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State representative candidates share opinions on important issues

KELLY COPELAND
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

The Memo posed the following are questions to political candidates running for Oregon State House of Representatives in District 45, covering approximately half of the circulation area of the paper. We’ve included a map showing the area in Mid-county District 45 covers.

Each candidate was given a maximum of 250 words to answer each question. Making it fair to all, we gave each candidate the same questions, asking for the same number of words for every answer.

The Memo also asked each candidate to supply a 50-word biography and a photograph.

The first question: If elected to represent your district, what are your three priorities?

The second question: If elected to represent the district, what do you see as the three major issues relating to crime prevention?

Cyreena Boston, Democratic candidate for House District 45
Submitted Photo
Biography: Cyreena Boston grew up in Gresham and the Parkrose neighborhood. Boston has worked on behalf of many nonprofits and has mentored hundreds of children in the Multnomah County SUN Schools. Now Boston works at Multnomah County where she develops policies to address health disparities in our neighborhoods.

Question #1: If elected to represent your district, what are your three priorities?

My legislative priorities include:
Improving the continuum of public education from Early Head Start to college: To prepare our children for life in our global economy, we need to work to build a world-class education system right here in Oregon. The Legislature can begin moving Oregon’s schools in this direction by making sure our teachers are well paid and well trained, school funding is stable and college tuition is affordable. To ensure that we have adequate resources to make these important long-term investments, the Legislature needs to consider raising the $10 corporate minimum income tax.

Working to make health care more affordable: The next legislative session will have to make some big changes and some tough choices when it comes to fixing our broken health care system. I strongly support reforms that will move us toward providing affordable health care for everyone. I am especially interested in putting my experience as a health policy analyst to work in the Oregon Legislature.

Securing funds for job training and apprenticeship programs: Not every Oregonian will go to college right out of high school. We need to make sure that our young people have other options as well. We need to provide access to job training programs to help young people find careers that provide living wages. Investing in workforce training helps people become more self-sufficient and helps Oregon businesses compete.

Question #2: If elected to represent the district, what do you see as the three major issues relating to crime prevention?

One reason I decided to run for office is because I was tired of seeing so many politicians who are disconnected from what is really happening in our communities. Having grown up in the Parkrose area, I know that public safety is a big issue and that our response to crime has been lacking. I also know that to ensure real public safety, the Oregon Legislature will need to start making laws that are based on the real needs of real people.

When working in our communities, I’ve talked with many people about public safety issues. I’ve heard stories about absentee landlords who don’t know or don’t care that their rental homes are being used for illegal activities. I’ve talked with mothers who have been forced to call the police on their own children because it was the only way to get them mental health care. I’ve seen too many young people who have grown up around poverty give up on themselves by becoming petty criminals. The Oregon Legislature needs to do more to address these issues. We should ensure that landlords keep track of how their properties are being used. We should work to keep our communities safe by providing greater access to mental health services. We should invest in early intervention programs before juveniles becoming hardened criminals. And once they complete these programs, we need to make sure that they have access to job training programs so they can land a decent family-wage job with benefits.


Jon Coney, Democratic candidate for House District 45
Submitted Photo
Biography: Jon Coney graduated from Linfield College in 1993. Jon and his wife, Jen, live with their daughter, Madeline, in the Grant Park neighborhood. Jon worked in Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber’s office for eight years, then at Pacific Power. He now works at Metro to maintain sustainable and affordable transportation.

Question #1: If elected to represent your district, what are your three priorities?

Improving Oregon’s revenue system: Currently, Oregon’s revenue system is structured so that when economic times are good, tax collections far exceed projections, thus triggering massive tax cuts. And when the economy slows, revenue collections plummet, leaving public services high and dry. I want to diversify our revenue portfolio so we have long-term stability, close outdated tax breaks and capture some money from tourists who get a free ride in Oregon. With a healthier revenue system, our public schools, community colleges and universities, human services, environmental programs and public safety will all have more adequate and reliable long-term investment.

Energy conservation: I want to see more resources made available to individual homeowners so they can invest in upgrades to their homes to make them more energy efficient. This will have two practical effects — one, reducing consumption of carbon-based energy sources; and two, saving money for families on their home energy costs.

Transportation: Having a balanced transportation system is critical to a healthy economy, clean environment and good quality of life. I also want to make sure that our roads are properly maintained and have better safety upgrades. Many parts of our community do not have paved streets or safe, accessible sidewalks. I want to see prioritized investment into those areas as well.

Question #2: If elected, what do you see as the three major issues relating to crime prevention?

Adequate investment in human services: Much of the jail and prison population has drug and alcohol problems, and they are the root cause of many crimes. I believe we need to invest fully in substance abuse treatment and prevention that will have a direct impact on reducing crime.

Adequate investment in law enforcement: We need police patrolling our neighborhoods. Regular visibility of the police force is a powerful deterrent to criminal behavior.

Economic opportunity and education: By steering your people, particularly those at risk for criminal involvement, into school and job training programs, they stand a much better chance of landing good jobs and being productive members of our society.


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