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Greetings
from Salem!
Lawmakers
are continuing to move bills through the legislative process at the Capitol,
and we are holding longer floor sessions, sometimes convening twice a day. We are getting busier as more bills work
through the committee process.
If a
piece of legislation requires money for implementation, it ends up in the Joint
Ways and Means committee. This 23-member
committee is in charge of the state’s budget and how our state’s resources are
allocated. The committee is made up of
Senators and Representatives from both political parties, and earlier this year
held a series of meetings throughout the state to gather public comment on
spending priorities. Over the next
couple of months, these lawmakers will be making difficult decisions, as Oregon’s
revenue projections indicate a $1.6 billion shortfall. Oregon’s constitution requires that the
Legislative Assembly adopt a balanced budget, so our work in Salem will
continue until this mandate is achieved.
On
Tuesday, the Senate unanimously approved SB
378, the Volunteer Firefighters Tax Check off. This bill is one I have sponsored many times
before, and would add the Oregon Volunteer Firefighter Association (OVFA) to
the Oregon Income Tax Form. This would
allow Oregonians receiving a tax refund to be able to designate part or all of their
refund to this organization whose membership includes emergency medical
technicians, and firefighters across the state.
The OVFA offers its membership a relief fund, educational grants,
training and equipment grants, and recruitment and retention information. Senator Bill Hansell sponsored SB 378, and
every member of the Oregon Senate signed on as co-sponsors. The bill now comes to the House for
consideration.
On
Wednesday, the House of Representatives unanimously approved HB 2930, relating to reporting child
abuse and neglect to the appropriate authorities. I sponsored this bill on behalf of the
Department of Defense, the legislation encourages the notification of the
military when allegations are made regarding child abuse or neglect in a family
with members on active military status.
The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration.
On
Thursday, I testified on behalf of House Concurrent Resolution HRC 31 recognizing December 6, 2017 as
the centennial of Finnish independence. People
familiar with the Astoria and surrounding north coast area, know that Finns settled
and helped build the community. A large
number of Astoria’s residents emigrated from Finland to fish, work in the fish
packing plants, and manage saunas. Finns
on the north coast have a long history, Astoria’s Suomi Hall dates back to 1886.
This bill was introduced at the request of the Columbia Pacific Chapter of the
Finlandia Association, it was co-sponsored by me and Representative Mark
Johnson, whose district includes Hood River, another home to many Finnish
immigrants. The Rules committee held a
Public Hearing and Workshop, and passed HRC
31 out of committee with a “Be Adopted” recommendation.
This
has been a record-breaking rainy winter in Oregon, but the days are getting
longer, the showers shorter, and spring is right around the corner. For many
people, spring means getting the gardens in shape and planting vegetables for
harvest over the next five or six months. When members of the Oregon Food Bank visited
recently they talked about the need for good fresh food donations, and how
local food pantries and meal sites can use fresh produce to help alleviate
hunger. In Tillamook County, an
organization called Food Roots works with the Oregon Food Bank to distribute
free vegetable seeds, and encourages home and community gardeners to grow an
extra row to donate the produce to hunger-relief agencies. Shelly Bowe was the long-time director of
the Tillamook Food Roots program, and was instrumental in helping to start community
gardens throughout Tillamook County.
One lasting example of her efforts is the Rockaway Beach Community
Garden, located in Twin Rocks. This 25-plot
space was established in 2005, and now has 17 gardeners who will be growing a
variety of food. Some of these gardeners
grow exclusively to supply food to Senior Meals, Inc. which holds communal
meals three times weekly, and delivers meals to housebound, while others donate
their extra harvest. If you are a
gardener, this is one way you can support your community with fresh nutritious
food donations. If you aren’t a gardener,
but want to learn about it, “Seed to Supper” is a free beginning gardening
course offered by the Oregon Food Bank and the OSU Extension service.
I always look forward when someone from the north coast
comes to Salem. My schedule can get very
busy, so it’s best to contact my office in advance so we can try to schedule an
appointment. My office is at H-481 and
my door is always open to constituents.
If you have a concern or comment about a state agency or proposed
legislation, you can write, phone or email my office.
It is my privilege to serve you in the House of Representatives
and I look forward to hearing from you.
Your input helps me make the decisions that best represent House
District 32.
Sincerely,
Representative Deborah Boone
House District 32
email: Rep.DeborahBoone@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1432
address: 900 Court St NE, H-481, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/boone
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