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IN THIS ISSUE:
Education
Accountability
Flu Facts
Green Tax Breaks
Help for Jobless
Kudos for Kim
Thoughts for Thatcher
Friends,
The
Legislature may not be in session, but there is a lot going on in the
interim. Two projects I'm currently working on deal with school
accountability. The first deals with the Willamette Education Service
District (WESD) which provides special education and other programs for
21 school districts in our area. The Superintendent was recently fired in
a cloud of controversy surrounding questionable financial and management
practices. I, and other Representatives, wrote a letter to the Secretary
of State calling for an outside audit and there is now an
audit of the WESD underway. It should be complete in January. This case
points out the need for legislative changes so state agencies
can conduct audits of school districts. The House Education Committee
recently held a hearing on my concerns but decided to delay action
until some unknown time in the future, regardless I will
draft legislation for 2011.
Another education
accountability problem rests at the higher education level. For years now
the Oregon University System (OUS) has tried to enforce their own rules
preventing law abiding citizens who have a Concealed Handgun License
(CHL) from exercising their legal right to carry on our state's public
campuses. A student was suspended from Western Oregon University last
February for this. Oregon law is clear, CHL holders have the right to
carry handguns on campus. I have written several letters challenging the
OUS and there is now a lawsuit pending at the Oregon Court of
Appeals. The Senate Judiciary Committee has now appointed a
taskforce to essentially draft legislation allowing the OUS to keep
its policies. The deck is stacked against legal gun owners but I will
continue to push for their 2nd Amendment rights in our state.
I
appreciate all your input on these and other critical issues facing
Oregon.
Sincerely,
 <p
Flu
Got You Blue?
You've probably seen all the news reports about the
H1N1 or the so-called "swine flu". The state has a
new website full of great resources to help answer questions. My
office has had several inquiries about whether vaccinations are
mandatory. They are NOT. Oregon has no law requiring children or adults
to be immunized. Schools may be sending home consent forms and
information so parents can decide if they want their students
vaccinated. Even if the Governor declares a statewide emergency the
vaccinations will remain voluntary. This can be a serious disease.
Over 1,000 Oregonians have been hospitalized and two dozen have died this
fall from the flu.
You are encouraged
to check out www.flu.oregon.gov
For flu information
from the Salem-Keizer School District go to:
http://www.salkeiz.k12.or.us/content/h1n1-swine-flu-information
For flu information
from the Newberg School District go to:
http://www.newberg.k12.or.us/_health/h1n1_flu
Green
Projects Eat Up Green Tax Dollars
The Oregonian
newspaper recently reported on the fact that the state is spending millions more than
anticipated on green energy projects. In fact 40 times more than
lawmakers were told. I am one of the lawmakers who sat through countless
hours of testimony about these projects on the House Committee for
Sustainability and Economic Development. I sounded like a broken record
on the House Floor protesting the amount of money the state was spending
on these energy tax breaks, while other critical state services for
seniors, schools and public safety were facing cuts.
I'm pleased to see the State
Energy Department putting limits on the Business Energy Tax Credits
but we're not going far enough. Oregon voters should be outraged and
speaking out to put our spending priorities in order and not be
constantly duped into spending tax dollars on the latest trendy corporate
green project.
Help for People
Who Lost Their Jobs 
If you
are unemployed or lose your job before the end of the year you might
qualify to get some of your health benefits covered. Federal subsidies
are available for certain workers and the coverage would run for nine
months starting in January 2010. Click here to find out more.
The State also started a new program November 1st to help unemployed
residents who are attending college. Click
here to find out details.
If you
need help from the state for food stamps, medical or other services,
check out the Department of Human Services website at www.oregon.gov/DHS.
Kudos for Kim
"Dear
Rep Thatcher & Dedicated Support Staff,
I
just wanted to express my appreciation for your assistance in working with
my bill this last session. It could never have happened without your
dedication and determination.
Respectfully,
Dan
Kohler"
[Rep Thatcher wrote a new law to allow people to purchase
funeral insurance for loved ones without having to jump through the hoops
of getting power of attorney. House Bill 3184
passed unanimously]
Thoughts for
Thatcher:
How
do you plan to vote on the tax measures in January and why?
Click here to
give Representative Thatcher your thoughts.
Feedback From Last Month's Newsletter Question:
"Where
do you think state government should cut back in order to avoid raising
taxes and fees?"
- In
order to avoid raising taxes and fees, state government should cut
back on bureaucracy.
- One big area of
savings is the state employees health insurance.
- One way to cut back in
order to avoid raising taxes and fees is to stop being a
"sanctuary state" for illegal aliens.
- Just like all
businesses I know, make cut backs; spend less. Do more with less
overhead and re-evaluate each job.
- I am very concerned
about any rise in health care payments.
- I think welfare people
should have to do some work for their check. Also before they are
issued their monthly check, they should have to undergo drug
testing.
- Get a handle on the
undocumented workers. Now! We cannot afford to educate and medicate
and subsidize their housing.
- Every move made by the
folks in charge should act like the funding was from their own
personal account. It's always easier to spend someone else's money.
- I'd like to see
Kulongoski and his managers who received raises have to give them
back and erase them off the books for good.
- If you get food stamps
or Oregon Health Plan, you should not be able to have cell phones,
hi-definition and premium cable packages, smoke, use drugs or drink
alcohol.
- Why shouldn't the
government employees take a pay cut or pay freeze when the rest of
the working class does?
- Encourage the private
sector by subbing out more work gov. jobs i.e. schools, prisons,
etc.
- I don't want the Gov't
to be my nanny. Just give me basic services and I'll be self reliant
on the rest.
- Please work to allow
the state to go bankrupt so the non state employees in this state
can be relieved of the onerous burden know as PERS.
- One cut that is clear
to me is the tax deduction for contributions to the Oregon Cultural
Trust. This idea of government propping up social institutions is
clearly outside the bounds of our state and federal constitutions.
- Why should I or any
Oregonian pay to exercise any Right weather it is to own Property,
to Marry, to be Armed, to Travel? We shouldn't.
- Instead of raising
taxes maybe they should cut taxes and stimulate business so that
more people would have jobs and thus pay taxes instead of collecting
unemployment benefits.
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Court St. NE, Salem Oregon 97301 