Torrey's Till Republican Party, timber, developers boost Senate challenge BY ALAN PITTMAN In his campaign for state senate, Jim Torrey has marketed himself as a nonpartisan candidate. But the Oregon Republican Party and its leaders certainly don't consider Torrey, a registered Republican, nonpartisan. They've contributed a whopping $227,480 to his re-election, almost half the $504,415 Torrey reported raising in the District 7 race through Oct. 26. The Republican party money contributed by party PACs and leaders was itself largely funded by timber barons, developers, polluters and corporations. Timber barons also contributed directly to Torrey, including $60,000 from timber lobbyist PACs, $5,000 from Swanson Group, $3,500 from Murphy Plywood and $1,000 from Weyerhaeuser. A variety of other big business interests also gave Torrey hefty checks. Lobbyists from Associated Oregon Industries, which opposes many environmental regulations, gave $30,000. The Oregon Restaurant Association, against the minimum wage and against redirecting lottery profits to schools, gave $20,000. Monaco RV CEO Kay Toolson, who like Torrey has contributed thousands of dollars to President George Bush, also gave Torrey $7,000. The Anheuser Busch corporation gave Torrey $6,000, and the 7-Eleven corporation gave him $3,000. Torrey, a former highway billboard salesman, received $3,975 in contributions from Meadow Outdoor Advertising. PACs for the insurance industry gave Torrey a total of $7,000. Developer and land speculator interests gave Torrey big bucks. They include: Homebuilders Construction Company ($5,000), Carolyn Chambers ($3,000), Tom Connor ($2,500), the Oregon Realtors PAC ($2,000), Hamilton Construction ($1,500) and $1,000 each from Donna Woolley, the Giustina family, Joseph Gonyea and Delta Construction. Wildish Sand and Gravel gave Torrey $3,500, and the state gravel pit PAC gave $15,000. AG-PAC, which lobbies for more field burning, gravel mining and logging, gave Torrey $10,000. The Oregon Nurseries PAC gave $5,000 and the Oregon Farm Bureau $1,000. Torrey's opponent Democrat Vicki Walker has reported raising a total of $474,849, mostly from the Democratic Party and unions. The Democratic Leadership Fund, largely funded by unions, and other elected Democrats gave Walker a total of $173,718. Unions directly gave Walker another $88,193 including: $29,401 from the state service employees union (SEIU) and $15,000 from government workers (AFSCME). School teacher and school worker unions gave Walker a total of $27,841. Smaller union contributions came from the nurses' union ($5,000), Eugene Firefighters ($3,983), building trades ($3,000) and electrical workers ($1,000). Planned Parenthood of Oregon gave Walker $11,788 and Emily's List, a group supporting pro-choice women, gave her $13,041. Walker is pro-choice; Torrey is anti-choice. Progressive donors backed Walker with donations. They include: Oregon League of Conservation Voters ($8,029), Oregon Bus Project ($7,113) and Oregon Sierra Club ($4,000). Art Johnson, a local attorney and part-owner of Eugene Weekly, and Tom Bowerman, a Nike stock heir who supports environmental causes, each gave Walker $2,000. A variety of business interests also contributed to Walker. They include: Guarantee RV manager Eric Nill ($2,263), Oregon Soft Drink PAC ($2,000), DIAGEO alcohol distributors ($2,000), the Oregon Business Association ($2,000), CBIC contractor bonding ($1,500), an insurance claims adjusters group ($1,000) and credit service owner Joseph Hawes ($1,000). Walker's contributions indicate a wider base of financial support than Torrey's. Only 2 percent of Torrey's money came from contributions under $100, and 88 percent came from contributions more than $1,000. Walker got 5 percent of her money in contributions under $100 and 68 percent from contributions more than $1,000. In another hot issue on the ballot, big business, timber, development and construction interests are bankrolling the county's efforts to pass an income tax that many of them may largely avoid paying. The pro-tax "Stop Meth-Invest in Kids" PAC for Measure 20-114 reported $108,476 in contributions, a new record for a county tax campaign. Hynix was the top contributor to the PAC, giving $10,000. Big property owners like Hynix could end up paying little or no additional tax. Under the county measure, Hynix would get a non-refundable credit of about $700,000 a year for property taxes and could potentially largely avoid the income tax by apportioning most of its income out of state. Only about 16 percent of the county tax will be paid by businesses, the county estimates. Development interest donors to the pro-tax PAC included John Musumeci's Arlie ($5,000), Steve Lee's Stingray ($3,000), Chambers ($2,750), McKay ($1,000) and Morse Bros. ($1,000). Timber donors included Lane Forest Products ($1,500), Timber Products Company ($2,000) and Weyerhaeuser ($1,000). Other big contributors include $6,500 from the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and $7,000 from bus ad salesman Brian Obie. The county sheriff deputy union, the Grace Serbu Trust and McDonald's Wholesale food and beverage each gave $5,000. Triad and PeaceHealth hospitals and Pacific Source health insurance each gave $2,000. Voters concerned about all this money in politics have a rare opportunity this year to do something about it. Passage of state Ballot Measures 46 and 47 would limit campaign donations to $100 for local races and $500 for statewide races.
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