🥊 Oregon leads a fight against Trump (again)

Oregon Leads Fight Against Trump’s Tariffs (Again)

The second Oregon-led case against President Donald Trump’s tariffs was in court last week. Joined by 23 other states, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield argues that Trump lacks the legal authority to impose 10% global tariffs. Trump imposed those tariffs, after the Supreme Court struck down previous, higher ones in February. [Oregon Capital Chronicle]

• Oregon relies on trade: Trump’s tariffs may be aimed at eliminating a trade deficit. But that’s not a problem here: Oregon has traditionally had a trade surplus. In 2024, it was $6 billion — meaning our state had more to lose from retaliatory tariffs passed by other countries in response to Trump tariffs. [Oregonian]
• The industries with a stake: According to Prosper Portland estimate from last year, there are 800 athletic and outdoor companies in Oregon. The day Trump announced the initial tariffs last April, Nike’s stock fell 14% — one example of the local impact. [Oregonian]
• Technicalities of the current fight: The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Trump’s previous tariffs. That led to Trump picking a different justification for his authority to impose tariffs: the Trade Act of 1974, which allows tariffs of up to 15% for 150 days to address “fundamental international payment problems.” Trump argues that this applies to current trade deficits. [Oregon Capitol Chronicle]
• The counterargument: Rayfield says that law is outdated, as it only applied to a period of time when the U.S. was transitioning away from backing the dollar by gold. He argues Trump does not have the power to impose these tariffs either. The Court of International Trade in New York City is expected to rule in the next few weeks. [Oregon Capitol Chronicle]

West Linn Bought an Old Landslide Site for $45M

West Linn has bought a 33-acre property where a major landslide occurred decades ago to house city operations — including the response to emergencies like landslides. The situation shows how complicated it is to build in Oregon, because of the risks of landslides and earthquakes. [Oregonian]

• Dueling opinions: In a 2020 internal memo, a state geologist warned about “significant uncertainty regarding the landslide,” though a more recent report from a private engineering firm finds no slope movement on the site. [ODOT / Oregonian]
• The original 1969 landslide: Crews blasting basalt cliffs during construction of I-205 caused cracks in the ground that damaged two homes' foundations and a water reservoir, leading to water rationing before the reservoir could be replaced the following year. [Oregonian]

Oregon Democrats Side With Hospitals on Higher Bills

In 2023, Oregon became the first state in the nation to require nonprofit hospitals to presume patients qualify for discounted medical care. Specifically, the hospitals were required to check if the person was eligible for discounted or free care for any single-visit bill above $500. But as part of an omnibus bill this year, the Legislature upped that financial threshold to $1,500 for insured patients. It comes at a time when hospitals are dealing with the financial impacts of federal cuts to Medicaid. The lone vote against the bill was a Republican. [OPB]

Portland’s Newest French Cajun Food

You may remember the excellent food from Maggie Irwin and Chase Dopson’s first restaurant: Pastificio d’Oro had some of the city’s best pasta before it closed last summer. Now they’ve created a French Cajun pop-up, serving gumbo, cornmeal-crusted catfish, and blue crab. [Willamette Week]

• 🍴 Open: Ma Cher is in residence at Cafe Olli. Hours: 5:30 - 9 p.m., Sunday - Tuesday.