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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
With many of my constituents still unemployed or under-employed due to the downturn in our economy as a result of the pandemic, I am deeply concerned about the expiration of the additional unemployment benefits that were passed through the CARES Act the week ending July 25th. Although the rollout was far from perfect, these benefits have reached many people and have been the lifeline keeping them afloat, keeping the lights on, and kids’ bellies fed. Even as Congress is debating a new relief bill, it is very likely that the benefits will decrease and, depending on how complicated they make the new federal assistance formula, there will certainly be a delay in implementing the new program of anywhere from 3 weeks to 4 months.
This pandemic is far from over unfortunately. Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise with the fastest growing cases being among young adults letting their guard down while socializing with family and friends. Many young people believe that if they get it, they will only be sick for a few weeks and that will be that. What we know now is that a third of people, including many young people, who get this disease remain debilitatingly sick for months and may have lifelong health consequences due to the damage the virus inflicts on the person’s organs. Here and here are a couple articles about what it is like to have a longer version of the illness.
When OHA reports a death with the caveat “ this patient had underlying health conditions,” there can be an instinct to somewhat discount or dismiss that person’s death, perhaps subconsciously assuming that they were probably already very sick and would have died soon anyway. The truth is there are many underlying health conditions that are easily managed, and were it not for this fierce and ruthless virus, these people could have lived for many more years. Among the long list of underlying health conditions, there is pregnancy, asthma, hypertension, smoking, HIV, solid organ transplant, and obesity (a condition that over 40% of American adults live with). We are all mortal and will face death at some point--but this pandemic is taking far too many people, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, far too soon.
Too many people still believe that we are overreacting to the threat of this virus, that we have already sacrificed too much economically and socially, and that we need to live our lives unencumbered and “accept the risks.” To a degree--we need to continue onwards. That does not mean, however, that we shouldn’t all still be taking this very seriously and taking the appropriate precautions when we can. Please--continue to wear your masks when out in public, social distance both when and when not wearing a mask, and limit your trips outside your home and gatherings with others.
Sincerely,
Due to the economic fallout from the pandemic, many people have seen their employment disappear or their hours cut. If you fall into one of these categories, food assistance may very well be one of the most important things you can consider applying for right now. Here is the link to the DHS site where you can apply for SNAP (food stamps). The one application will actually allow you to apply for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), and ERDC (Employment Related Daycare) if needed. Once the application is submitted online, you will be contacted by a local office letting them know if they need to supply additional information or approval. You can also access rent relief or energy assistance in your area by visiting 211info.org or calling 2-1-1. The full list of Community Action Agencies, funding allocation amounts and service territories with contact information can be found HERE.
Many parents are concerned about how the upcoming school year will go. As with many aspects of our lives in the pandemic, there is a great deal of uncertainty and that is the hardest part. The latest information from Governor Brown is that if we have a positive testing rate of above 5% for 3 consecutive weeks, we will not be able to open any in-person public schools this year. The current criteria for reopening in person schools is:
- The state testing rate must remain at or below 5%.
- The county must have 10 or fewer new cases per 100,000 residents over seven days.
- The countywide test positivity rate must be 5% or less over that same time period.
Exceptions:
- Providing in-person education for students in kindergarten through third grade. It is expected that schools will offer in-class options for students in grade K-3 to the extent possible.Younger students get the virus at lower rates, get less sick when they get COVID-19,and seem to spread the virus less than older children or adults. Younger students also need access to in-person instruction to build literacy and numeracy skills critical to their continued learning.
- Remote and rural school districts with ≤100 total students, and remote and rural private schools with ≤100 student
The previously released Oregon Department of Education guidance in regard to face coverings would still be required, and can be found here. They are conducting a survey for parents to share concerns about the guidance here.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration has been enforcing the Governor’s orders as they relate to workplace safety. If you are an employee or frequent an establishment with employees, in which the Governor’s orders with regard to face coverings, and physical distancing are not being enforced, you can make an anonymous report. Remember that face coverings should always be worn around the nose and mouth, when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Employees and customers should not remove their face coverings while talking.
The form to make a complaint can be found here.
Many people are not aware that each state has a system to hold unclaimed property until it is claimed by its rightful owner. It is a bit of a confusing term, but “unclaimed property” is generally just money. It could be from an old bank account, a last check going to an old address, or it could be a refund that never got cashed. There are really countless reasons that you could have money waiting for you that you are unaware of. If you’re curious to see if the state might be holding any assets you’re entitled to, you can easily search your name here: Oregon Unclaimed Property. If you have lived in any other state, it is also worth checking there. You can find the website for each individual state by searching “escheat + the state’s name”.
Claiming your money is always free, which brings me to the scam portion of this discussion. Many Oregonians have reported receiving text messages that ask for money in exchange for claiming their property or redirect them to a fake site that is mining their personal information. The state of Oregon will not send you a text message about your unclaimed property and will never ask you for money in exchange for claiming your property!
The State of Oregon receives about $70 million every year in unclaimed assets, and currently holds $740 million in unclaimed property for owners or their heirs. Anyone contacted by an organization offering access to Oregon unclaimed funds should call the Unclaimed Property program at (503) 986-5200.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1432
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-285, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.TiffinyMitchell@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/mitchell
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