COVID-19 RESPONSE – Nothing is more important to me than the safety and prosperity of Central Oregonians. I support reasonable measures to slow the growth of COVID-19, while allowing as many Central Oregonians as possible to work and live their lives. I have urged the Governor to reopen Oregon’s economy as soon as possible in areas of the state, like Deschutes County, that has seen relatively minor impacts from the disease. As we reopen the economy, opening churches with proper social distancing and other precautions must be a top priority.
AFFORDABILITY– Even before the economic crisis caused by the state’s response to COVID-19, too many Central Oregonians struggled to make ends meet. Our housing costs have been too high, and now many are out of work or making less than they did before. In my first term in the House, I fought to bring down the price of housing by drafting and helping to win passage of a bill to allow Redmond to build more affordable housing. I’ve also fought against new business taxes and red tape that make living in Central Oregon more expensive. Our state government needs to be realistic about what Oregonians can afford right now more than ever.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS – Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not the only disaster threatening Central Oregon. We also live in yearly danger of catastrophic wildfire. I authored and helped win passage of a bill that will make the state government a better partner with landowners as they attempt to reduce fuel loads on their property, so that fires stay smaller and farther away from our population centers. I am a strong advocate for better federal and state forest management practices to reduce the threat of fire and unhealthy smoke while putting Oregonians back to work in the wood products industry.
SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS – One of the best things I’ve been able to do in the House, as a strong supporter of veterans, is to serve on the Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee. I sponsored a bill to help connect veterans at risk of foreclosure with nonprofits that can help them stay in their homes. Central Oregon’s veterans are a cherished part of our community, and I will continue to fight for them in Salem.
CHILD CARE – Central Oregon lacks adequate child care to meet the demand. This harms families who find it harder to work, harms small businesses who can’t find employees and hurts our economy. I have spearheaded efforts in the legislature to cut red tape and costs so that more quality, safe child care is available to Central Oregonians.