|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this letter finds you well and looking forward to some rest, reflection and connection in the coming days. With November Elections and blackout period over, I will be messaging again from my official Representative account.
Thank you to the voters of House District 26 for electing me as your State Representative for a third term. I am honored you have re-elected me to continue serving and representing our communities in the Oregon Legislature. Results will be official on December 5. You can track election results at the Secretary of State website.
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month and Nov. 25th is Native American Heritage Day. I hope you will join me in celebrating and honoring the native caretakers of this land this month.
What we now call Oregon House District 26 is the traditional lands and waterways of the Atfalati, the Kalapuya, and the Ahantchuyuk people, now members of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
We honor the Indigenous people of this land as a vibrant, foundational, and integral part of our community. As we envision a brighter future for our communities, we commit ourselves to ongoing practices of listening, learning, reconciliation, and connection.
District Boundary Change Information
House District 26 boundaries changed quite a bit with this election cycle. Going forward the northern half of the current district that I have been serving (including South Hillsboro, Cooper Mountain, South Aloha, and Scholls) will now be in HD 36 and served by Rep-Elect Hai Pham (2022 Willamette Week Article) who is a father, dentist, leukemia survivor, immigrant, and an all-around incredible person! If you are in the neighborhood south of Barrows Road or north of Bull Mountain Rd, you will soon be served by Rep-Elect Ben Bowman (Nov 2022, Pamplin Media Article) who is The Tigard-Tualatin School Board Chair, an education policy expert, and co-founder of Packed with Pride.
In January, upon swearing in for the 2023 Legislative Session, our HD26 boundary lines will change to the map below. I will continue to represent Wilsonville, Sherwood, King City and Bull Mountain. I look forward to representing the newest parts of our house district which include south of Fischer Road in King City, the Charbonneau District of Wilsonville, northern French Prairie farmland, the Easternmost part of Yamhill County on beautiful Parrett Mountain, and nearly 8 miles of our beautiful Willamette River from Newberg to the confluence of the Molalla River.
Here is a link to the boundary lines that I will officially represent just a little bit longer (through the end of 2022), and here is a link and image (below) for the new House district 26 lines that I will serve in my third term starting in January 2022 through December 2024.
Oregon’s Kid Governor
Congratulations to Sherwood's very own Lea Andrus, Oregon's newly elected Kid Governor! Hawks View Elementary has one more thing to be proud of now that Lea's peers across the state chose her for the role after she presented her anti-bullying and kindness platform. I am excited to see our rising young leaders actively engaging in civic opportunities and sharing their vision to improve our world. Check out the Sherwood Gazette article and source of the image here.
LGBTQ Community Safety, Support, and Data
I am devastated by the Colorado Springs shooting at Club Q, a direct and hateful attack on the LGBTQ+ community just before Trans Remembrance Day. My heart goes out to the victims' families, friends, community, and all those who have been impacted by this senseless violence. We must act to stop gun violence and protect our LGBTQ+ community from these hateful crimes.
|
If you are struggling with processing and need support, please reach out for help.
Trans data matters and there is an online survey collecting information right now. According to this interview and the 2015 trans survey (https://www.ustranssurvey.org/) "Being pushed out of education settings can impact you throughout other areas of your life. We know that 83% of students who were either out or perceived as trans at some point in K-12s experienced some form of harassment" and that "42% of the people in Oregon who are homeless are LGBTQ identified." This can be due in part to being kicked out of the house, harassed or assaulted, and experiences of stigma when applying for housing and employment. People who are transgender can tell their stories through this year's https://www.ustranssurvey.org/, which is taking place right now through December 5.
My Legislative Priorities
Education
As a mother and an educator, stable and sufficient funding for our schools is a priority. We need to be responsible for accurate Current Service Level (CSL) calculations. In addition, we must responsibly legislate a budget that provides adequate resources to students and teachers striving to achieve. Investments in literacy, pre-K, and accessible higher education are all essential and are part of a fully funded education budget. I will be working to ensure we meet our education goals.
I continue to meet with our workforce work group, educators and education leaders, and innovative higher education programs like the children’s behavioral health program at the new UO Ballmer Institute in Portland. This week I attended a conversation at Wilsonville High School between educators and local businesses and employers to discuss Career Technical Education (CTE) investments. I look forward to partnering with community members to advocate for innovative approaches to education.
Fighting for Affordable Housing
I am focused on the preservation of subsidized housing, expanding missing housing inventory, and addressing the rising costs of rent. In the coming session, I will be partnering with Representative Nathanson to champion a bill that will create a state tax credit proposal to subsidize rental costs of properties that are shifting to market rates after their federal tax credits expire. My office is collaborating with advocates to reform the publicly supported housing preservation statute to provide additional protection to vulnerable renters when their rents rise suddenly to market rate. I will continue to be an advocate for affordable housing development that meets the needs of local communities, as well as connecting unhoused people with supportive services and safe shelter.
Addressing Community Safety
Everyone deserves to live without fear for their life while commuting, grocery shopping, learning at school, attending an event, or gathering to worship. I will keep advocating for school safety and firearm safety in 2023. This week, we again woke to devastating news about a mass shooting in Colorado Springs. A hate-filled shooter took lives in a designated safe space. This November, Oregonians passed Measure 114 which closes background check loopholes, requires a permit to purchase, and firearm training. It also prohibits the sale of high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Our legislature must ensure that law enforcement has the clarity and funding needed to complete the work that this measure requires of them.
I continue to work with safety and justice experts, including local law enforcement, to prepare my bill that creates a crime of threatening mass harm. Law enforcement must be able to appropriately detain individuals who make credible threats of mass violence in our communities.
Protecting our Environment
As a Member of the Environmental Caucus, I am working with stakeholders and organizations on a variety of bills. I am working on legislation to improve transparency and safety information for neighbors of the petroleum pipeline that runs through our House District 26 communities, wetlands and rivers on its route from Portland to Eugene. Additionally, I am continuing my environmental health policy work to reduce exposure to harmful toxins in children’s products, cosmetics, and on school grounds.
Out and About in HD26
While I haven’t been sending out newsletters during the election season, I have remained active in local conversations and events. Some highlights include:
- Honored Veterans at the Sherwood Veterans Day event
- Attended fall musicals at both Wilsonville High School (Little Women) and Sherwood High School (Tuck Everlasting). SO GOOD!
- Explored the Downtown Tigard Street Fair and got to see my mom show off her Jazzercise dance moves.
- Toured a local Bottle Drop facility to learn more about the recycling program
- Admired the “Four Eights” art exhibit at Sherwood Center for the Arts
- Enjoyed the fall color on Sunset Boulevard and even helped a family take their family photo amidst the autumn leaves
- Checked out the beautiful new Cedar Creek Trail in Sherwood. map here.
Began holiday shopping at some of my favorite locally-owned, small businesses including Lux Sucre in Charbonneau, Graham and Tooze at the northwest edge of Wilsonville, and Cedar and Stone in Sherwood. Please support our local, small businesses this season!
I attended the Wilsonville Alliance for Inclusive Communities housing tour of Veterans’ Village in Clackamas County, which is stabilizing our veterans experiencing homelessness. We learned more about the critical services provided by Family Promise of Tualatin Valley and Heart of the City.
Flu Vaccine
With the winter season coming, be sure to reduce your risk and get the flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, vaccinations are free for most people with insurance.
- Click here to learn more about the flu and the flu vaccine from the CDC
- Call 211 or visit vaccinefinder.org to get a flu vaccine in your area
COVID-19 vaccinations are available for everyone 6 months or older and booster shots are available for everyone 5 and older for free. If you or someone you know needs access to a COVID-19 vaccine,
Office Hours
I continue to hold weekly virtual office hours on Wednesdays from 12-1 pm. It is a great time to drop in for a one-on-one meeting with me. You can sign up here. As always, feel free to communicate any time through phone or email listed on my legislative website about any concerns, questions, invitations and ideas that you may have.
| 
