Oregon Progressive Party urges you to vote for Sarah Iannarone for City of Portland Mayor. 

This is her most recent email to supporters:

Over the weekend, the Oregonian reported that during the last three years, Portland Police have made a majority of their arrest of houseless individuals. Further, they demonstrated that housing is the key to preventing their being arrested again. The team and I are shocked at this waste - this morning, I sent an open letter to Mayor Wheeler making concrete demands on how to address this problem. I sent the letter to all of Council and community leaders, because the people of Portland deserve transparency on where these solutions originate.

The letter pushes to reallocate wasted money to housing, to authorize purchasing hotels as emergency shelters for the houseless, and to stop prosecuting victimless crimes that the houseless can't avoid. Read the letter here.

It concludes: "The solutions detailed here are actionable and the need for them urgent. As back in March when I suggested the City push for a community coronavirus response weeks prior to implementation, Portland needs timely leadership that’s rarely forthcoming from your office. You recently mocked my campaign for proposing a Guaranteed Basic Income pilot program for low income Black mothers, only to announce a new partnership days later to provide gift cards to low income people. You slander me as 'antifa,' and deny there are people identifying as fascists in Portland the same week a neo-Nazi plastered my Foster-area neighborhood with recruitment stickers and awful slurs against Jewish people. Portland is not well served by your refusal to see the real problems in our midst, nor in your rejection of progressive solutions. You have appropriated my policies many times. I implore you to listen to me when I give you a blueprint to addressing issues at the intersection of policing, housing, and houselessness."

As Mayor, I'll stop the waste of our resources on failed tactics that harass the unhoused. While Wheeler is busy fighting for the right to buy elections, we're fighting for the rights of the vulnerable, and to invest in the supports they need to thrive.

Onward,

Sarah Iannarone
Candidate for Portland Mayor

Now that you’ve already voted, congratulations! But of course our votes now are not going to fix everything we want to change, so we press on! 

Oregon allies have filed a ballot for 2022 that we think you would like: the Oregon People’s Rebate (www.opr2022.org).  And the Oregon Progressive Party is supporting this initiative.

What will the Oregon People's Rebate do?

In short, the Oregon People's Rebate will do two things:

1. Rebate about $750 to every Oregonian, every year. “Oregonian” is defined as universally as possible (including minors, dependents, people who are unemployed, unhoused, incarcerated, undocumented, etc.). The only requirement is being in Oregon for more than 200 days of the previous year.

2. The revenue for the rebates comes from increasing the minimum corporate tax *after* $25 million to 3%, currently it is less than 1%.

Could you use $750? 

The Oregon People’s Rebate is people-powered, non-partisan, and explicitly running a state-wide campaign.

Currently, the campaign is in the “sponsorship” phase so they only have to collect 1,000 signatures from across the state. There are country-specific signature goals, so this is very doable!

You can help make the Oregon People’s Rebate happen by: 

1. Request a signature sheet by mail (https://opr2022.org/en/sign/#request-signature-sheet) for yourself and those you quarantine with, fill it in, and return it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope as soon as possible.

2. Reach out to your other Oregon friends and invite them to do the same. 

   • Register for an informational and training online meeting on Saturday, 10/24, 10:00-11:00AM. (https://meet.google.com/ocs-igkc-xzj) 

Now that you’ve already voted, let’s get going on 2022 with the Oregon People’s Rebate! 

We look forward to seeing you at the informational and training online meeting and helping get the Oregon People’s Rebate on the ballot for 2022!

The state Council of the Oregon Progressive Party has endorsed Chris Smith in his race to Metro Council Position #5. While the limits on campaign contributions enacted by both the voters of Portland and Multnomah County do not apply to Metro races, he has of his own accord decided not to accept any donations over $500. That is as opposed to his opponent, who is accepted contributions over $1000. He supports the creation of municipal public banks, and municipal public broadband fiber optics networks.  He has worked as an advocate for public transit systems, including the Portland City Car system and has been active in the opposition to the widening of the I-5 freeway in the Rose Quarter area. We recommend that Chris be elevated to Position 5 on the Metro Council.
Learn more about Chris on his website.

The Oregon Progressive Party has endorsed Dan Ryan in his race with Lorette Smith for Portland City Council #2, which became empty with the death of City Commissioner Nick Fish.  Learn more about Dan on his website here. 

OR Progressive Party has nominated these candidates for the November 2020 ballot:

Oregon Progressive Party supports the People, Not Politicians Oregon coalition, promoting voter passage of Initiative Petition #57, which would replace the Oregon system of how the state draws political boundaries every 10 years following the US Census. The current system requires the state legislature to draw those boundaries, thereby putting those elected officials in charge of drawing their own district boundaries. And because only legislators do this work, only Democrats and Republicans are involved, leaving members of other political parties and non-affiliated voters unrepresented in the process. That is not how democracy should work.

Portland resident Ronald Buel today filed a formal complaint with the Multnomah County Director of Elections against the campaign of Lori Stegmann for County Commissioner (District 4).

The complaint details $9,152 in contributions received by the Lori Stegmann campaign, which the complaint identifies as exceeding the limits placed into the Multnomah County Charter by Measure 26-184. For violations of that magnitude, the maximum penalty provided by Measure 26-184 would be approximately $183,000.

In November 2016, Measure 26-184 was adopted citywide with a 89% "yes" vote.  It was placed on the ballot by the Multnomah County Charter Review Committee, at the urging of Honest Elections Multnomah County, Portland Forward, and other organizations.

The complaint charges that Lori Stegmann's campaign has accepted 11 donations from corporations and other business entities.  Measure 26-184 prohibits such contributions.  The complaint also lists 5 contributions from individuals that exceed the limit of $500 per individual and one contribution from a political committee that exceeds the applicable $500 limit.

No court has enjoined Measure 26-184, which has been in effect since September 1, 2017.

Mr. Buel's complaint requests that the Director of Elections apply the penalties against the Lori Stegmann campaign specified in the County Charter of "not less than two nor more than 20 times" any unlawful contribution.

The complaint is available here:
http://bit.ly/he-mult. Click on the "enforcement" folder.

For more information:
 

The Senate is scheduled to vote on the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, following its approval by the House a couple days ago.

We need to call Sen Merkley and Sen Wyden office and urge that they vote NO. The House bill originally included amendments which would have put some brakes on endless war, the American assisted Saudi War on Yemen, required preauthorization of war against Iran, Venezuela and more. All those provisions got stripped out of the Conference bill which is now being voted in the Senate. Additionally, this budget increases the war budget over all prior budgets, calling for spending $738 billion. "Defense" budget should be decreased by 10% per year, not increased.

Please call Sen Merkley and Sen Wyden, called for them to vote NO!

This script has been provided by Win Without War.:

I'm a constituent from Oregon and I'm calling to urge the Senator to vote NO on the fiscal year 2020 NDAA, on the floor tomorrow. The Senate cannot authorize $738 billion in Pentagon funding with almost nothing to constrain the Trump administration’s erratic and reckless foreign policy! This year can no longer be business as usual.

Thank you!
And here are phone numbers for the two Senators
Sen. Ron Wyden (202) 224-5244
Sen. Jeff Merkley (202) 224-3753

Sanders' & Jayapal's Medicare for All, a public option - what's what? Learn the difference & increase the effectivness of your advocacy!

Monday, October 14, 5:00-6:30 zoom (internet) meeting

Are you interested in learning more about Sen. Bernie Sanders' and Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s Medicare for All bills? Are you interested in learning why single payer advocates do not think that a public option is a step towards an equitable, affordable, universal system?

This month's HCAO-Action National Strategy Committee meeting will be a Zoom meeting with slides, instead of our regular conference call. All are welcome. Committee chair Debby Schwartz and Dr. Mike Huntington will provide a presentation and lead the discussion. This is a great way to achieve greater understanding of the Medicare for All bills and the pitfalls in the alternatives. This presentation will be useful in your single payer advocacy.

This Zoom call will take place Monday, October 14th, 5:00-630. We look forward to seeing you then.

You can register here. You can reply to this email to indicate interest without registering.

If you have any questions, contact Debby Schwartz at debbyschwartz@hcao-action. org

JOIN THE OREGON PROGRESSIVE PARTY

FULL MOBILIZATION!
"No U.S. War in Iran or Venezuela: Sanctions Kill People Too!"

March/Rally
*Sunday, July 28, 2019*
1:00 PM
Waterfront Park / Salmon

The Oregon Progressive Party sent this letter to Senators Wyden and Merkley asking they support two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Dear Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley:

The Oregon Progressive Party supports the two amendments passed by the House as part of the National Defense Authorization Act which restrict the Trump administration’s ability to initiate a war with Iran without Congressional approval and withdraws US support of the Saudi led coalition military attacks on Yemen. We call upon each of you to support and push for these amendments in the Senate version of the bill.

The Oregon Progressive Party sent this letter to Senators Wyden and Merkley asking they support two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act.

Dear Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley:

The Oregon Progressive Party supports the two amendments passed by the House as part of the National Defense Authorization Act which restrict the Trump administration’s ability to initiate a war with Iran without Congressional approval and withdraws US support of the Saudi led coalition military attacks on Yemen. We call upon each of you to support and push for these amendments in the Senate version of the bill.

Statement by Common Cause, League of Women Voters, Oregon Public Interest Research Group, and Honest Elections urging elected leaders to prioritize passing SJR18.

SALEM, Ore. – If Oregon Republican senators return to Salem after a week-long walk-out, the question on many minds is what remaining business will get prioritized.

By refusing to show up until the final hours, Republican senators ensured that much business will be left undone. Now it falls on the governor and all legislators - Republicans and Democrats alike - to determine what gets prioritized in the final hours.

Early in the session, the governor and legislative leadership committed to get serious about campaign finance reform this session. Though some legislators worked hard to broker consensus, legislators passed no legislation, month after month.

Statements:

“The Governor and Legislature committed to prioritize campaign finance reform this session. Now in the last days, the question remains, will they?”

-Norm Turrill, League of Women Voters of Oregon

“As the Oregonian exposed in its recent investigative coverage, Oregon’s political process is awash in more corporate cash per capita than any other state.”

-Kate Titus, Common Cause

“These walkouts are one more example of the influence of big money in Oregon politics. According to data from National Institute on Money in Politics, the walkouts were funded two-thirds by corporations. It is time to reform the system that has brought the legislature to the brink.”

-Jason Kafoury, Honest Elections

“Reining in Big Money’s influence on the political process is clearly a top voter priority. The Legislature’s failure to act makes this even more clear. It raises the question, whose interests are legislators serving by not passing legislation.”

-Charlie Fisher, OSPIRG

“If the Republicans return, the Legislature will pass dozens of bills by midnight on Sunday. If those bills do not include referring the contribution limits constitutional amendment to voters, it will be a deliberate decision by the super-majority Democrats to keep huge money in politics.”

Dan Meek, Honest Elections.

"Stop the dirty diesel trucks on Oregon roads" 

Oregon’s air is toxic!
Stop the dirty diesel trucks on Oregon roads. Support strong diesel standards!
Hearing on HB 2007 on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 starting at 1 PM

Your action is needed to stop the dirty diesel trucks and equipment on Oregon’s roads and clean our toxic air.

After decades of allowing dirty diesel trucks to run on Oregon roads, the Oregon legislature is again taking up the issue. Both Washington and California have enacted standards regarding diesel trucks/equipment on their state roads. Because Oregon has failed in its past efforts, trucks no longer allowed in Washington and California have been sold by those states’ trucking firms to work the roads and construction sites of Oregon. According to a report in The Oregonian (Jan 2015), 350,000 such trucks failed to meet CA standards. CA regulations require pre-2010 diesel trucks to be off the road by 2023. Many have found and will find new lives here in Oregon. Our air is dirtier as a result, causing health problems like lung cancer, low-weight births, heart attacks and asthma.

And it is not just diesel trucks. Also showing up in Oregon are old off-road equipment like back-hoes, bulldozers and more.

Oregon standards and regulations need to be updated. HB2007 is the legislation to get this done..... if it is strengthened. HB2007 gives diesel operators a full decade to comply with regulations, a full 6 years longer than California operators have. Demand that Oregon deadlines meet those in California (2023 deadline for all trucks to meet the 2010 federal emissions standards). Further, HB2007 must close the Glider Truck loophole, which allows old diesel engines to be ‘hidden” from detection by failing to have an honest label on the truck and equipment. New truck bodies hid old diesel engines. This loophole must be closed. Oregon DEQ should be directed to develop a sticker identification program like California to make it easier to see that clean diesel standards are in place on construction sites.

Taking Actions:
• Come to Salem to advocate for this bill and for strengthening it’s language? If so, click here.
• Send testimony 24 hours in advance of the March 19, 1 PM hearing via Email: hee.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov
• Come to Salem for the Clean Air/Environmental Lobby day on Thursday, March 21, being organized by Oregon League of Conservation Voters. Details and registration information here.