Yes, we all know the State of Oregon’s revenue is heading south faster than, well – insert your tired hoary old metaphor here. And we’re bracing ourselves for the bad news – how deep will the cuts go? But a few local activists aren’t willing to just sit back and take all of the punches we know are heading our way. Instead, former state senator candidate (and all-around good guy) Steve Novick & Stand For Childrens’ Mike Rosen are urging us to take fifteen minutes to make some noise tomorrow. Mike’s asking you to take a page from Horton’s book — a person’s a person, no matter how small — and let them hear us holler for schools — pull out your pots, pans, whistles, horns, gongs, and any other noise making devices to sound off for the basic services Oregon needs – here’s part of his email message:
On Friday May 15th the final State Revenue Forecast for this year will be released. This is the forecast that the Legislature and the Governor will use as the basis for budgeting for State services for the next 2 years. Unfortunately, we can be absolutely certain that the forecast will show that unless the Legislature and the Governor raise significant additional revenue, there will be terrible cuts to schools – as well as other vital public services like health care and senior services. Legislators and the Governor have been told to expect that school funding will be cut by about one-sixth in addition to the already inadequate level the Governor first proposed a few months ago. That means dozens of school days, thousands of teachers, entire programs would be cut (check out this compelling song that nicely sums it up).
Many of you have attended rally after rally in Salem on behalf of school funding or other public services. It’s a long trip for most of us, and I suspect you may be rallied out. So on May 15, I’m asking you to do something quicker and simpler to send a message that you won’t stand for devastating cuts to schools and that you support efforts to raise some revenue.
You may remember the great Dr. Seuss book “Horton Hears a Who,” in which an entire city of very small creatures, the citizens of Who-ville, save themselves from destruction by all screaming their lungs out at the same time. I ask you to do something similar. I ask you, between 10:30 AM and 10:45 AM on May 15, to take a break from work, go out into the street (hopefully with a few of your co-workers), and just make some noise. Bring a pot, pan, whistle, horn or any noise-making device to work on Friday, May 15th, and at the pre-determined time, in every part of the state, head out of your offices and Make Noise For Needed Basic Services. (Learn more about our efforts here)
And Novick’s turning it into a downtown event:
But in Portland at least – maybe in other places too, if people organize it! – we’re also going to have a more traditional rally-type-thing (although it will also involve noise-making). We will convene at 8th and Salmon in the Park Blocks behind the Schnitzer (map/directions), gathering at 10:30 and doing the actual rallying at 10:45 -11. I hope to see some of you there.
The Governor will be speaking to the Portland City Club at the Governor hotel (map/directions) at noon. Some of us (after leaving the rally) will march around the building with handmade signs showing our support for public services, starting at maybe 11:45. The idea isn’t to protest the Governor, just to show him there is support for revenue to offset the cuts. (I think I’ll make a sign saying “I’ll pay more for schools / health care / safety.”) I hope to see some of you there, too!
And from “Horton’s” own FAQ:
My high school age children want to participate, but if they miss school won’t I be doing them a disservice? Julia R..
Julia R. – Kids missing school to save school days does seem counter-intuitive but consider this. If we don’t make a bold statement Friday these kids will be missing 30 or more school days next year. Also, should that happen, it might be good for our communities to start getting used to roving bands of aimless young adults. -h.
Guess that means I’m giving my teen permission to skip school tomorrow…!
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If the legislature really wanted to show they want to solve the problems our budgets face they’d:
a. Stop taking salary until the crisis is resolved. Most of these people are independently wealthy.
b. Stop paying for health insurance for elected officials (maybe then they’d actually fix the Oregon Health Plan which surprisingly isn’t available to actual Oregonians)
c. Stop wasting so damned much time & effort offering to pay for new stadiums and/or giving massive tax breaks out like candy.
It’s bizarre to me that they make things so complicated, it really isn’t that difficult. If they can talk the talk of wanting to fix things let’s see them walk the walk for once.
Chris -
While I understand your frustration (I am equally frustrated), you’re facts are off on a couple of things.
Most of the people in the legislature are NOT independently wealthy. Most / all of them have full-time jobs outside of the legislature and many are just making ends meet.
Because they have jobs outside of the legislature, most can get health insurance through other jobs. Ending health care for electeds will not aid in fixing the problem. There is a lot more to it than that. The public needs to understand that healthcare does not come for free and it needs to be paid for with taxes (that voters are loathe to increase) and there may be limitations on service (which Americans, in general, seem unwilling to accept). Americans always seem to want more for less. Reality doesn’t work that way. If an elected suggested raising taxes (not just on the 5 wealthy people in the state but for every taxpayer) in order to pay for healthcare, that elected would be replaced during the next election. Ask anyone in Salem and while they may not admit it publicly, behind closed doors, it’s a well-known fact.
Your point C, IMO, is entirely accurate although I’d be willing to accept a massive tax break for a company that offered true, living wage jobs and management positions (creating real taxpayers!) outside of sales positions. Offering tax breaks to companies based elsewhere so that they can locate another retail outlet in Oregon to create more minimum wage positions that don’t result in more taxpayers is just silly. We’re giving away the bank and getting nothing in return.
I’d also like to add, that some of the people in Salem *have* walked the walk; they are now just so deliriously happy that they no longer are, that they have forgotten that the candy jar is to be shared and not dumped entirely into their own pockets. Either that, or they are so busy worrying about making Oregon Bike-State-USA or some other special interest that they have forgotten about basic services.
Don’t get me wrong, I love biking and I want safer ways to do it and more people to participate but why does the bike-mafia have more control over our (Portland-area) legislators than healthcare advocates? Our mayor and 2 of his staff are currently spending money on a trip to Brussels to talk about bikes — the money spent on that trip (and every other out of the country trip he’s made since being in office) could be spent advocating for the basics.
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