Dave On the Issues

Overall:

I think we need to decide what level of services our state should provide, and then ensure that we efficiently and effectively fund those services.  Therefore, I advocate the following steps:

• Grow the economy and jobs, creating more family-wage workers who will pay taxes to support critical public services
• Better demonstrate to taxpayers the efficient ways in which we are running government, and pursue additional efficiencies (purchasing, technology, etc.)
• Adequately fund education, health care, and public safety or order to provide these public services to people needing them, to bring more federal matching funds to Oregon, and to avoid the long-term costs of not making these investments.
• Establish a substantial rainy day fund for future economic downturns, including major reform of the “kicker”
• Cut a significant percentage of the $7 billion in tax breaks that Oregon gives away each biennium, at least for the next two years
• Reform the “double majority” so local governments and school districts can fairly pass local option and bond measures
• Change leadership in the Oregon House of Representatives.

Economy & Jobs:

Economic development and job creation are critical for getting our state back on track.  Thus, I have supported several key initiatives including:

• Regulatory streamlining to cut red tape, eliminate duplication, speed up permits, and create more business-friendly regulations while protecting critical health, safety, and environmental standards
• Increasing sustainable timber harvests in the state forests to create 3,000 jobs and more tax revenues for schools and other public services
• ETIC higher education funding creating 500 jobs immediately
• Reducing Capital Gains taxes to create re-investment incentives and new jobs
• Protecting Oregon’s cost-effective workers compensation insurer and system and expanding access for even more businesses

Education:

As a former Oregon City School Board member, I understand that Oregon schools need additional financial support to achieve their highest potential and provide the quality education our students deserve.   I will continue to support efforts to strengthen K-12 funding because our children and Oregon’s future are dependent on adequate investments in public education.

I believe the Legislature should appropriate enough to implement the Oregon Quality Education Model (QEM) goals.  The QEM is a wonderful model for determining what type of Oregon we want for our children and grandchildren and demanding accountability and results from those investments.  It is a useful tool for determining the foundation of the K-12 budget in Oregon and I believe the Legislature has an obligation to comply with the intent of the Constitution with regard to education funding outlined by the QEM.  We must find real solutions to solving education funding in Oregon.

Election Reform:

I authored, with Rep. Pat Farr (R-Eugene) and Sens. Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin) and Frank Morse (R-Albany), legislation to reform the “double majority” election requirement so a majority of voters would again have the power to approve local levy and bond measures (for schools, health care, public safety, etc.) without giving veto power to people who choose not to vote.  Unfortunately, the House leadership blocked this bill from coming to the floor during the 2003 Session (where 40 of 60 House members had pledged to vote for it).

Environment:

Protecting our environment and ensuring that our state is livable for our children and grandchildren are important values for me.  My legislative service in 2003 gave me the opportunity to work on many environmental issues first hand, especially as a member of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Environmental protection and enhancement should be a priority whenever we are considering and making public policy (land use, transportation, economic development, education, etc.).  At the same time, we must also develop family-wage jobs in our community, accommodate growth, and ensure adequate multi-modal transportation systems.  These goals are certainly not mutually exclusive, and I look forward to being part of a pro-environment majority in the Legislature that will forge positive solutions to enhance our environment and economy, and actually allow pro-environment bills to come to the House floor for consideration and action.

Health Insurance Coverage:

I will continue to be a strong and vocal advocate for the Oregon Health Plan, on both moral and fiscal grounds, and believe that benefits should be restored as the economy stabilizes and improves.  In order to expand access to Oregon families I think a good place to start is by reducing Oregon’s tax breaks.  We must expand health care coverage, or we will have sicker Oregonians and more costly health insurance for those who are covered.   Health insurance and care should be provided to all Oregonians, and I will continue to actively support legislative proposals that creatively and proactively expand coverage.   I would start with children and make substantial gains in insuring and providing mental and physical health care services for children.  Once we have demonstrated that such policy makes them better able to learn, accesses major federal matching funds for Oregon, and saves our society the cost of paying for emergency room care, then we should expand the focus beyond children.

Land Use:

I continue to support Oregon’s land-use system, which has successfully protected our farms and forests.  I will oppose attempts to needlessly gut that system, but I will also work to make amendments that are reasonable and will address the economic and environmental concerns of my constituents.

Prescription Drugs:

Prescription drug programs continue to be a priority for me throughout my legislative experience.  I am particularly concerned with health care for our lower income residents and support strategic investments in programs aimed at improving their health status.

Public Safety:

I am very concerned about the current status of public safety in Oregon. As communities and as a state, we simply must step up and allocate adequate resources to meet our fundamental public safety needs.  We need new leadership in the Legislature that will stop down-sizing the budgets for public safety and other critical services and instead prioritize reinvestment in these critical public services.

“Rainy Day” Fund and “Kicker” Reform:

I strongly supported the bipartisan plan put forward in 2003 by Senators Frank Morse (R-Albany) and Ginny Burdick (D-Portland), which would reform the “kicker” by placing it in a “Rainy Day” fund that would grow to 10 percent of the General Fund and be available to protect critical services only during future recessions.  Unfortunately, the House leadership blocked it from coming to the floor (even though it overwhelmingly passed the Senate and 46 out of 60 House members had pledged to vote for it).  We must create such a Rainy Day fund for Oregon.

School Health Services:

I know that Oregon remains behind the national standard with regard to our school nurse-to-student ratio, and I believe enhancing school health services must be a higher priority for our state.  During the 2003 session, I worked actively with Rep. Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham) and others to restore School-Based Health Center funding – one of the few health care budget restorations that was not overturned through Measure 30.  As a former Oregon City School Board member, I know first-hand that school-based health clinics are a cost-effective, health-promoting investment in our kids.

Tax Loopholes:

Since a clear majority of Oregonians are reticent about new taxes and about cutting public services, I think reducing the $7 billion in individual and corporate tax breaks/loopholes that Oregon gives away each biennium is the logical source for additional revenue.  I joined with several colleagues last session in pushing a plan to temporarily roll back 15-20 percent of tax breaks/loopholes – while protecting Oregonians with low and fixed incomes – and I look forward to expanding that effort next session.

Timber Harvesting:

I will support an increase in timber harvest in the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests if and only if such an increase can be demonstrated to create good family-wage jobs in those depressed coastal communities and if such harvests will be done in sustainable ways that continue to replenish and rejuvenate those forests at a pace that equals or exceeds the harvest rate.  We need to achieve two goals in this area: good jobs and sustainable yields.

Transportation:

Our region faces significant transportation challenges, and transportation policy is an area where I bring both passion and experience.

My highest priority transportation project is funding the Sunrise Corridor, because we need that infrastructure to serve the freight mobility and job creation needs for our entire county.  We also need continued funding for I-205 maintenance, widening I-205 between Oregon City and I-5, and repairing our county's roads and bridges in general.  I will continue actively fighting for state resources to fund these key projects.

We also must secure more rail funding, both as a state and as a county.  Last session, I joined with the North Clackamas County Chamber of Commerce in successfully fighting for the Tri-Met bill that will enable operational funding for the new light rail service extending into Clackamas County.  It is critical that our state make significantly greater investments in multiple modes of transportation to give all Oregonians (commuters, youth, college students, seniors, the disabled, etc.) better transit options.  I also successfully fought to maintain funding for the Amtrak service between Portland and Eugene, which enabled the opening of the new Oregon City Amtrak station that is already becoming an economic development anchor for our county.  We must further invest in expanded rail service -- to more effectively move both freight and passengers throughout our region.  I am working hard to make this a major priority for the 2005 Legislative Session.

Water Quality:

Clean water and clean air are also high priorities for me and my district.  During my first legislative session in 2003, I was proud to play active roles in fighting bad public policy –  from creating a so-called definition of science to gutting the Pesticide Use Reporting System.  I look forward to continue opposing legislation that hurts our air and water and hopefully to having more pro-environment colleagues that will enable us to spend more time fighting for good legislation like alternative energy, public transportation, Willamette River clean-up, etc.