On April 30, 2008, the Washington and Multnomah County Commissioners appointed me to the position of Senator in District 17. The Senate seat was left open when Brad Avakian became our state Labor Commissioner.
I am honored by this appointment, and look forward to continuing and expanding on the work I started in the House: to make our schools and our economy stronger, to make health care more affordable and accessible, to address the threat of climate change, to tackle our transportation challenges, and to make our families and our communities safer.
Watch for news soon about my swearing-in ceremony in the Senate chambers. You are all invited to attend.
For those of you in House District 34, I still need your vote in the primary election on May 20th. Efforts are underway to find the best possible candidate to replace me in the House.
I will need to run a campaign to stay in the Senate in the November 2008 general election. Please watch the website for more information. For more information on my appointment, please see my news page.
Thank you for your continued support.
_________________________________________________________
The 2007 session was one of the most productive in decades. We created a Rainy Day Fund, increased support for in K-12 education, significantly expanded Head Start, began reinvesting in higher education, strengthened identity theft protections, took the first steps toward major health care reform, implemented regulatory streamlining, outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation, and passed several bills that put Oregon back in front on environmental issues. I’m proud of the work I did in Salem, but we’ve only begun.
The 2006 election and the 2007 Legislative Session gave me the opportunity to get to know the people of House District 34. Through visiting neighborhoods, holding town hall meetings, and scheduling numerous constituent coffees, I learned that my constituents care about their community. They want strong schools that prepare students for a global marketplace. They are concerned about explosive growth in our county, and the increased traffic it brings. They care deeply about rising health care costs and keeping their families safe.
As a State Representative, I have the ability to work on those issues and to fight for public policy that improves the lives of my constituents. There is a lot to do, and I look forward to the continued challenge.
Please visit the pages of my website. I hope you will sign up to volunteer, send me a donation, and, most importantly, let me know what’s on your mind.
Sincerely,
