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Hello friends,
With snow in Eugene last week, it seems like winter has come early. I hope you’re getting a chance to rest, and spend time with family, friends, and loved ones this holiday season. Much has happened since my last newsletter, so read on for an election recap, important community updates, information about local warming centers for our vulnerable neighbors, and some good news from around House District 14.
I’m honored to have been elected to serve a fourth term as the State Representative for House District 14, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to the voters for allowing me to continue in this role. Over the next two years, I will continue working on policies to address the ongoing affordable housing crisis, provide mental and behavioral health supports, improve community safety, and make sure we have the economic infrastructure in place to retain and grow businesses in key industries for years to come.
I also want to thank the nearly 2 million Oregonians who voted this year – a new record for Oregon in a midterm election cycle. The legislators who were elected to office, along with a new Governor, will be sworn in at the Capitol on January 9th, with the legislative session starting on January 17th. The 82nd Legislative Assembly will be the most diverse in our state's history, with a large incoming class of 21 new members in the House (11 in the House Democratic caucus, and 10 in the House Republican caucus). I’m excited to work with my new colleagues to find real solutions to the state’s most pressing issues problems.
In preparation for the upcoming legislative session, the Democratic caucus held leadership elections several weeks ago, and I’m pleased to have been re-elected by my colleagues to continue serving as the House Majority Leader for the next two years. The members of our leadership team hail from districts all across Oregon, and we’ll bring the diversity of our backgrounds and experiences to serve Oregonians in every corner of our state.
 2022 Democratic Caucus Retreat in Independence, OR.
As always, I’m committed to listening to the needs and concerns of my constituents. I invite you to reach out to my office with questions and suggestions you might have about policy or legislation, or if you need help navigating state government – you can reach me at rep.juliefahey@oregonlegislature.gov or (503)986-1414.
Every fiscal quarter, state economists host a joint meeting of the House and Senate Committees on Revenue to discuss their forecast for economic trends in Oregon. These reports help the legislature make informed decisions about the state’s 2-year budget and funding for critical programs. Last month, their report predicted a mild recession in 2023, but confirmed that the fundamentals of the state’s economy continue to be solid.
We know that should a global recession hit, Oregon is prepared. Thanks to careful budgeting from Democrats in the legislature over the past decade, we have record levels of financial reserves to help mitigate the impact of a recession on our budget. In recent years, we have also made historic investments in supporting working Oregonians and small businesses – this has helped us build a strong foundation that will allow us to continue supporting our most vulnerable communities in the event of a recession.
Mentoring is a great way to make a difference in a child's life -- and our kids need this kind of support now, more than ever! This is a great way to give extra support to a young person who may be facing challenges like poverty, transitional housing or even houselessness. Having another caring adult in their life could make a big difference.
Bethel School District
The Bethel School District is recruiting mentors to volunteer with middle school students. The time commitment is 45 minutes a week, at either Cascade or Shasta Middle School. You can sign up to be a volunteer here.
- Cascade schedule: Wednesday, 11:24 am – 12:03 pm (6th grade) or 12:12 – 12:51 pm (7th grade)
- Shasta schedule: Tuesdays, 11:43 am – 12:18 pm (6th & 7th grade) or 12:31 –1:06 pm (7th grade)
4J School District
4J is also looking for volunteer mentors to spend 30 minutes, once a week, to meet with an assigned student during their lunch period. Most schools currently have students on a wait list. To sign up, please complete an online background check here, making sure to select all 8 4J middle schools, and then submit a mention application, which you can find here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact 4J’s volunteer program coordinator, Kate Becker, at middleschoolmentoring@4j.lane.edu.
Temperatures are dropping, and for our unhoused neighbors, the difference between being on the streets or having a warm place to sleep could be the difference between life and death. When temperatures drop below 30 degrees, the network of Egan Warming Centers is activated, but the network has recently been limited to opening two locations due to a lack of available volunteers. Every new volunteer is first required to attend a virtual training -- the next training will be on Tuesday, December 13th, and you can sign up here or contact egan.volunteers@svdp.us for more information. Times for volunteer shifts are flexible – if you have the time, please consider volunteering.
With folks spending more time indoors in the winter season, COVID-19, influenza, and RSV cases are on the rise. Vaccination is still the best protection against severe symptoms of COVID-19. If you’re looking for a convenient place to get your COVID or flu shots, Lane County Public Health’s Community Access Center at Valley River Center has reopened! I stopped by last month to get my bivalent COVID booster and a flu shot, and the experience was very smooth and efficient. I had COVID in August, so I followed the CDC recommendations to wait three months after testing positive to get the new booster (which means I’ll have additional protection just in time for the holidays). I made an appointment here Lane County COVID19 Vaccine Scheduling (cognitoforms.com), but you can also just walk in. The clinic offers COVID-19 vaccines (pediatric and adult) and flu shots (flu shots require proof of insurance). Hours are below:
- Wednesday-Saturday, 1pm-7pm
- Sundays, 11am-5pm
- Mondays and Tuesdays, Closed
DevNW
I was thrilled to attend a groundbreaking for the construction of 40 homes in Bethel that will help working and low-income Oregonians become homeowners. Dev Northwest is leading the project’s construction, using a Community Land Trust (CLT) model to help make homeownership more affordable.
Last year, I was proud to play a part in helping to fund this project. Each legislator in Oregon was able to allocate a specific amount of funding from the American Rescue Plan to specific needs in their districts, and I chose to allocate $600,000 to support DevNW’s work on this development. The project was also partially funded by state funds through the Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Homeownership program.
Homes are expected to be available for purchase by 2023. Interested in purchasing one of these homes? Fill out the CLT application here.
LCC
It was so exciting for Rep. John Lively and I to be a part of the groundbreaking for LCC's new Health Professions Building this fall. The legislature allocated $8 million in funding for this project, which will be an important part of helping us address the shortage of health care workers in Oregon and will expand career opportunities for local students.
As we head into the 2023 legislative session, please don’t hesitate to reach out to share your priorities or thoughts about bill. Your input is valuable as I consider what to prioritize in the coming months!
Yours truly,
 Capitol Phone: 503-986-1414
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-286, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.JulieFahey@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/fahey
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