Opinion
Posted inOpinion

Locals Say They Want Tourists to Pay More of Their Fair Share for City Services. A Tweak to Room Tax Rules Could Do That.

Recent changes to Transient Lodging Tax allocations could give more money to the City of Bend — and also reduce tourism numbers.
by The Source Editorial Board

Every time a conversation about funding the streets or local cops comes up, some in the community will use it as an opportunity to ask, “How can we get tourists to pay more of their fair share?” In Bend, the City Council tried in 2016 to increase the local gas tax to make that happen. […]

Posted inOpinion

With a Referendum on ODOT Funding, Oregon Is Damned If We Do…or Don’t

A vote in May gets the matter settled sooner, but has the potential to erode voter trust
by The Source Editorial Board

Over the past several weeks we have heard arguments both for and against the notion of putting a citizen-led repeal of new gas taxes on the May ballot, rather than a November one. Proponents said it gets the question of future funding for the Oregon Department of Transportation answered sooner. Opponents said it subverted the […]

Posted inOpinion

Apparently, Oregon Doesn’t Always Send Its Best to Washington

Scandals have abounded since Lori Chavez-Deremer hit Washington. Don’t expect the latest accusations to change that.
by The Source Editorial Board

It all sounds so familiar: A high-ranking official is accused of inappropriate behavior. Nothing to see here, the White House says — it’s obviously the work of a disgruntled employee. Next come allegations against the official’s spouse. A few days of news reports, vague details of calls to the police related to sexual assault, and […]

Posted inOpinion

Teachers As the Arbiters of a Massive New Technological Advance? If This Sounds Familiar, It’s Because It Is.

Hundreds of students, parents and educators are urging Bend-La Pine Schools to pump the brakes on AI technology. A recent rollback of an AI chatbot highlights the gaps in oversight.
by The Source Editorial Board

Right now, an active group of Bend-La Pine Schools parents, educators and educational experts are pressing the district to slow its roll on using artificial intelligence tools with students in the classroom. BLPS adopted a policy around AI last year, which outlines a few points on how teachers may use AI with students, but it’s […]

Posted inOpinion

A County Map in Search of a Problem

Voters approved two different citizen initiatives aimed at a more democratic, less-partisan Deschutes County commission. That’s not what they’re getting.
by The Source Editorial Board

Deschutes County government is embarrassing itself. Earlier this month, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners voted 2-1 to put a map, dividing the county into five districts, before voters. In a subsequent 2-1 vote the Board voted to put that map before voters in November. The Commission could have gotten this painful map process […]

Posted inOpinion

Bentz and the Main Street Caucus Aren’t Asking for the Moon — Just for the President to Keep His Promises

We’re glad we can agree on the bottom
by The Source Editorial Board

Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR2) told the Baker City Herald late last month that he’s been lobbying the administration to take a “different approach” on the massive deportation campaign currently underway. Oddly enough, that lobbying effort sounds a whole lot like what we were promised during the last presidential election. If you’re among those who […]

Posted inOpinion

Why Get in a Lather Over a Lil’ Ol’ County Map?

Gerrymandering and pulling the levers of power in Deschutes County
by The Source Editorial Board

Right now, county residents are up in arms about a district mapping proposal that would divide Deschutes County into five districts. If you have been following the labyrinthine path that got us to this political point, then you know none of this had to be this way. Voters said yes to a referendum in the […]

Posted inOpinion

Of Walkouts and Roadmaps: New ‘Prosperity Officer’ Hails from Central Oregon

Tim Knopp, the former Bend senator disqualified from running for re-election after leading the longest walkout in state history, is now being tapped to bring Oregon back from the economic brink. It’s hard not to see the irony.
by The Source Editorial Board

If you’ve been paying attention to state politics in recent months, then you know that the state’s economy has been a big topic.  Perhaps most eye-popping for some state leaders was Oregon’s ranking in a 2025 CNBC poll, which placed the state 39th among its Top States for Business. Oregon ranked 28th in the poll in 2024, and 21st in […]

Posted inOpinion

The Public Wasn’t Willing to Flock Around

Bendites came out against Flock cameras and potentially problematic surveillance
by The Source Editorial Board

First it was the invitation to the public to add their personal surveillance cameras to the network of cameras that can be automatically (or manually) accessed by law enforcement. Then it was red light cameras. And this summer, police in Bend added yet another tool ostensibly meant to monitor criminal behavior: Flock cameras installed along the highway. At […]

Posted inOpinion

When It Comes to Power, Taxes and Jobs, Data Centers are Not Winners for Oregonians

State regulators just announced a one-dollar reduction in power bills for Pacific Power customers. That is not enough to win over the public about the problems data centers present.
by The Source Editorial Board

On the last day of 2025, the Oregon Public Utilities Commission sent out a press release announcing a welcome event: Customers of Pacific Power would see their power bills reduced in the new year. With recent rate increases making our power bills 50% more now than they were in 2020, hearing about a rate decrease […]

Sign up for newsletters

Get the best of The Source - Bend, Oregon directly in your email inbox.

Sending to:

Gift this article