Dirk VanderHart
Dirk VanderHart covers Oregon politics and government for OPB. Before barging onto the radio in 2018, he spent more than a decade as a newspaper reporter—much of that time reporting on city government for the Portland Mercury. He’s also had stints covering chicanery in Southwest Missouri, the wilds of Ohio in Ohio, and all things Texas on Capitol Hill.
Dirk’s byline has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times, The Houston Chronicle, The Columbus Dispatch, The Oregonian, and more. He’s got a journalism degree from Michigan State University.
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The bill will include a 15-cent increase in the state’s gas tax along with other tax and fee hikes. -
Senate Bill 916, one of the session’s most contentious ideas, passed the House on Wednesday. -
A bill headed to Gov. Tina Kotek would restore the power to appoint people to temporarily fill vacancies. -
Backers say SB 951 will close a loophole that has allowed health care decisions to be increasingly driven by profit motives -
House Bill 3582 would put Oregon in league with a growing number of states -
Beginning in 2027, grocers and restaurants will have to use recycled paper bags. -
The surprising development in Salem dredges up debate on a topic that once inspired multiple Republican walkouts.
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Kotek told reporters that suspending $1 billion of the expected tax refund could be crucial to pay wildfire costs. -
Two Oregon House Republicans recently began meeting with Democrats in secret, infuriating colleagues. -
The final revenue forecast before the Oregon Legislature passes a two-year budget comes with bad news for many spending bills.
