|
Please do not reply to this email. Click here to you wish to contact Representative Yunker.
|
Greetings, friends and neighbors!
We’ve reached the final week of the 82nd Oregon Legislative Assembly.
To celebrate, on Monday legislative staffers will gather for a “cookie caucus” bake off. Thinking about a sugar rush reminds me of what the Democrat majority is serving up to the citizens of Oregon. All empty calories. No nutrition. It’s sickening.
Read on as I explain how every piece of Democrat majority legislation contains a cookie. Just enough to get “bipartisan” printed on the nutrition label. Just enough to keep too many fed-up constituents in a sugar-induced stupor.
It’s time to wake up. We must ask ourselves: What are we doing here?
|
|
 |
|
House Republicans have the recipe to lead Oregon into a healthier future. We have common-sense solutions for the issues that matter most to Oregonians: Affordable housing, clean and safe streets, an end to the drug crisis, a prosperous economy, and the best way to prepare students for bright futures.
But as long as the Democrat majority is in charge of the kitchen, we can’t start cooking.
|
|
 |
 |
|
Here’s the inside baseball on last week’s votes on Measure 110-related measures.
On Tuesday, House Republicans put forward House Bill 4036 to end Measure 110. The bill aligned with the common-sense
|
policy proposals for public safety and compassionate treatment put forth by the League of Oregon Cities, the Oregon District Attorneys Association, the Oregon State Sheriffs Association, and the Oregon Association Chiefs of Police.
I, along with all my House Republican colleagues, voted for House Bill 4036. But knowing the Democrat majority would want some, but not enough, purple-district-or-running-for-U.S.-Congress Democrats to vote for it, Republican Rep. Lucetta Elmer voted “aye” at the last second. The Democrat majority denied her vote. When the vote was redone, Democrat Rep. Paul Evens changed his vote to “nay”, causing the measure to fail.
Then Thursday, the Democrat majority put forward their Measure 110 fake “fix”, House Bill 4002. The bill is a bait and switch. The Democrats say it recriminalizes. But it’s just so-called “restorative justice.” The bill only addresses one of the public safety stakeholders’ six public safety-related policy proposals. It’s more than $200,000,000 of wrap services without criminal charges. And it keeps the failed Oregon Health Authority Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council in charge. In other words, no accountability.
House Bill 4002 passed out of the House Thursday and out of the Senate Friday. The Democrat majority and their far-left out-of-state donors are jubilant. They narrowly averted driving fed-up constituents to action with an end-Measure 110 ballot measure. What could have happened? A 30th anniversary Oregon Republican Revolution?
The Democrat majority is laughing. But what is truly laughable is House Bill 4002’s total lack of policy analysis. There’s not a single other state in the nation doing anything remotely similar. There's no deterrent. It's just a continuation of the abusive failed Measure 110 experiment.
See my vote explanation here. The Democrat majority removed it from OLIS. They say I impugned their integrity. Who, me? I'm sure their motives are pure.
What's the score? Any inning, any day, rain or shine?
This coming week, the Democrat majority will ram through Governor Kotek’s expensive and counterproductive housing and homeless bill, Senate Bill 1537. Sensible people know state control over urban growth boundaries needs reform. That’s the cookie crumb in the bill. But the bill is really about Biden’s America open borders poison. It’s Governor Kotek’s job to find a place for our share of these people. She doesn’t really care that we don’t care for state-funded New York City-style public housing projects in every corner of the state, now does she?
 |
|
By the slimmest of margins, the Democrats don't have a supermajority. So they can't pass tax increases this session. But pay attention this fall if you want to hold on to your wallets. Mother Oregon state-funded housing projects and Betty Fords don't come cheap. Just sayin'.
|
On the subject of Betty Fords, did you know the Oregon Health Authority already consumes more than a third of Oregon's $121 billion state budget? Last Tuesday my Republican colleagues and I sent a letter to the governor and the secretary of state with our concerns about the agency's integrity. I can't believe we're about to hand them more Measure 110 power. What are we doing here?
 |
|
The root cause of most of Oregon's problems is what passes for education in our government schools. We need School Choice, stat. Until then, the child abuse will continue.
Two concerning examples from this session: Senate Bill 1583, which limits parents rights to protect their children from abusive curriculum, and House Bill 4070, which limits parents rights to protect their children from abusive medical care at school. Of course, both bills contain a cookie. Freedom of speech! School nurses! Yeah, right.
|
|
The Oregon Health Authority is working hand-in-glove with the Oregon Department of Education to erode parental rights in our great state. I will continue to raise awareness on this issue. Stay tuned.
Students only have a chance for a bright future when we support families and civil society. Two wonderful civic organizations came by my Capitol office last week, restoring my hope for the future.
|
|
 |
|
On Tuesday I had the privilege to meet two high school student members of the Salem composite of the U.S. Civil Air Patrol. The are poised and ready to lead!
On Thursday, homeschool families from OCEAN, the Oregon Christian Education Association Network, advocated for homeschool freedom at the Capitol. They have my full support!
|
|
 |
The short session will be over at the end of the week. Next week I will summarize where we stand coming out of the session. Expect more cookies. The fact that the end-of-session omnibus budget bill is called the "Christmas tree bill" tells you all you need to know.
All empty calories. No nutrition. It’s sickening. What are we doing here? Nothing will change as long as the Democrat majority is in charge of the kitchen.
Constituents should start thinking now about how to get involved as we head to the fall.
State government works best when citizens stay informed and engaged. Only then will you know if your elected officials are getting Back to Basics and getting Oregon back on track.
You can track and stay involved in the legislative process by using the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS), link [here]. Click on "Bills" on the upper right of the page to find links to submit testimony and learn which legislator is sponsoring the bill you are concerned about so you can contact them directly via email or phone.
Please make sure you are subscribed to this electronic newsletter to receive regular updates about the legislative session by entering your email in the "e-Subscribe" box on my website, link [here].
I am here to serve you and look forward to hearing your concerns and suggestions!
Please be in touch with me via email at Rep.DwayneYunker@oregonlegislature.gov, over the phone at 503.986.1403, or by stopping by my office in the Oregon Capitol Building, 900 Court St. NE, H-371, Salem, OR 97301.
Sincerely,
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1403
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-371, Salem, OR 97301
Email: rep.dwayneyunker@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/yunker
| 
