Frank Morse (Oregon politician)

Infobox State Senator
name = Frank Morse


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office = Member of the Oregon State Senate
constituency = District 8
term_start = 2003
term_end =
preceded =
succeeded =
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term_start2 =
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predecessor2 =
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birth_date =
birth_place = Lebanon, Oregon
death_date =
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nationality = American
spouse = Linda
party = Republican
relations =
children =
residence = Albany, Oregon
alma_mater = Oregon State University
occupation = Businessman
profession =
religion =


website = [http://www.leg.state.or.us/morse/home.htm Senate website]
footnotes =

Frank Morse is a politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. A Republican, he represents District 8 in the Oregon State Senate. He was first elected in 2002, defeating Democrat Barbara Ross in a high-profile race, and was reelected in 2006.

Early life

Frank Morse was born and raised in Lebanon, Oregon. He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1961, and went on to earn degrees from Oregon State University and Northwest Christian College. [http://www.leg.state.or.us/morse/ Senator State Senator Frank Morse ] ] He and his wife, Linda, who he married in 1965, have lived in Albany since 1972. They have two children and three grandchildren. The have attended First Christian Church for over 30 years. Frank has chaired the church's board and has served as an elder.

Business and community involvement

Morse has been part of the Morse Bros. family business since 1972, serving in the following positions: Albany Division Manager, Vice President of Operations, Executive Vice President, President, and Chairman. When Morse Bros. merged with MDU Resources Group, Frank continued as President until his retirement in 2000. He moved on to a new business, Environ-Metal Inc., and currently chairs its board.

Morse has also headed the boards of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, Cascade Employers Association, Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association, Greater Pacific Bank, Samaritan Albany General Hospital Board, Samaritan Health Services Board, and Northwest Christian College Trustees.

He has also served on the boards of the Albany Boys and Girls Club, the Vern Catt McDowell Corporation, Western Security Bank, OSU Family Business Council, Cockerline Foundation, and Albany Boys and Girls Club Foundation.

Political career

Morse was first elected to the Oregon State Senate in 2002, [http://senatormorse.com/index.php/site/about/ Senator Morse ] ] defeating Democrat Barbara Ross, a three-term member of the Oregon House of Representatives who had lost her seat due to the term limits then in effect. It was Morse's first run for political office. The race was one of six that year that were considered likely to affect party control of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and that attracted hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions. Ross and Morse raised a total of about $500,000, and were noted for eschewing negative advertising for most of the campaign. [cite news
title=In a close race for the state senate, money talks – with great civility
first=Jim
last=Tankersley
date=October 30, 2002
work=The Oregonian]

Morse was reelected in 2006, defeating Democrat Mario Magana with 59% of the vote. [ [http://www.oregonlive.com/elections/electioncoverage/index.ssf?OR/2006/Z_G_OR_8_38045_1.xml OregonLive.com: Elections Coverage ] ] . He has served on the Joint Ways and Means Committee, the Emergency Board, the Public Commission on the Legislature, the Joint Information and Management Technology Committee, the Senate General Government Committee, and the Oregon Innovation and Technology Council.

In 2006, Morse delivered a speech on globalization, and specifically on Thomas Friedman's book "The World is Flat", to the Friends of the Albany Public Library. He outsourced the research for the speech to a firm in India. [cite news
title=Need help to write a speech? Just call India
date=November 27, 2006
first=Janie
last=Har
work=The Oregonian]

In 2007, Morse proposed a comprehensive reform to Oregon's tax system, along with Democratic Senators Ben Westlund, Ryan Deckert, and Kurt Schrader. The plan, which would have included a sales tax, promised to raise more revenue while costing individual Oregon taxpayers less. It would have required a three-fifths supermajority in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. [cite news
title=Tax plan hinges on a 5-cent salestax
first=Betsy
last=Hammond
date=February 1, 2007
work=The Oregonian] It did not pass.

The environmental Oregon League of Conservation Voters gave Morse's Senate votes a score of 0% in 2003, 17% in 2005, and 58% in 2007. [ [http://www.olcv.org/accountability/2007legislativescorecard/2007Senate/frankmorse Frank Morse (R-Albany) — Oregon League of Conservation Voters ] ]

In 2008, the Oregon Legislative Assembly held an experimental session, to explore the possibility of holding annual sessions as a regular practice. Such a change would require an amendment to the Oregon Constitution. Senator Morse noted some successes of the experimental session, but advised that it would be more effective to shorten regular sessions in odd-numbered years, and lengthen supplemental sessions, such that sessions are closer in length. [cite news
title=Morse considers Oregon legislative session to be productive
first=Hasso
last=Hering
work=Albany Democrat-Herald
url=http://www.democratherald.com/articles/2008/02/18/news/local/7aaa02_morse.txt
date=2008-02-18
accessdate=2008-04-13]

Awards

Morse has received the OSU Family Business Award, OCCAPA Rocky Award, the Associated Oregon Industries Business Leader of the Year Award, and an honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree from Northwest Christian College.

References

External links

* [http://senatormorse.com/ Official campaign web site]