Rep Thatcher Legislative Update
Help for Taxpayers
Thoughts for Thatcher
Ever felt like you just hopped onto a moving train? That’s a good way to describe the 2011 Session of the Oregon Legislature so far. Because of the new calendar for annual sessions, we started one month later than usual, and this session will be a month shorter than we have had in years past. My new responsibilities as a member of the legislature’s budget committee have been especially challenging. It isn’t easy to comprehend everything that goes into drafting a nearly $60 billion all funds budget. I have been assigned to the Human Services budget subcommitee and there are many tough issues to deal with from helping children in foster care to low-income seniors trying to live independent lives in their own homes. I must give credit where credit is due. The
Governor’s proposed budget calls for using existing resources. He’s not talking about new taxes, but he is talking about many fee increases. Another important factor in balancing the state budget is the
March revenue forecastt which shows we will probably have close to $1.4 billion in additional dollars than we had in the current budget cycle. Even though we have more revenue coming in, it may not be enough to keep up with the rising cost of providing many state services so some cuts will still occur.
Click here for a great video from budget Co-Chairman, State Representative Dennis Richardson. As the Co-Chair of a new Audits and Information Management Technology Committee I am hoping we can drill-down on several areas to find efficiencies that will help our state government run more efficiently and maximize the tax dollars available for important programs like education, and public safety. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the months ahead on many of these important issues and others. Sincerely,
  Rep Thatcher’s Bills of Interest Update
2nd Amendment Rights: The House Judiciary Committee is currently working on several bills to help gun owners. Rep Thatcher’s bill to protect the privacy of Concealed Handgun Owners, HB 2787, is gaining support. Rep Thatcher’s measure to allow concealed carry permits from other states to be recognized in Oregon, HB 2792, has also generated support. One additional bill, HB 2797, which would allow persons to lawfully transport handguns while riding motorcycles and clarify the law about how people could lawfully transport firearms on ATV’s and snowmobiles should also get a hearing soon. Good Government: HB 2825 had a public hearing in February and will hopefully come back for a vote in committee soon. This legislation would expand the new Oregon Transparency Website
to include any tax breaks for economic development projects including things like Enterprise Zones and the Business Energy Tax Credit. Another of Rep Thatcher’s accountability bills is HB 2770 which would create a Business Ombudsman to act as a troubleshooter to help companies having trouble navigating state agency rules and policies. This measure had a hearing in the House General Government Committee. One other interesting bill, HB 2781, would allow the state to gain control of certain federal lands. Federal policies on our forestlands have hurt our economy and the tax revenues coming in for important local services. This legislation had a hearing a few weeks ago and may come back for more work by lawmakers. Election Reforms: Two of Rep Thatcher’s bills have been heard in the House Rules Committee. The first, HB 2804, would be amended to require Oregonians to provide identification when they register to vote for the first time. The second, HB 2775, would help get signatures qualified for the ballot on initiative petitions.  It's Tax Time Again!
Oregonians who need help filing their state or federal income
taxes may want to check out these resources: For State Tax Information – The Oregon Department of Revenue Taxpayer Assistance
Click here for their webpage
or call 503-378-4988 or toll free 1-800-356-4222.
For Federal Tax Information – The Internal Revenue Service
Click here for their webpage or call toll free 1-800-829-1040 There is also a special service to help low-to-moderate income taxpayers at no cost called IRS Free File to help people get through the federal filing process.
www.IRS.gov/efile
Thoughts for Thatcher Paper or plastic? There has been quite a stir at the Capitol in recent weeks about legislation which would ban the use of plastic grocery bags in Oregon and require grocers to charge a nickel for paper bags. Do you support such a move or do you feel state lawmakers should be working on other things? Click here to send Rep Thatcher your input
Feedback from the last newsletter question: With the Oregon House tied with 30 members from each party is it more important for Rep Thatcher to compromise on issues or stick to the principles and priorities that a majority of her constituents have requested? - It is more important for Rep Thatcher to stick to the principles and priorities that a majority of her constituents have requested.
- I am not against compromise. Principle is very important, but if there are two options, and those two options are: 1) getting some good done with compromise, and 2) getting no good done with standing on principle, it may be more wise to get some good done.
- It is important for you to stick to your guns and vote what the majority of the people you represent want.
- It seems like it's an issue by issue decision. Lack of willingness to negotiate could work against you at election time. However, if you can show where you tried give-and-take and the other side was unwilling to move, they couldn't use lack of progress against you.
- Oregon voters took away Dems majority in the house for a reason, now they think they can just make nice and republicans will cave, DON'T.
- I am not a fan of compromise, if one's issue is really worth pursuing.
- It was largely Democrat policies that got us into this mess, so they are the ones who need to compromise and acknowledge their ideas don't work.
- Stick to your guns always! We've had enough compromise in this state already!
- Each legislator will have to judge how far he/she is willing to bend. The public will judge your work on the basis of the quality of the legislation that was passed and whether or not it meets the needs of the State of Oregon.
- You should not relax your principled stance for the sake of "getting along". We need for the other side to bend back in our direction so that we will have a better balanced society.
- You're our Representative, period. But if you want to compromise on the issues then I'd suggest signing up to run for congress. Those guys compromise all the time.
Thank you for your feedback. | 
