The article in the Nov.-Dec. issue of the BWNA newsletter on skyrocketing auto theft in Oregon clearly struck a nerve in our neighborhood, eliciting unprecedented feedback. Two neighborhood associations, Roseway and Grant Park, contacted editor Al Ellis asking to reprint the article, and representatives from the offices of two state legislators, Senator Michael Dembrow and Representative Barbara Smith Warner, contacted Al as well, expressing their profound concern. Perhaps of greatest consequence, though, was Willamette Week, which picked up the story and ran a well-researched investigative report cover story in their November 29th issue.
Our article reported that Portland had experienced year-over-year increases in car theft of over 60 percent annually since 2015 because of a series of decisions by the State Court of Appeals, making the burden of proof for auto theft virtually unattainable. Car thieves, who know there is now no penalty for a non-prosecutable crime, are having a field day, with some individuals racking up arrest records of as many as eight thefts with no jail time, according to Willamette Week.
Logan Giles, chief policy advisor for Senator Dembrow, confirmed our reporting with the following response: “HB 2794-A, the legislation to close the loophole in the auto theft statute, was passed by the House Judiciary Committee, and then, because it had a price tag on it, went to the legislature’s joint budget-writing committee that approves all expenditures. It was estimated by the Legislative Fiscal Office to cost the state approximately $1.4m for the 2017-19 biennium, with costs increasing to $4.4m for 2019-21. Most of that expected cost was due to increased incarcerations and more prison time….The [Senate Judiciary Committee] never took up the legislation because it went into the budget process, and the members of that committee chose not to prioritize it for funding. Because we didn’t hear from any constituents or from the proponents of the bill during the session, it was not on our radar.” Well, it’s certainly on this community’s radar, as witnessed at BWNA’s December General Meeting, when guest speaker, area Crime Prevention Coordinator Sarah Berkemeier, had her hands full fielding questions and concerns from residents regarding the alarming increase in car break-ins and thefts.
Unfortunately, the legislature has a short session in 2018 and not much is going to make it onto the agenda. Best-case scenario, a fix would be amended to a larger bill addressing criminal statutes. Glass half-full, our local representatives are well aware now of the high frustration level of residents on this issue and the pressing need for corrective action. Meanwhile, constituents (you!) must continue to make themselves heard, demanding that Senator Dembrow, Representative Smith Warner, and their colleagues expedite elevation of this issue to a legislative priority during the session.