State Rep. Jeff Kropf told The New Era Thursday that he has rented an apartment above his campaign headquarters in Lebanon and will continue to represent District 17 (encompassing parts of former District 37).
Rep. Kropf had considered a run for the senate but changed his plans after the state redistricting map was approved and created a new Albany-Corvallis Senate District 8.
“This will create a hardship for me personally because I’m going to have to drive to my farm each day, about a 30 minute drive,” Rep. Kropf said Thursday. “A farmer needs to live on his farm.”
If Rep. Kropf remained living on his Halsey farm, he would need to seek election in what is now House District 23-represented by Rep. Lane Shetterly, R-Dallas. If re elected, Rep. Kropf can serve only one term in the House due to the state’s term limit laws enacted in 1992. He could, however, serve two terms in the state senate.
Rep. Kropf has been an outspoken opponent of the state’s redistricting proposal, charging that the plan divides the state’s rural areas and further dilutes rural voting strength while bolstering voting power in metro areas.
“I don’t like the redistricting plan. It hurts rural people. It divide power and ultimately, is not good for us. It further lessons our voice in the legislative process.”
The Oregon Supreme Court, Rep. Kropf said, is ignoring the state’s constitution in terms of the re districting plan.
“Our constitution is clear that senate districts must be drawn within county boundaries whenever possible,” Rep. Kropf said. “Our Supreme Court is dysfunctional, politically motivated and judicially lazy. The knew the redistricting plan did not meet the intent of the statute or the constitutional provisions for re districting.”
Rep. Kropf said the court circumvented the statute by ruling tyhe Secretary of State need only consider the county boundaries but not necessarily drawn boundaries within them.