We are fortunate to live in a state as beautiful as Oregon. As a member of the Oregon Legislature, I want to build our role as a leader on environmental and sustainability issues. Our work must include continuing to explore ways to achieve energy independence and encouraging innovation to develop safe, clean, and renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. Clean air and water are essential to a healthy state; we must persist in looking for ways to eliminate dangerous toxins in Oregon’s rivers. And as an environmental leader, Oregon should be in the forefront on finding ways to combat global warming.
The 2007 session was one of the most productive and progressive 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, outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation, and importantly, passed several bills that put Oregon back in front on environmental issues. I’m proud of the work I did in Salem, and proud of my 100% OLCV rating, but we’ve only begun.
During the Interim, I have been chairing a workgroup studying pesticide use in and around schools. This workgroup, which has more than 50 members including environmental groups, citizens, and farm and industry representatives, has several consensus recommendations for 2009 that will reduce the use of pesticides in schools. We are continuing our work and research with the goal of reducing pesticide drift on and near school property.
I have hope for future generations in Oregon because more of our children are aware of the importance of environmental issues. They are learning that conservation is good for economic reasons as well as for environmental reasons. As a proponent civics education, I know that increased awareness about the role of government in society will help our children and grandchildren learn how to care for the planet.
I look forward to the 2009 session and to working on these important issues that will make Oregon a cleaner, healthier state.
Please visit my website at www.suzannefororegon.com.
You can contact me at suzanne@suzannefororegon.com or
at 503-449-5314.
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