The arts, baseball, and dermatology
Oregon State Legislature sent this bulletin at 01/31/2024 03:58 PM PST
Hello friends and neighbors,
With the short session kicking off this Monday, I wanted to give you an update before then.
Constituent Coffee!
First, an invite: Please join me for my monthly constituent coffee hour at Symposium Coffee on Saturday, February 3rd from 11 am to noon. I’ll give a brief update on what to expect during the short session and then will open the floor to questions, comments, and ideas. All are welcome!
Economic Benefits of the Arts with Congresswoman Bonamici
Last Friday, I had a wonderful time participating in a roundtable conversation with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Representative Rob Nosse, and other leaders across the region in the arts and culture community. Arts and Culture are a critical component of our regional and state economy–and we have the numbers to prove it. According to a national study last year, the total estimated spending by the nonprofit arts and culture industry was over $800 million.
Arts and Culture Roundtable in Portland with Congresswoman Bonamici
But, I support the arts and culture community for more than just economic reasons. Our state and region are navigating a challenging moment right now. We are getting hammered in the national media and there are a lot of people who are losing confidence in the place they live. There are very real reasons for both of those things. We need to address the root causes of homelessness and the addiction crisis–but we will have to do more than that to truly turn things around. We need to build a sense of shared identity, create connections among neighbors, and make sure this is a fun place to live and raise a family (Mayor Lacey Beaty of Beaverton introduced me to the concept of “third places”, i.e. places to spend time beyond home and work, and it resonates strongly with me). Arts, culture, and sports are very effective ways to do that. For that reason, I support Rep. Nosse’s legislation to strengthen our arts and culture scene across the state.
Oregon Dermatology Society
Last week, I was invited by the Oregon Dermatology Society (ODS) to speak to their members about my legislation to strengthen Oregon’s Corporate Practice of Medicine law and preserve physician independence. They had some excellent ideas and questions. I am looking forward to partnering with them in the months ahead to build a better healthcare system in Oregon.
Presenting to members of the ODS at OHSU
Washington County School Board Summit
Last week I attended a legislative summit with school board members from across Washington County, including the Tigard-Tualatin and Beaverton School Districts. We talked about some of the frequent challenges these districts are facing, including budget constraints, attending to the social/emotional needs of students, the importance of Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education (EI/ECSE), and behavioral problems that staff are confronting in school buildings.
These are big problems, and I am hopeful that the short session will yield some progress in addressing them (especially EI/ECSE, which is exactly the kind of upstream investment that will save us money long term). I am committed to working toward long-term solutions.
Meeting with Washington County Board Members and students
Beaverton Future of Work Summit with Mayor Beaty
I was pleased to join Representative Pham, Congresswoman Bonamici, and business leaders across Beaverton for a summit on “the future of work” in the Beaverton area. We discussed trends in the economy, emerging workforce needs, and different ways we can make Beaverton an attractive place for people to work and live.
My table included leaders in the real estate industry, manufacturing, and city government
Shout out to Mayor Beaty for convening this conversation with public sector and private sector leaders.
WEA Legislative Forum
I celebrated my birthday by sitting on a legislative panel! Please don’t make fun of me. My partner also took me to a nice dinner afterward.
But in all seriousness–I was happy to participate in the Westside Economic Alliance (WEA) forum last week in Tualatin. It was a great opportunity to connect with the business community and civic leaders on the west side. The panel discussed infrastructure needs, our education system, and the importance of upstream economic development.
Joined by other lawmakers from our region to discuss various opportunities and challenges for businesses on the westside
At the forum, I reiterated my support for the relatively small state investment needed for the Hillsboro Hops project. An economic analysis from ECONorthwest shows that keeping the Hops in Hillsboro will pay for itself in about 6.5 years out of a 40-year lease based on income taxes collected by the jobs maintained and created. That means that if the Hops leave Washington County, we will immediately lose the revenue collected from those employed by the Hops.
It is true we have some acute needs in this state, and we are fortunate that we have been able to make unprecedented investments of over $1 billion in behavioral health and housing over the last couple of biennia–and there is definitely more work to do. But we also need to think strategically about economic development investments to grow our tax base long term–and about cultivating “third places” that build community and make Washington County a special place to live.
Other News
Early Literacy Education Project Update
The Governor’s Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council (that I am a member of) just drafted a new set of research-based recommendations for education programs across Oregon to improve literacy education for Oregon students. These recommendations are an exciting step forward in the process. We are looking for feedback on these recommendations by February 20. You can submit feedback here!
SNAP recipients can request replacement funding for food lost during winter storms
One final note: Oregonians enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can request replacement benefits from the Oregon Department of Human Services for food lost during the winter storms. Residents of Multnomah and Washington County (and others) can now request replacement benefits until February 16.
To apply for SNAP replacement benefits, visit your local ODHS office or call 800-699-9075. You may also email this SNAP Replacement Form to Oregon.Benefits@odhsoha.oregon.gov or mail it to ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309.
Thanks again for subscribing to my newsletter! Stay tuned for updates during and after the short legislative session–and I hope you can join me for coffee this weekend!
Thanks for reading,
Ben Bowman
Oregon State Representative
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