Call to Action: July 22, 2017
Tell state Senator Alan DeBoer it’s Time to Represent Us!*
Town Halls in Medford (July 25) and Talent (July 26).
State Sen Alan DeBoer is having a Town Hall!
And We have Questions!
Oregon state Senator Alan DeBoer, the freshman Republican legislator elected last year to complete the term of the late Senator Alan Bates, has scheduled two town hall meetings next week to hear his constituents’ thoughts and concerns about the legislative session that ended earlier this month.
If you live in Oregon State Senate District 3, — which includes Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, Medford, Jacksonville and Ruch — he wants to hear from you. Not sure who your state legislators are? Check here: Who represents me?
Here are some questions we hope Senator DeBoer will answer:
— Senator, will you publicly oppose Referendum 301, and tell your Republican colleagues in the state legislature to stop playing politics with Oregonian Medicaid?
At the close of the 2017 session, the state legislature managed to rescue Medicaid in Oregon by passing the Health Care Provider Tax (HB 2391) with bipartisan support, so that Oregonians would not have to worry about losing their Medicaid. The measure ensures that some 370,000 Oregonians retain coverage through the coming two-year budget cycle, and also lowers health care premiums for some 200,000 Oregonians.
But now, Referendum 301— sponsored by three Republican state legislators — puts our health care back in jeopardy. We have experienced more than enough health care shenanigans at the federal level. Oregonians need peace of mind, not endless political games!
Note: Sen DeBoer voted against the Health Care Provider Tax (HB 2391).
— Senator, will you take meaningful steps in 2018 to address Climate Change, and sign on to co-sponsor SB 1070, the Clean Energy Jobs bill?
The Clean Energy Jobs bill — a cap-and-invest measure to make climate polluters pay for greenhouse gas emissions and to invest in renewable energy jobs in Oregon — was stalled in the 2017 session.
But now a new version of the bill [SB 1070] has been gaining momentum, giving Oregon a real shot at passing meaningful climate legislation in the state’s 2018 “short” legislative session that begins in February. More than a third of the legislature have signed on as co-sponsors, and Governor Kate Brown is making Clean Energy Jobs a priority.
— Senator, will you fight for Oregon students, seniors and working families, and support meaningful Tax Reform that ensures that corporations pay their fair share, so we can make the investments we need to move our state forward?
In the 2017 session, the legislature failed to muster sufficient votes for a potentially game-changing proposed Commercial Activities Tax (CAT), that would have provided a stable funding base for Oregon schools and programs for mental health, seniors, and the disabled, while protecting family and small business incomes.
The measure had the support of the League of Women Voters who argued that the present tax system has resulted in “a yo-yo of budget cutbacks and unpredictability for essential services provided by the state.” Meanwhile, teachers unions are working to get two state initiatives on the November 2018 ballot to address budget woes — one to create a corporate gross receipts tax and a second that would make it easier for the Legislature to raise taxes to fund education.
Sen. Alan DeBoer is up for re-election in November, 2018.
**ACTION 1: Attend a Town Hall**
If you live in Senator Alan DeBoer’s district (District 3), consider attending one of these two town halls:
Medford Town Hall
Tuesday, July 25, 6-7:30 p.m.
RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, Multipurpose Room
101 S. Bartlett Rd., Medford
Talent Town Hall
Wednesday, July 26, 6-7:30 p.m.
Talent Town Hall
206 E. Main St., Talent
You can find out more about Sen DeBoer’s voting record here.
**ACTION 2: Call or Write Senator DeBoer**
According to his legislative blog, Sen DeBoer disdains copy-and-paste emails and prefers to hear “sincere, heartfelt emails from constituents with genuine concerns.” He also has asked that constituents provide a phone number, so he can get in touch if he has questions.
State Senator Alan DeBoer (Republican – District 3 – Ashland)
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1703
Email:
Background Information on Oregon State Legislature:
Oregon’s state legislature consists of a 60-member House of Representatives and a 30-member Senate. You can sign up for newsletters from your state legislators and even alerts on particular bills on their website. Another valuable resource is Oregon Live.
*Thank you to Eleanor Ponomareff for completing the research and submitting this CTA.