The primary bicycle lobbyist in Salem is out of a job. The
Bicycle Transportation Alliance fired lobbyist Karl Rohde on Friday, April 3—a surprising move in the middle of a
legislative session. BTA Executive Director Scott Bricker was
tight lipped about the reason for the sudden staff change, but said
that he and a political consulting firm will pick up where Rohde left
off. The BTA is pushing for several large bike policies in the
legislature this year, including millions of dollars for infrastructure
funding and the contentious Idaho Stop Sign Law. SM
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The City of Portland’s controversial secret list program may
or may not be constitutional [“Secret List on Trial,” News, Jan 15].
That’s the upshot of a ruling in Multnomah County Circuit Court Tuesday
morning, April 7, which could leave the door open for a class-action
civil rights lawsuit by more than 400 people who have been
affected by the list since 2003.
Judge Dale Koch ruled that the secret list, which is part of
the city’s Neighborhood Livability Crime Enforcement Program (NLCEP),
is not an appropriate basis for defendants to be denied access to the
county’s drug court. Meanwhile, Koch said that the constitutionality of
the list itself would be up to another court to decide. “These are very
appropriate questions that are being raised here, but they are not
questions for this court,” he said.
“I’m hopeful that the city will now work with the various concerned
parties, the public defender’s office, and the rehab and civil
liberties community to fix the system,” said American Civil Liberties
Union partner attorney Elden Rosenthal. “I think, based on
[Koch’s] ruling that the use of a secret list in Portland, Oregon, is
inappropriate. I think it is very important that Portland recognize
that there’s a secret list that was affecting the civil rights of
people in this city.” Rosenthal said that if the city didn’t fix the
system, it could be subject to “costly litigation and potential damages
claims.” MD