Tag Archive for 'Secretary Brown'

Sec of State Kate Brown Releases State of Oregon Financial Condition Report

Published on March 13, 2013 in Audits, Press Releases and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Report presents mixed financial picture

An analysis of state finances presents a mixed picture, with unemployment dropping and personal income increasing but the number of Oregonians living in poverty on the rise and spending on K-12 education and transportation declining sharply.

“These have been trying times for Oregonians, but we should be proud of the tough decisions the Legislature has made to shore up state finances during the Great Recession,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown.

Read the Financial Condition Report.

Listen to an audio statement by Secretary Brown. (Right-click and choose “Save link as” to download audio.)

The State of Oregon Financial Condition Report is released biennially by the Secretary of State’s Audits Division. It covers the 10-year period from fiscal year 2003 through 2012.

Favorable trends include:

  • Oregon’s unemployment rate continues to drop, hitting 8.4% in November 2012, down from a high of 11.6% in 2009.
  • Per capital income is increasing although it still falls short of pre-recession levels.
  • Unlike many states, Oregon had sufficient reserves to avoid borrowing money to cover unemployment benefits during the recession.
  • The state’s outstanding debt as of June 30, 2012 declined slightly, reversing a decade-long trend.
  • State finances were buoyed by a new requirement that state employees begin contributing to their health care insurance.

Unfavorable trends include:

  • The number of Oregonians living in poverty continued to increase.
  • Spending on K-12 education and transportation declined sharply in recent years.
  • Investment losses caused by the recession require sharp increases in government contributions to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS).
  • The state’s Rainy Day fund is nearly depleted.

The purpose of this report is to provide lawmakers and the public with information to understand Oregon’s financial condition and make important decisions about the state’s future.

 

Secretary of State Kate Brown Sworn in as Secretary of State

Published on January 4, 2013 in Elections, Headlines, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

January 4, 2013

Salem – Secretary Brown gave brief remarks after her swearing in, thanking Gov. Roberts, Gov. Kulongoski, Gov. Kitzhaber and her family for their support. She also detailed key accomplishments and her plans for the next four years.

“In 2008, I told Oregonians that I would be their watchdog; find savings and efficiencies in state government; fight fraud in Oregon’s in initiative process; and personally engage

Oregonians on their right to vote,” said Secretary Brown. “That is exactly what my team and I have done and more. In the next four years we will continue to build upon our accomplishments, continuing to ensure our tax dollars are managed with greater transparency and accountability, ensuring businesses can thrive and create jobs here in Oregon and defending every eligible Oregonian’s right to vote, especially those whose voices are underrepresented.”

The ceremony took place in the House chamber at the State Capitol. Gov. Kitzhaber administered the oath to Secretary Brown, Treasurer Ted Wheeler, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian.

Governor Kitzhaber swears in Secretary of State Kate Brown

Gov Kitzhaber swears in Sec Brown

Brown was elected to her second four-year term as Secretary of State on November 6, 2012.

Oregon Governor Sustainability Winners Honored at Northwest Environmental Conference

Published on December 4, 2012 in Corporation, Headlines, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

PORTLAND – Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown and the Oregon Sustainability Board will honor five Oregon companies for their commitment to sustainable business practices at the NEBC/AOI Northwest Environmental Conference & Tradeshow on December 4.

This year’s winners of the Governor’s Sustainability Awards are: Grand Champions – Mountain Rose Herbs and Hopworks Urban Brewery; Technology Award – EasyStreet Online Services; Manufacturing Award – Oregon Iron Works; and Rising Star – Bridgetown Natural Foods.

“The winners truly represent the best Oregon has to offer in sustainable business practices,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “We can all learn so much from these companies, as we continue to rebuild Oregon’s economy.”

The 24th NEBC/AOI annual conference is the Northwest’s largest and most comprehensive environmentally focused conference and trade show and will highlight such issues as: environmental protection and compliance; resource and operational efficiencies; health and safety practices; sustainability programs; product standards; and environmental economics.

In 2006, then Governor Ted Kulongoski issued an Executive Order directed the then Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD) [now known as Business Oregon] to establish an awards program to promote and advance the inclusion of sustainable practices in government and the private sector.

More on the 2012 Oregon Sustainability Award Winners:

Mountain Rose Herbs

Mountain Rose Herbs has been known for its uncompromising commitment to organic agriculture, sustainable business practices, and a steadfast focus on the pure aesthetics and freshness of botanical products. Their wide range of certified organic product offerings includes bulk herbs and spices, aromatherapy and essential oils, tea and tea supplies, and natural health and body care. Every aspect of product creation is carried out in accordance with strict quality control and organic handling procedures by employees who care. The company employs numerous energy efficiency measures including a lighting program that has reduced electricity usage for lighting by more than 40%. It is also enrolled in EWEB’s Greenpower program to cover all electricity use, and purchases carbon offsets for all aspects of company operations including shipping, travel and operations.

Hopworks Urban Brewery

Hopworks Urban Brewery and Hopworks BikeBar are Portland’s first Eco-Brewpubs. Its stated mission is to “produce world-class beer and food as sustainably as possible. The brewery offers handcrafted organic beers and fresh, local ingredients, all served in sustainably-built and operated buildings with a relaxed, casual atmosphere. Hopworks incorporates many aspects of sustainability: from composting to rain barrels, and from pervious pavers to hand dryers. Hopworks brewery is 100% renewably powered and “cradle to gate” carbon neutral. The company has purchased BEF Water Restoration Credits for more water than their facilities use and is working towards a zero landfill goal. Currently, less than 10% of waste is sent to landfills.

EasyStreet Online Services

EasyStreet is Oregon’s locally-headquartered enterprise-class IT Services provider. EasyStreet helps its customers integrate Cloud, colocation, Internet connectivity and related services to create the flexible computing infrastructure that meets their needs. The company buys offsets for 100% of the electricity, water and natural gas it consumes in its data centers — resulting in zero carbon footprint operations. Its innovative cooling systems that significantly reduce energy consumption that allow data center to save over 1.5 million kWh per year.

Oregon Iron Works

Oregon Iron Works, Inc. (OIW) is a world-class metal fabricator headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon with factories in Oregon and Washington. Founded in 1944, we have an exceptional history and success in both commercial and government contract work. OIW specializes in mechanical and electrical integration and complex fabrication across diverse industries. The company implemented significant energy efficiency upgrades to lighting, HVAC and process machinery. EE upgrades have saved them over 1.6 million kWh and over $100,000 per year. It also installed a 30.8 kWh solar PV array and is planning to add 300% more solar within the next year.

Bridgetown Natural Foods

Bridgetown Natural Foods is an emerging, fast-growing contract manufacturer of all-natural, organic, kosher and gluten-free healthy snack products. The company has an 110,000-square-foot facility in Portland’s Lents neighborhood. Bridgetown currently is working toward becoming a zero-waste-to-landfill operation. The company sells unusable food product/waste to local hog farmers, refurbishes used equipment in-house and has implemented energy efficiency measures in lighting, process machinery and facility cooling.

For more information, please refer to http://www.sustainableoregon.net or contact Andrea Cantu-Schomus (503) 986-2368 or Mark Brady (503) 689-5638.

 

Audit Provides Strategies to Accelerate Certification Helping Women and Minority Owned Businesses Get up and Running

Published on September 11, 2012 in Audits, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Press Release

9/11/2012

SALEM – A new state audit of Oregon’s Office of Minority, Women and Emerging Small Business (OMWESB) recommends several improvements to make the certification process faster and more consistent for its applicants. The audit also addresses the challenges of a small staff with a high workload.

As of May 1, 2012, there was a backlog of 371 business applications for approximately 460 state business certifications, with only three certification specialists to handle them. The audit found that the steps for processing applications could be improved to reduce the variance in the timeliness of certifications and some inconsistencies in staff decisions.

“OMWESB certification opens the door to so many opportunities for these small businesses,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “That’s why it is so important that we provide strategies to improve the process of certification that in turn helps these businesses get up and running putting Oregonians back to work.”

Among its recommendations, the audit called for management to evaluate the necessity and priority of its tasks, review its work balancing and work flows, develop and update policies and procedures, simplify its application forms, and develop and use performance information to improve certification efforts.

The report, including the agency response, can be found at www.sos.state.or.us/audits.

 

 

State Archives Dedicates Room to Long-Time Volunteer

Published on August 1, 2012 in Archives, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

SALEM – The second floor volunteer room in the State Archives building located in Salem is now known as the Daraleen Wade room. Wade started volunteering at the State Archives in 1992, and contributed thousands of hours during nearly 20 years of volunteer service. Even after her health prevented her from traveling to the Archives building, she worked from her home on countless projects. Daraleen passed away in April after a long illness.

“It is truly an honor to dedicate such a wonderful space to Daraleen and her remarkable contributions,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “Her knowledge, warmth and eager attitude will be missed and her work treasured for years to come.”

Not only did Daraleen help take care of our past, she helped preserve our future by mentoring and supporting countless student interns. Many maintained contact with Daraleen after moving on in their professional careers.

Darleen enjoyed life in Keizer and is survived by her children Barbara Rowe, Patty Dela and David Wade; five grandchildren and her Archives family. She will be truly missed by all who knew her.
For more information, please contact

Andrea Cantu-Schomus
Communications Director
Oregon Secretary of State
503-986-2368
503-507-0082

Secretary of State Kate Brown Announces Measure Numbers for 2012 General Election

Published on July 31, 2012 in Ballot Initiatives, Elections, general election, Headlines, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

SALEM – Measure numbers have been assigned to the two legislative referrals from the 76th Legislative Assembly and the initiative petitions that have qualified for the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot. They are the following:

Measure #77 Amends Constitution: Governor may declare “catastrophic disaster” (defined); requires legislative session; authorizes suspending specified constitutional spending restrictions

Measure #78 Amends Constitution: Changes constitutional language describing governmental system of separation of powers; makes grammatical and spelling changes

Measure #79 Amends Constitution: Prohibits real estate transfer taxes, fees, other assessments, except those operative on December 31, 2009

Measure #80 Allows personal marijuana, hemp cultivation/use without license; commission to regulate commercial marijuana cultivation/sale

Measure #81 Prohibits commercial non-tribal fishing with gillnets in Oregon “inland waters,” allows use of seine nets

Measure #82 Amends Constitution: Authorizes Establishment of Privately-Owned Casinos; Mandates Percentage Of Revenues Payable To Dedicated State Fund

Measure #83 Authorizes Privately-Owned Wood Village Casino; Mandates Percentage Of Revenues Payable To Dedicated State Fund

Measure #84 Phases out existing inheritance taxes on large estates, and all taxes on intra-family property transfers

Measure #85 Amends Constitution: Allocates Corporate Income/Excise Tax “Kicker” Refund To Additionally Fund K Through 12 Public Education

For additional information, please visit our website at www.oregonvotes.gov or follow Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown on Twitter or Facebook.

For more information, please contact

Andrea Cantu-Schomus
Communications Director
Oregon Secretary of State
503-986-2368
503-507-0082

Audit Finds Prison Staffing is Generally Well Managed

Published on July 26, 2012 in Audits, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Department of Corrections scheduling and overtime minimizes state costs

The Secretary of State Audits Division released a report today that found overtime and personnel costs at two state prisons were generally well managed. The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) spent about $540 million during the 2009-2011 biennium for security personnel who directly supervise offenders. The 30-page audit analyzed security personnel costs at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility and Two Rivers Correctional Institution, considering payroll, budgeting, staffing, scheduling, and accounting functions.

Auditors noted some areas where improvements may be possible, but did not identify substantial savings or inefficiencies in the management of overtime or personnel costs at the two correctional facilities.

“The Department of Corrections has done a good job of containing the costs to run these two prisons,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “The auditors went through several years of scheduling decisions with special attention to all the places where savings might be found.”

Auditors analyzed past payroll data to assess facility staffing and concluded the approved staffing factor was reasonable. Auditors also noted that furloughs may not achieve savings in a correctional environment and add administrative burdens. The audit also illustrates how overtime can reduce costs, if used effectively, since the cost of maintaining a higher overall staffing level can be more expensive than inconsistent overtime.

The report, including the agency response, can be found at www.sos.state.or.us/audits.

For more information, please contact

Andrea Cantu-Schomus
Communications Director
Oregon Secretary of State
503-986-2368
503-507-0082

Secretary of State Kate Brown releases audit recommendations for jobs and business expansion at Vigor Industrial in Portland

Published on June 12, 2012 in Audits and Secretary Brown. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

PRESS ADVISORY
June 11, 2012

Media Contact:
Andrea Cantu-Schomus, 503-986-2368

(Salem, OR) – On Wednesday, June 13, Secretary of State Kate Brown will release an audit of Oregon’s Workforce Development. Auditors found Oregon could be doing a better job of matching middle-skilled training programs at Oregon’s Community Colleges and the many other workforce development programs with current and projected job demand.

“We need a more strategic, coordinated, statewide plan that identifies high demand jobs or industries with a projected under-supply and offer training to get these Oregonians to work,” said Secretary Brown. “We need more partnerships like Vigor Industrial and Portland Community College where men and women in search of a career can get the training they need to get hired right out of school.”

Secretary Brown will tour Vigor Industrial’s Swan Island Training Facility with PCC President, Dr. Preston Pulliams and representatives from Vigor Industrial. On the grounds of the Portland shipyard, this joint venture provides welding training opportunities that support workforce development for Vigor Industrial and other area companies.

Vigor Industrial/PCC Swan Island Training Facility
10:00 AM
5555 N. Channel Ave
Portland, Oregon 97217

The entrance to the training center is off Lagoon Avenue.

Secretary of State reports on financial condition of Oregon’s counties

Published on May 31, 2012 in Audits, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Press Release
May 30, 2012

Salem – The Secretary of State Audits Division produced the first ever financial condition review of all 36 of Oregon’s counties, and suggested eight that should be monitored, based upon 10 financial, economic, and demographic indicators.

Auditors analyzed the financial statements and other data from all 36 counties to identify financial concerns, and then conducted more in-depth analysis of those counties that may be at a higher risk of distress. Federal forest payments, due to run out, had the largest impact on their assessments. Not surprisingly, the eight counties identified by the auditors are Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, and Polk. The auditors also obtained information from these counties on steps they have taken to address their financial situation.

“This is the first time that an independent review has been conducted of the financial health of our counties using a common set of economic indicators,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “This report establishes a baseline for state and local policymakers to monitor the financial condition of our counties, which are important partners with the state in the delivery of services. We will update this report every two years to track the improvements or declines.”

The report does not contain recommendations to the counties, noting that decisions about county taxes and levels of service are based upon local priorities. Nonetheless, the report compiled the laws, strategies, and actions used by other states in dealing with local governments in financial distress.

“Each county’s situation is different and there is no single solution,” said Brown. “This report is an important step in government transparency and accountability, making it clear how our counties are holding up under the loss of federal timber dollars and the recession.”

Auditors compared indicators among counties such as timber revenue dependence, debt burden, retirement benefit obligation, public safety spending, personal income per capita, population trends, and unemployment.

The report can be found at www.sos.state.or.us/audits.

For more information, please contact

Andrea Cantu-Schomus
Communications Director
Oregon Secretary of State
503-986-2368
503-507-0082

Audit Recommends Ways to Ensure Children Receive Needed Mental Health Treatment

Published on May 23, 2012 in Audits, Press Releases, Secretary Brown and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Press Release
May 23, 2012

Better documentation, tracking, and continuity of services is needed

SALEM – An audit by the Secretary of State’s Audits Division identifies several ways the state could better ensure children on the Oregon Health Plan are able to access and continue with needed mental health services. This comes at a time when Oregon’s health care is undergoing a major transformation. The state is beginning to contract with newly formed Community Care Organizations to deliver integrated physical and mental health care, through networks of service providers.

“Oregon is leading the nation with a revolutionary health care transformation that focuses on overall health and prevention,” said Secretary of State Kate Brown. “As an important first step the state has made sure as many eligible Oregon children are on the Oregon Health Plan as possible through Healthy Kids. This audit goes one step further by offering valuable recommendations on how mental health services under the plan can improve so more Oregon kids can remain healthy, in school and at home with friends and family.”

Auditors found unplanned service breaks often occurred during transitions from one type of mental health service or provider to another. For example, some children completing treatment in a residential care facility had lengthy unplanned breaks before outpatient treatment began. Case files sometimes lacked explanations for service breaks and efforts to re-engage the child in mental health services.

In addition, auditors suggested that the state should focus on service timeliness, providing explanations in case files for lengthy service breaks, tracking and analyzing service breaks, and ensuring providers make adequate efforts to re-engage children when unplanned service breaks occur.

Better tracking of demographics could also be useful to ensure maximum access. For example, Hispanic children comprise 30 percent of the children in managed care however, only 3 to 4 percent are receiving mental health services. The rates of young girls and young children accessing services are also low. It is important for the state to provide close monitoring to ensure that low utilization rates among populations are a result of lower mental health needs rather than a weakness in outreach efforts or diagnoses.

National studies estimate that about one in five children nationally has a diagnosable mental health disorder and one in ten children have mental health challenges that negatively impact their ability to function in their environment.

The report, including the agency response, can be found at www.sos.state.or.us/audits.

For more information, please contact

Andrea Cantu-Schomus
Communications Director
Oregon Secretary of State
503-986-2368
503-507-0082