Oregon has been failing our K-12 students for decades. Despite the huge infusion of cash expected through the Commercial Activity Tax, I’m doubtful about the results. We can’t just throw money at problems – we must creatively find solutions and come together as a community.

We need to offer kids more paths to successful futures. Not every young person wants to go to college. For those who don’t, we need to offer paths to trade careers. For those who are college bound, we must work to reduce the artificially out of control tuition costs, hold Universities accountable, so the next generations of Oregonians are not saddled with crippling debt.

We need a government to run our schools, protect our streets and help care for those who are most vulnerable. But in a time of record revenues, I believe we need a government that is responsible and lives within its means, not just constantly spending more and more.

Farming, forestry and other natural resource communities are a huge part of HD 11 – both geographically and economically. Take a look at the map and you will see.

I grew up in the agriculture community all my life. As I got older I watched family and friends, in all types of natural resource communities, take care of the land and environment. We are the original environmentalists. It’s hard to argue this when you see farms and forests that have been in production, working the same land, for over 100 years.

I believe in sustainable and science based farming and harvest practices because it is our job to make sure our land, animals and people stay healthy. We, in the natural resource communities, are proud to care for the environment. HD 11, already, sequesters a massive amount of carbon and produces oxygen. Every year with science and technology we are able to do better.

The last couple sessions the Legislature has tried to pass terrible Cap and Trade bills that would do nothing for the environment but instead they want to overreach and steal from Oregonians. The bill they put forth in the 2020 session was not only worthless but they created it in a way with zero transparency and no way for citizens to know how they were using money received. All pain, no gain! Could you imagine? This is terrifying!

I believe Oregonians can turn things around on our own. We love the beauty of our state. What if we all choose to go with one less thing each day. What if we plant trees along our freeways and highways. What if we all take responsibility for the life we live and do better instead of looking at easy targets and screaming at them to make a change while making no changes in our life. If any state can do this I know it is Oregon, it’s who we are.

Both rural and urban communities are struggling with the increasing costs of housing with more and more of our friends and neighbors losing their homes. Oregon has some of the most restrictive land use codes in the country and I support the protection of prime farm and forest land. At the same time though, we must take action to make our housing policies line up with our values. We need to take care of our people.

The state should protect the public – but the state should never be in the position of telling parents what they must inject their children with or the timeline it should happen. In 2019 the Oregon House passed such a bill and it came close to making it through the Senate side but didn’t. I am firmly opposed.

I support science and believe in responsible medical practices. However, one size does not fit all. In medicine there needs to be flexibility for religious beliefs as well as exemptions for children who have underlying medical reasons to put off certain injections. I was appalled to see our state representative shaming and criticizing parents for doing their best to protect their children.