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU). FaRPAC also went on a statewide media tour to campaign against the measure. By clicking on the PLAY symbol at right, you can hear one of the radio interviews.
