I am extremely disappointed that the Legislature failed to act on key bills that would have helped get unemployed Oregonians back to work. House Republicans offered a plan to create 50,000 private sector jobs in five years. Of the seven bills offered, only one (HB 4093) was even allowed to receive a vote on the House Floor.

I am confident that, if the bills had been allowed a Floor vote, many of my Democrat colleagues would have supported them and they would have passed.

It is unacceptable that while 190,000 unemployed Oregonians are scrambling to make ends meet, the Legislature failed to adopt common sense measures designed to put people back to work.

Balancing the Budget

Under House Republican leadership the Legislature rebalanced the state budget without raising taxes or raiding reserves.

We managed to reduce spending, reduce the growth of fee increases and debt, and change the way state government budgets in the future.

Some of the budget highlights include:

• Addressing the $200 million “budget hole” with budget reductions, available funds and controlling the level of middle-management staffing that will save millions of dollars — now and in future state budgets.
• Keeping all of our prisons open, and drawing the line on releasing prisoners early.
• Holding K-12 education harmless from budget reductions.
• No drastic reductions in payments to those who care for our most vulnerable seniors or physically, mentally, or developmentally disabled citizens.
• Reserves will not be spent from the Ending Balance, Rainy Day Fund and the Educational Stability Fund.

Education Reforms

Along with other critical issues, reforming education continues to be my focus at the Legislature. I am happy to report that some major strides were taken to increase accountability within our school districts along with the tools districts need to meet those expectations.

The Legislature will require school districts to sign achievement compacts with the state, but they will also receive new controls over their staff and budgets.

As part of HB 4164 members of the Oregon Educators Benefits Board will be able to “opt over” to the Health Insurance Exchange being created. Allowing school districts the ability to shop for the best health insurance rates will lead to significant savings. These savings can be utilized and invested directly into the classrooms.

Perhaps most significantly teacher and administrators will be evaluated based on their performance and student achievement growth data must be part of that evaluation.

I am also happy to report that the Legislature repealed another eight education mandates on our public schools, further reducing the costs of administration with our districts.

Together with Governor Kitzhaber, your legislature is finally embracing critical reforms within our educational system and putting our children first.

To promote job creation, Rep. Wingard will propose giving businesses a tax incentive to Oregonians who’ve exhausted their state and federal unemployment benefits.  He said the measure is necessary because employers are often reluctant to hire individuals with significant gaps in their employment history.

“Through no fault of their own, many Oregonians have lost their jobs and later exhausted their 99 weeks of unemployment benefits.” Rep. Wingard said.  “These Oregonians are uniquely disadvantaged because they’ve been out of our workforce for nearly two years.  Our long-term unemployed deserve our help, and the Legislature should pass this measure to encourage employers to hire these citizens.”

Rep. Wingard will also propose phasing-out DEQ’s emissions testing stations that have been made obsolete by the production of cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles.  Subject to approval by the federal government, the proposal would halt mandatory testing of new vehicles and eliminating testing for other vehicles by 2022.

“Because modern vehicles produce far less pollution, we no longer need this program to achieve our objective of clearner air.” Rep. Wingard said. “Today, DEQ’s emissions testing stations are unnecessary, expensive, and burdensome to our citizens.  As emissions technology continues to improve, phasing out these testing stations will save taxpayer dollars over the next 10 years.”

Under House Rules, Representatives are allowed to introduce two measures for the shortened legislative session. Rep. Wingard will formally introduce his bills when the Legislature reconvenes next month.

The budgetary reserves, Richardson argued in March, were necessary to protect critical services in case Oregon’s economy failed to recover.  Though the reserves had bipartisan support, Richardson was singled-out and criticized for saving too much money when state economists were predicting economic growth and increasing tax revenues.  In addition to demonizing a key Republican, the attack ads were designed to pressure Democratic budget-writers into opposing the reserves.  The unions, and even some Democratic leaders, were relentless in their calls to spend every available dollar immediately.  It is a significant bipartisan accomplishment that Republicans and enough Democrats did not cave to this pressure.

Seven months later, Richardson has been vindicated.  Since the 2011-13 state budget was adopted, state officials have lowered their economic and revenue forecasts amid continuing uncertainty in our state’s economy.  Today tax revenues are falling and economic danger signs are everywhere.  University of Oregon’s Index of Economic Indicators has declined five consecutive months, and economists are beginning to discuss the possibility of a “double-dip” recession.  Oregon’s unemployment rate has inched higher, and our state has experienced little job growth if any.  Families continue to suffer, with one in every five Oregonians on food stamps.

Thanks to Richardson’s foresight, these prudent reserves will allow the Legislature to address the current budget shortfall, without making additional and immediate cuts to education, public safety and human services.  It’s difficult to imagine Oregon’s fiscal situation if the Legislature had caved to these special interests by spending more money than we were actually collecting.  Unfortunately, it appears these reserves may only protect Oregon in the short-term.  Not only are tax revenues continuing to decline, but state personnel costs are continuing to increase and consume a larger share of the state budget.

In September, legislative budget analysts estimated that personnel costs, including those under the new collective bargaining agreement, will exceed what was originally budgeted for the 2011-13 biennium.  These costs include pay raises for state employees and health benefits that are still among the most generous in the nation.  This will result in a $122 million total funds deficit in the current state budget, and because the pay raises and benefits are set in stone, Oregon taxpayers must pay the bill.  

Faced with declining state revenues, increasing personnel costs and escalating demands for social services, the Legislature will likely face more difficult decisions when we return to the Capitol for a short session in February.  There are few options left to consider.  Oregon has already raised taxes on corporations and the wealthy, as some protesters have recently demanded from their elected representatives. If we are to avoid further cuts to schools and other essential programs, the Legislature must be take bold action and find new and innovative ways to reduce costs and deliver services.

In 2012, the Legislature must revisit cost-saving reforms that were proposed, but rejected in the last legislative session. House Republicans have proposed eliminating or reducing the PERS six percent “pick-up” that strains state, local and school district budgets.  We have proposed forcing disclosure of hidden government liabilities, and ending the state’s practice of funding vacant state positions without actually filling them.

Most importantly, the Legislature must refocus on supporting private sector businesses to improve our economy and create jobs.  Next year we will introduce measures to give small businesses new incentives to hire unemployed Oregonians.  We will seek to eliminate unnecessary regulations that only serve to stifle job growth.  We will propose tax reforms that encourage private sector reinvestment in our state’s business and workers, and to give more spending power to families and low-income Oregonians.

Unless Oregon’s economy dramatically recovers in the next few months, our state, our citizens and its elected leaders will continue to face enormous challenges.  However, I am optimistic.  Oregonians are pragmatic and intelligent. If we are willing to put the “Welcome” mat out for investor and inventors, and work hard to clear government obstacles in front of them, they will create more jobs, and Oregon will thrive once again.

State Rep Matt Wingard Helps Sherwood Families Living at Abandoned Waste Disposal Site (Wilsonville) A $2.6 million settlement is in the final stages of approval to cover the costs of cleaning up environmental contamination at the former Frontier Leather Company site and nearby property known as the Ken Foster Farm site in Sherwood. “I’m very pleased to see years of hard work by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) finally pay off for the Sherwood community,” said State Representative Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville). “I know this has been a long and difficult process for many people, most of all for those families who unknowingly built their homes within the abandoned Ken Foster Farm tannery waste disposal site.”

The public is encouraged to attend a community meeting regarding the proposed settlement on Tuesday July 26th at 6:30 pm at the Sherwood senior center, 21907 SW Sherwood Boulevard in Sherwood. The agency is accepting comments from the public until August 1st by writing to Mark Pugh, DEQ Cleanup Project Manager at email pugh.mark@deq.state.or.us or mail to DEQ, 2020 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 400, Portland, OR 97201 After public comment is considered DEQ will file the settlement, also known as a “consent judgment” with the Washington County Circuit Court. Once approved by the court, the money will be put in a special fund to cover the cost of cleaning up the site and restoring wetlands in the area. This new agreement addressed concerns raised this past spring about an earlier proposal. The new one holds more responsible parties accountable and provides additional funding for cleanup efforts. To view the proposed settlement click here.

“DEQ is encouraged that the potentially responsible parties for the contamination at the Frontier Leather and Ken Foster Farm sites have entered in a proposed settlement with the State of Oregon, and invites community members to share their comments and concerns regarding this proposed agreement by August 1st,” said Nina DeConcini, Administrator, DEQ Northwest Region Office. “Our intention was to negotiate an agreement that provided a way to pay for cleanup while also restoring the environment for the benefit of the people who live and work in the area.”

Frontier Leather operated a tannery at the 33-acre site at 5104 SW Oregon Street in Sherwood from 1947 to 1988. During that period a solution containing trivalent chromium oxide was use to tan animal hides resulting in large volumes of wastewater and sludge. Remnants of the chromium treated hides were put in landfills at the site. At one point the company leased a portion of the property to a lead-acid battery manufacturer which resulted in lead contamination in the soil. Hides and other wastes were also disposed of at what is now called the Ken Foster Farm site a half mile away from the tannery.

OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS
March 14, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nick Smith
503-986-1351

HOUSE REPUBLICANS WILL KEEP FIGHTING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS, DESPITE VOTE

SALEM—House Republicans said they’ll keep fighting for public charter schools and education reform despite today’s Floor defeat of HB 2287, which would have established clear and fair standards for those working to open and maintain charter schools in their communities.

“HB 2287 gave representatives a choice between supporting Oregon’s charter schools or protecting the status quo,” said Rep. Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville), Co-Chair of the House Education Committee. “Unfortunately, the special interests convinced enough members the status quo is good enough for our kids. Despite today’s setback, we’ll continue our efforts to give Oregon parents better educational opportunities for their kids.”

HB 2287 would have provided consistent guidelines for school districts to follow as they determine whether to accept or deny a proposed charter school, and it prohibited districts from imposing certain bureaucratic obstacles that are only intended to delay a proposed charter school from moving forward.

Under current law, a district can arbitrarily determine that a proposal is incomplete and stop the process before it ever gets started. They can also approve a proposal but later insist on provisions that are different from the proposal they approved. Districts can even deny a proposal citing specific concerns, and after organizers address those concerns, deny a re-submitted proposal for entirely different reasons. Today’s vote on HB 2287 keeps these obstacles in place.

“There are 108 charter schools in Oregon, and up to 18,000 students attending these schools,” Rep. Wingard said. “These are just numbers to us, but to each of these students, their charter schools mean everything in the world to them. Charter schools are making a difference for these students. That’s why we must continue pursuing these reforms so more kids can receive a better education that meets their unique needs.”

OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS
March 2, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Nick Smith
503-986-1351

HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE HEARS FLORIDA-STYLE EDUCATION REFORMS

SALEM—The House Education Committee today resumes hearings on proposed education reforms modeled on those implemented in Florida. Rep. Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville) says the committee will examine individual components of the Florida reforms to consider how they can help boost student achievement in Oregon.

“Florida students have outperformed the national average on improvement in reading and math, with minority and low-income students showing the greatest progress,” said Rep. Wingard, the committee’s co-chair. “As we look to reform Oregon’s education system, we should examine measures that have worked in other states. If these reforms can work in Florida, they can work for Oregon’s kids.”

The committee on Monday heard HB 2289 that would assign letter grades to schools based on student achievement. The bill would allow Oregonians to track the progress of their schools and allow parents to seek better educational opportunities if their children attend schools that consistently fail.

Today the committee will hear HB 2293 to require annual assessments of reading ability for students in the first, second and third grades. The bill would ban the practice of “social promotion” by requiring schools to retain students in the third grade if they can’t demonstrate basic reading skills. Retained students would receive additional support under the bill.

On Friday the committee will hear HB 2290 to allow parents of children with disabilities to enroll them in public or private schools outside their school districts; HB 2291 to create a tax credit for contributions to organizations that help low-income and disabled students attend private school; and HB 3549 to better enable professionals to teach in classrooms without the normal licensing requirements. The committee will also examine HB 2294 to reward schools whose students excel on advanced placement tests.

“Oregon’s educational system should promote choice, accountability and innovation,” Rep. Wingard said. “It’s time we make significant changes to help our kids achieve a better future. That’s why we’ll continue to look at reforms in Florida and other states that are working, and consider how Oregon students can share in the success.”

OREGON HOUSE REPUBLICANS
February 28, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rep. Matt Wingard
503-986-1426

HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE APPROVES BILL TO SUPPORT
OREGON’S PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS

SALEM—The House Education Committee today approved legislation to improve Oregon’s charter school law. Committee Co-Chair Matt Wingard (R-Wilsonville) says HB 2287 will establish clear and fair standards for those working to open and maintain charter schools in their communities.

“Over the past ten years, many charter schools have faithfully followed state laws and guidelines in opening new schools to educate our kids,” Rep. Wingard said. “However, many have experienced arbitrary and unreasonable roadblocks in the process. This bipartisan bill attempts to fix some of those problems and ensure that the intent of Oregon’s charter school law is honored.”

HB 2287 provides consistent guidelines for school districts to follow as they determine whether to accept or deny a proposed charter school, and it prohibits districts from imposing certain bureaucratic obstacles that are only intended to delay a proposed charter school from moving forward.

Under current law, a district can arbitrarily determine that a proposal is incomplete and stop the process before it ever gets started. They can also approve a proposal but later insist on provisions that are different from the proposal they approved. Districts can even deny a proposal citing specific concerns, and after organizers address those concerns, deny a re-submitted proposal for entirely different reasons. Rep. Wingard says HB 2287 will solve these problems.

“This bill is designed to prevent abuse of the charter school approval process,” Rep. Wingard said. “HB 2287 improves Oregon’s charter school law, and ensures that proposed charter schools are judged on their merits.”

HB 2287 now moves to the House Floor.

Reading for Life-Long Learning

POLICY: End the practice of promoting students who can’t read from the third to fourth grade.

From kindergarten through third grade, students learn to read. First, they master letters and sounds. Then, they learn words and begin to build a vocabulary. As their vocabulary grows, they become more fluent readers. As they gain speed, students begin improving comprehension of increasingly complex material.

In the fourth grade, reading becomes the primary tool for gaining knowledge in every other subject – science, social studies, even math. Students are no longer “learning to read;” students are “reading to learn.”

Graduating students to the next grade based on age, rather than aptitude, is known as social promotion. The hope is that students who are struggling in one grade will catch up with their peers in the next. Research shows that students who enter this gateway year without mastering this basic life skill will fall further and further behind, subject after subject, year after year. The common practice of social promotion is perhaps most damaging in elementary school, which defines the academic career of the overwhelming majority of students.

CLICK HERE for a link to the full report.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2011
Contact: Geoff Sugerman (503) 986-1907
Michael Cox (503) 986-1904

HB 2336 eases regulations of farmers who sell their own products

SALEM – The Oregon House today passed HB 2336, which supports farmers’ markets by modernizing state laws regulating farmers markets and direct sales by farmers to the public.

“Farmers’ markets have become an increasingly popular source for farmers to market their goods and for consumers to purchase fresh and healthy produce,” said Representative Brian Clem (D-Salem) a key supporter of the bill. “From my perspective, we should do all we can to help family farmers continue to sell their safe and healthy produce to the Oregonians that support them.”

Current law does not require farmers who market and sell their own fresh produce to obtain a license from the Oregon Department of Agriculture to sell at farmers’ markets. The department also doesn’t require that a farmers’ market be licensed as a food establishment. However, uncertainty about how to classify farmers’ markets led to a need for clarity.

In response to this needed clarification, the 2010 Interim House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Communities Committee established a work group to develop policy recommendations that, if enacted, would guide the Department on how farmers’ markets should be regulated. The result was HB 2336.

“I voted in favor of this bill in committee and on the House Floor because I support Oregon farmers and want to preserve consumers’ ability to make smart choices. It’s that simple.” said Representative Deborah Boone (D-Cannon Beach), who sits on the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.