Oregon initiative racketeer Bill Sizemore was indicted for
tax evasion on Monday, November 30, just a week after declaring
himself a Republican candidate in the 2010 gubernatorial primary
race. Each of the three counts against Sizemore and his wife,
Cindy, could lead to a maximum penalty of five years in prison with a $125,000 fine, says Sean Riddell, chief of Attorney General John
Kroger’s criminal justice division, which is leading the
prosecution.
Is the decision to indict political? “It’s not,” says Riddell. “When
I was first hired by the attorney general, in my first interview with
him to discuss our goals and objectives, he made it quite clear that he
and I were never to discuss politics, and that I was never to make any
decision based on politics.” Sizemore did not return the
Mercury‘s inquiries seeking comment by press time. MATT
DAVIS
***
Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler broke his back while skiing over the weekend, but was kind enough to keep his
constituents informed on Twitter and Facebook. “In hosp.
w/broken back, shoulder, and slight facial lacerations from skiing
accident,” he tweeted early Sunday morning, November 29, linking to a
cell phone shot of him in a hospital bed. Later: “Big splat. I don’t
remember it but I must have hit rocks under the snow. Stuff happens.”
And: “I don’t remember anything at all. I was knocked out and had a
concussion,” he continued. “Wife said I was out cold for 5
minutes.” Wheeler should be back in the office next week and is already
back on Facebook, posting links to articles. MD
***
Vote for the Measure 66 and 67 tax hikes on Oregon’s ballot
in January or face a grim slash-and-burn state budget, warns a new
report from the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office. State agencies
calculated what they’ll do if voters reject the measures, which would
generate $727 million in taxes on corporations and the wealthy. The
cuts would be bad news for people who value education: Community
colleges estimate they would have to raise tuition by up to 16
percent and cut classes. The cuts would also be bad news for people
who value their safety: The corrections department says it will need to
close six prisons and jails, lay off 500 staff workers, and
immediately release 1,869 inmates on parole. SARAH MIRK