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Greetings from Salem!
This is National Tsunami Preparedness week, and the
Coastal Caucus received an update on federal resiliency efforts from Kristin
Rasmussen, from the Office of Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. There are ongoing federal efforts to secure
funding for a West Coast earthquake early warning system, developing earthquake
resistant building design, programs for hazard mitigation of private residences,
and the acquisition of schools in safety areas. Oregon lawmakers suggested schools be
prioritized, so older schools be replaced with facilities outside of the
tsunami inundation zone. This is problematic
for communities like Seaside, which has no urban growth area outside the
tsunami zone, and the process for expanding an urban growth area can be lengthy
and difficult. Patrick Corcoran, the
Oregon Sea Grant Extension Coastal Hazards Outreach Specialist suggested a need
for land use planning guidance, and a tsunami overlay zone.
Coastal Caucus members were pleased with the 2014 Dredging
Season Review. A combination of Federal, State and private funds allowed the
Army Corps of Engineers to remove 360,713 cubic yards of sediment from Oregon
ports in 2014. In House District 32, 95
thousand cubic yards of material was dredged out of the Skipanon River in
Warrenton near the marinas. The Skipanon dredging was only made possible with
the financial support of Pacific Seafoods, establishing a unique public private
partnership improving waterway usage for all.
At the Port of Garibaldi, federal funds were used to dredge the Federal
Access channel, removing more than 23 thousand cubic yards of material with the
project being completed last month. In
Garibaldi port officials are now working on the permitting process to dredge
the boat basin area.
The Oregon Education Association members visited this
week, and the $7.255 Billion K-12 funding package passed out of the Ways and
Means Education Subcommittee on Tuesday, with the full Ways and Means Committee
scheduled a work session for Thursday.
The funding package could come up for floor votes in the House and
Senate as early as next week.
This week in the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency
Preparedness we held a public hearing on HB 3479, which creates a Women’s Veterans
Coordinator position in the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs. I am very supportive of this legislation,
women are the fastest growing segment in the military, and there are currently
more than 28 thousand Oregon women veterans.
Only 3 out of 10 Oregon veterans receive veteran’s benefits, and the percentage
of women accessing their veteran benefit is significantly lower than their male
counterparts. Given the gender specific
differences, our committee received some extremely compelling testimony about
the need for a Women’s Veterans Coordinator.
HB 3479 is scheduled to receive a work session next week, with subsequent
referral to Ways and Means.
On Tuesday, Henry Samuelson an eighth grade student from
Astoria, visited the capitol as part of the 4-H Student Leadership
Program. Henry is very active in 4-H,
raising both swine and beef as his livestock projects. He is very involved in school, and Henry’s
athletic pursuits include football, basketball and track. The son of former Clatsop County Commissioner
Matt Samuelson, Henry was able to visit both the Senate and House floors during
session.
Deb and Henry Samuelson on House Floor
Tuesday night I was able to join other women legislators
for Governor Kate Brown’s Women’s History Month reception at Mahonia Hall. The Governor and her husband Dan Little are
now settling into the Governor’s mansion.
Last weekend I was honored to be able to speak at Shirley
Kalkhoven’s Celebration of Life. Shirley
was the City of Nehalem Mayor for the past decade, and spent her final three
decades serving her community, Tillamook County and state of Oregon. Shirley was a leader on transportation,
economic development, and coastal livability issues and her efforts were
recognized Sunday afternoon by over 300 people who attended her celebration at
the Port of Tillamook Bay.
This Saturday SOLVE’S Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup will be
held from 10am to 1pm. Volunteers can
sign up at any of 45 different check-in points along the entire Oregon Coastline. Many families visit the coast during spring
break and have made the SOLVE Beach Cleanup part of their annual routine, and
we welcome everyone’s help! Over the
past three decades SOLVE volunteers have picked up more than 3 million pounds
of trash off our beaches. There are lots
of registration sites all along the coast, with friendly volunteers handing out
trash bags, and giving beach cleanup assignments.
In order to best represent my
district, I need to hear about your concerns. My door is always
open to constituents from House District 32, and I enjoy meeting with friends
and neighbors when they visit Salem. My office has moved to the
fourth floor, I’m now in H-481. If you are planning to visit the
Capitol, let my office know a few days in advance so we can schedule an
appointment. If you have a concern or comment about a state agency
or legislation under consideration, you can write, phone or email my office.
If you are interested in the
legislative process, you can learn all about the Oregon Legislature, follow proposed
bills, and watch committee meetings and floor sessions live, by accessing the
Oregon Legislative Information System via the following link:
https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/citizen_engagement/Pages/Legislative-Video.aspx
It is my privilege to represent
you in the Oregon House of Representatives and I look forward to hearing from
you.
Sincerely,
Deborah Boone
email: Rep.DeborahBoone@state.or.us I phone: 503-986-1432
address: 900 Court St NE, H-375, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boone
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