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We are in full legislative swing as March gets underway. I’m excited to share some of the important groundwork we’ve been laying for advancing the top priorities you have tasked me with. While the learning curve has been steep, it’s what I’ve been preparing for during my previous posts on Milwaukie’s various councils and as mayor.
While my scope of impact has broadened from representing my community to advocating for issues statewide, I have always invested in good working relationships with my colleagues. Regardless of their political affiliations, experience has taught me that we achieve our best work when all voices feel heard and we pull together. You have my commitment that I will continue to diligently nurture relationships with my 89 new colleagues which will bear fruit benefiting our people, lands, and waters.
As residents of House District 41, you tasked me with addressing the housing crisis in Oregon. Happily, I have been assigned to hold the post of vice chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee and we have already been working on some inspiring legislation to tackle this. Take a look at HB 2001, for example. Also keep your eyes out for HB 2699 which speaks to one of my long-standing passion projects: tying the minimum wage in an area to the average cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment.
Many of you may be aware of Oregon’s need for more housing to solve houselessness but the cost of living needs to be addressed simultaneously so folks can afford their housing. That’s why we need to increase the minimum wage. For example, did you know that a livable wage for Portland is almost $30/hr now? Minimum wage is currently only set at $14.75. We should not be driving people working full time into poverty.
Oregon residents should not have to pay more than half of their monthly income on housing costs alone. It is neither sustainable nor is it equitable for folks working full time to struggle on the edge of homelessness. Tying the minimum wage to the cost of housing is not only an elegant solution to bring people back from the brink, it should also help drive new investment in workforce housing. It’s a win-win.
Speaking of economic justice, I am also thrilled to share an update on HB 2763, which will create a task force to investigate all possibilities for keeping Oregon money in Oregon by establishing a state public bank. I am confident we will be able to pass the bill out of its first committee within the next week or so! If we are able to get it all the way through the legislative process and pass it into law, the task force's discoveries will enable us to come back and pass further legislation to create a founding structure and governing board for the bank. My plan is that next year’s session will be when that piece takes shape and the work we do this year is what sets the stage for success.
The benefits of a state bank far exceed the financial reality of saving Oregon communities billions in interest payments to out-of-state banks. A state bank would allow Oregon to invest in Oregon more heavily—in everything from bike and pedestrian path infrastructure to building sorely needed housing. A real-world example of the exponential benefits of establishing a state public bank might be taken from my time at the City of Milwaukie. We had a bike and pedestrian path project estimated at $52 million but after fees and interest rates levied by Wall Street, the total cost was over $86 million. With state bank funding, those fees would have been halved and millions of public dollars could be directed into other worthy programs. By keeping the money in Oregon, the money continues to cycle through our economy and benefit us in our own communities.
 Pictured above: Rep. Khanh Pham and I on the House Floor recently. Rep. Pham has been one of my closest allies in our state bank effort.
One of my personal priorities during my time as your Representative is to share knowledge of legislative processes with you so you can make your voices heard. Did you know that in the legislature, committees handle the bulk of the work in hearing and advancing bills? By the time a bill reaches the point where it gets a full vote of the House or Senate, it has already gone through at least one public hearing in committee and gained at least a majority of votes on that committee to pass out to the full chamber. This is a great place to get involved and make your opinion known. You can read and track all legislation, including those being considered in committees, on the OLIS website. Feel free to call my office at (503) 986-1441 to get a walk-through on how the site works.
This session, I am serving on three committees that are relevant to our interests.
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House Committee on Housing and Homelessness - Vice Chair - As implied by the name, this committee is tasked with considering long, mid, and short term solutions to the housing crisis. As vice chair, I get to help guide bills through our committee and whip votes. It is clear to me from listening to so many of you, that homelessness is a top concern in our district. You can be assured that I will continue to represent your voices with clarity and persistence.
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House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water - Member - This committee primarily looks at natural resource issues including farming, forestry, water, some zoning issues, and much more. Climate change is a passion of mine and the reason I originally decided to enter the political fray. This committee is one of the biggest hitters on the climate change front and I will continue to work tirelessly to protect our planet and people.
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Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Transportation and Economic Development - Member - Ways and Means is the legislature’s budget committee and both Representatives and Senators serve on it. This is not only a fantastic opportunity to influence transportation policy and carbon emissions, it also introduces me to folks in both houses of our legislature which will only help nourish future partnerships and innovations.
Folks, working in politics isn’t glamorous and it isn’t exclusive. I am here to serve you and elevate your voices. Your questions are valued, your concerns are heard. It is my duty and my privilege to read every single message you send and I strive to respond thusly. Please try and direct messages to my new, state E-mail address at Rep.MarkGamba@oregonlegislature.gov.
As long as you keep talking, I will keep listening. Together we will create an Oregon that is worthy of our children.
All my best,
 Mark Gamba
State Representative
Oregon House District 41
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1441
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-477, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.MarkGamba@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/gamba
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/nguyen
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