Special Session Next Week

Representative Andrea Salinas

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Last week, Governor Kate Brown announced that the second special session of the year will convene on Monday, August 10th to focus on the state budget. Unlike the federal government, Oregon cannot run a deficit, which makes it necessary to balance our budget. With a nearly $1 billion budget deficit in the current biennium, there are difficult cuts ahead.

A few weeks ago, as a member of the Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services, I heard passionate testimony from Oregonians about the very real impact the proposed cuts will have on their lives. While there is no such things as an easy budget cut, I am grateful to the tri-chairs of the Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means for working hard to develop a budget that preserves critical investments, including investments in education, child welfare, and health care. You can read their budget plan here.

I will continue to provide updates on the special session. If you have any thoughts on the proposed budget reductions or thoughts on whether policy should be considered, please do not hesitate to send me an email. I always appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Rep. Salinas Signature

Andrea Salinas, State Representative

Police Reform

As you might remember, the first special session in June tackled a variety of police reform measures my colleagues and I in the BIPOC Caucus introduced. Since then, the Joint Committee on Transparent Policing and Use of Force Reform has met regularly and developed a variety of legislative concepts that build off the work started in June. While the committee heard public testimony on this legislation last week, it is still unclear whether we will consider further policy proposals when we meet for a second time next Monday. You can find out more about these concepts in my previous newsletter.

Health Update

On Friday, Governor Brown announced that Multnomah County is now on the County Watch List. Counties are placed on the Watch List when COVID-19 is spreading quickly and public health officials cannot trace that spread to specific sources. Metrics include when there is a sporadic case rate of 50 or more per 100,000 people in the last two weeks and the county had more than five sporadic cases in the last two weeks. Counties remain on the Watch List for a minimum of three weeks and until their sporadic case rates drop below these thresholds. Categorizing counties in this way allows for public health and the state to prioritize resources and assistance to counties that are seeing the broadest spread of coronavirus.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is working closely with Multnomah County to improve contact tracing efforts and their ongoing work to provide low-barrier testing. However, we all have a role to play in helping Multnomah County get off the watch list as soon as possible. The ways we can help slow the spread are simple: wear a face covering, wash our hands, and stay at least six feet away from others. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself and your community healthy and safe.

COVID watch list

Oregon Employment Department

OED found a way to pay benefits to thousands of Oregonians who are waiting for their claim to be reviewed by an adjudicator. They’re calling this program, “Benefits While you Wait,” and OED is proactively notifying claimants who have been identified to fall into this group via email and robocalls. This Thursday’s OED webinar at 1:00pm will focus on this new program, so please register in advance here. In the meantime, OED Interim Director David Gerstenfeld's press release provides more information about "Benefits While You Wait.”

You can find a recording of last week’s OED webinar here. In that webinar, someone asked the program experts what to do if your PIN suddenly does not work on the PUA online form. Watch this video clip for OED’s answer.

Additionally, I have heard from constituents who are struggling to put food on the table while they wait for their unemployment benefits to come. This is simply unacceptable, and I want to be sure you know about the resources available to you. The site needfood.oregon.gov provides information about meals available at schools and food pantries, applying for SNAP benefits, and how to access Meals on Wheels. I know that folks already spend a great deal of time filing claims and navigating government websites, so if you need help accessing any of these resources, please call or email my office so we can help walk you through the process and make it as easy as possible.

Here are some links to resources in our community:

food support

Volunteer Opportunities 

This is also a reminder that our food banks, pantries, and community support organizations need volunteers. There are numerous ways you can get involved and help your neighbors, some of which you can do from home.

MEALS ON WHEELS:

  • BECOME A MEALS ON WHEELS DRIVER: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Meals on Wheels needs volunteer drivers to deliver daily meals to seniors in the Portland Metro area. To get started, create a volunteer account here and sign-up for a Virtual New Volunteer Orientation.
  • FRIENDLY CHAT: Help alleviate the social isolation that many seniors experience through the new Friendly Chat program. Friendly Chat aims to provide socialization and human connection for seniors through a phone conversation. This volunteer opportunity can be done remotely on your own time between 10:00am and 4:00pm Monday-Thursday. Click here to sign-up for a New Volunteer Orientation!
  • WELLNESS CHECK CALLS: Assist in making structured safety calls to homebound seniors to check in regarding their welfare. This volunteer opportunity can be done remotely on your own time between 10:00am and 2:00pm Monday-Thursday. Click here to sign up for a New Volunteer Orientation!
  • HOPE AT HOME: Spread hope and joy to older adults in our community by creating cards and artwork for Meals on Wheels to deliver with a meal. This is a great activity for children, families and people of all ages! Send your card or artwork to: Meals on Wheels People, 7710 SW 31st Avenue, Portland OR. 97219.

OREGON FOOD BANK:

  • The Oregon Food Bank is asking for non-high risk people to sign up for individual volunteer shifts and for people to help spread the word that food remains available. You can find more information here.

Schools

Public health experts and school leaders are working diligently on next year’s school plans. Last week, new public health metrics were announced to guide school district’s reopening decisions. You can read those metrics here, and you can find weekly updates on which counties are meeting these metrics here.

The school districts in House District 38 recently made announcements about their reopening plans, which you can find below:

School Reopening Metrics

Back-to-School Town Hall

I hear regularly from constituents who are deeply concerned about what school will look like next year. As a parent myself, I spend a great deal of time asking similar questions: Will it be safe? How will the quality of the education be impacted? What will the day-to-day look like? To help answer those questions and to provide you with the latest information on what the 2020-21 school year will look like, I will be hosting a remote back-to-school town hall with Lake Oswego School District Superintendent Dr. Lora de la Cruz, students, teachers, and parents. More information about the town hall will be forthcoming, but please save the date of August 19th from 7:00pm-8:30pm. These are uncertain, challenging times for teachers, students, and parents alike, but we are fortunate to have a dedicated group of educators and staff who are working hard to make the most of this less than ideal situation. I look forward to this discussion, and I hope that you are able to join us.

Student Loans Webinar

The Multnomah County Library is hosting a webinar this Wednesday, August 5th, at 5:30pm to provide tips on how to manage your student loans during COVID-19. Learn from librarian Kyra Hahn how to figure out what kinds of student loans you have and strategies for potentially lowering payments on your federal student loans, using available government programs and resources. You can register for the workshop here.

Don't forget about the 2020 Census!

I know I mentioned the census last week, but the importance of a complete and accurate count makes it worth repeating. Oregon’s self-response rate, or the percentage of Oregonians who have filled out their form, is 65.2%. In great news, both Lake Oswego and Portland are above the state and national average at 77.1% and 70.0% respectively. If you haven’t been counted yet, there is still time! Fill out your census form today and do your part to make sure your community is counted and receives the resources it needs for the next decade.

You can complete the census online, by phone, or by mail. More information can also be found at Oregon2020Census.gov or 2020Census.gov

email: Rep.AndreaSalinas@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1438
address: 900 Court St NE, H-485, Salem, OR, 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/salinas