Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
KHSR 91.9 FM is offline due to technical difficulties. Our engineering team is assessing the situation. Additionally, KHSU 90.5 FM and KHSQ 107.7 FM will be operating under reduced power while technicians update broadcasting components through the weekend. Livestreams are unaffected. Thank you for your understanding.

Talking Business | Small Town Permits | Eugene Auditor Measures

We discuss the latest regional business news with Suzanne Stevens, editor of the Portland Business Journal.

A recent Department of Justice opinion said that several business permits programs in small towns violate the state constitution by allowing private companies to issue permits. Mayors of these towns now worry that changing their programs will cause building costs (and housing prices) to increase. One of those mayors, Aurora mayor Bill Graupp, joins us.

There are two measures on Eugene ballots that propose different ways of selecting a city auditor. They are nuanced, but essentially measure 20-283 calls for the auditor to be elected, while measure 20-287 calls for the auditor to be selected by the Eugene City Council. Bonny McCornack of Elected Auditor for City Accountability and Chris Wig of Citizens for Sensible Oversight debate the merits of the two measures.

<p>Several small towns in Oregon allow private companies to issue building permits. That violates the state constitution, says the Department of Justice. But according to the towns, it also keeps construction costs down.</p>
/

Several small towns in Oregon allow private companies to issue building permits. That violates the state constitution, says the Department of Justice. But according to the towns, it also keeps construction costs down.

Copyright 2018 Oregon Public Broadcasting

Chris Seigel, Julie Sabatier, Samantha Matsumoto