TSJ: Why is state selling a forest without competitive bids?

In August 2015, the Oregon Land Board — Gov. Kate Brown, Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins and Treasurer Ted Wheeler — voted to sell roughly 82,450 acres of “Common School Trust Lands” within the Elliott State Forest because the state was losing money on those lands. --Under Oregon law, School Trust Lands are supposed to make money for schools. --Given the ongoing losses, the board reached the correct decision. Unfortunately, the sale protocol adopted by the Board is bizarre. The board will establish a price for the land based on appraisals, and that will be the only price accepted. If you dare to offer $1 more, your offer will be declared “non-responsive.”
Read more at The Statesman Journal

Related:
In late 2014, Cascade Policy Institute questioned the Oregon Land Board's management of the Elliott State Forest. Read More......

Press Release: Legal Analysis Finds Land Board in Breach of Trust over Elliott State Forest

PORTLAND, Ore. ― A detailed legal analysis released today by Cascade Policy Institute concludes that the State Land Board, which has responsibility for the Elliott State Forest, has not prudently managed this asset and likely has breached its fiduciary trust to generate maximum net revenue over the long term for K-12 schools, as required by the Oregon Constitution.

The Elliott is a 93,000-acre forest on the south coast. It is part of a portfolio of lands known as “Common School Trust Lands” (CSTL), and these lands must be managed as endowment assets for public schools. The State Land Board, comprised of the Governor, the Secretary of State, and the Treasurer, manages all Trust Lands.

Read more at Cascade Policy Institute Read More......