Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Yesterday, I had the wonderful honor of welcoming His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the University of Portland for an interfaith summit on spirituality and the environment.
As a student of comparative religion and long-time admirer of the Dalai Lama, it was surreal to walk down the hallway arm in arm with His Holiness and to humbly introduce him to our community. He delivered a powerful message about how much more we can achieve when we work together to achieve our shared goals, regardless of possible divisions. This unity message recharged my desire to ensure legislators work together to achieve the goals that unite us.
Staying focused on job creation
One of our shared goals is doing everything possible to speed Oregon’s economic recovery and help small businesses create jobs.
On Wednesday, I appointed a House Small Business Task Force to ensure we’re doing everything possible to help small businesses create jobs. The bi-partisan task force will be co-chaired by Rep. Brent Barton, a Democrat from Oregon City, and Rep. Tim Freeman, a Republican from Roseburg. The committee is made up of legislators with strong small business backgrounds and a commitment to keeping Oregon a great place to do business.
Over the next few weeks, I expect our conversations around job creation to be front and center. This is the time in the legislative session when we begin to have the budget conversations that will allow us to invest in programs that will help small businesses grow, ensure there are opportunities for new businesses to locate here, support a well-trained workforce, and dedicate public bonds to capital construction and infrastructure projects that will put people to work now while growing our economy for the long term.
I’m optimistic that we will have broad support for these efforts that will keep our economy growing and help put Oregonians back to work.
In the District
I’m gearing up for the St. John’s Parade tomorrow, and I hope you’re getting ready for this exciting annual event in our community as well. This is always one of the most fun events of the spring, and a great way to show off our community. I look forward to seeing you. If you spot me, please take a minute to say hello!
As always, it's a pleasure to represent you.
Best wishes,
Rep. Tina Kotek
House District 44
Speaker of the House
900 Court St. NE, H-269, Salem Oregon 97301