T.K.: First and foremost, we have to protect
our current investments in mental health
services and substance abuse treatment
during this difficult budget environment.
That includes keeping people on the Oregon
Health Plan so they can access mental
health care. I support increasing the
integration of mental health services in the
Oregon Health Plan, as well as House Bill
2675, which requires mental health
integration in community health
improvement plans. Finally, I support Rep.
Alissa Keny-Guyer’s work on requiring
hospitals to improve their discharge
procedures for individuals experiencing a
behavioral health crisis.
KO TEK, from page 3
affordable housing policy or investments.
When it comes to policy changes, I think the
road block has more to do with the
influence of special interest groups rather
than a lack of leadership. When it comes to
investments, our road block is the
longstanding, structural revenue problem in
our state. Again, if you want the state to
prioritize investments in emergency housing
assistance, homeless shelters, preservation
of affordable housing, foreclosure
counseling, Legal Aid Services to help low-
income Oregonians deal with housing-
related issues, or construction of new
affordable housing - please tell your
legislators that you want them to support
revenue solutions that would allow adequate,
stable investments in these areas.
If we can figure out how to raise
additional revenue, I will be asking for $250
million in additional state support to help
local communities. This includes $100
million for LIFT to help finance the
construction of more affordable housing for
low-income households; $100 million for
preservation for existing affordable units;
and $50 million for emergency housing and
shelter assistance.
1,B.: Talk to us about tenant rights and what
the Oregon legislature needs to do?
T.K.: I’m going to work very hard to help us
build our way ou£ of this crisis, but that
solution will take time and that’s iiot enough
every day. That’s why the Legislature will
also need to discuss stronger protections for
tenants in order to provide some immediate
relief and stability for the 40 percent of
Oregonians who are renters.
I will focus on three key tenant
protections: lifting the statewide ban on rent
control so local governments can pass rent
stabilization ordinances designed to meet
their community’s needs; implementing a
one-year, statewide moratorium on rent
I.B.: There’s clearly an urban-rural divide in
America. Oregon is no different. How do we
collectively bridge the urban-rural divide?
P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F T IN A K O T E K
Oregon House Speaker Tina Kotek
increases; and ending “no cause” evictions
to provide more predictability for renters.
I.B.: Talk to us about mortgage interest
deduction. As I understand it, it allows
homeowners who itemize their taxes to deduct
from their taxable income the interest paid on
mortgages up to $1 million. The deduction is
expected to cost the state an estimated $1
billion in forgone income tax revenue for the
2017-19 budget. In some cases, Oregonians are
receiving a housing subsidy on their second
and third homes. Given that so m any people
are facing a housing crisis.^what’s the
T.K.: We are certainly in a crisis, so I
believe every possible solution needs to be
on the table. I would refer your readers to
House Bill 2006, which reforms the
mortgage interest deduction and allocates
savings to affordable housing.
I.B.: What’s the answer to solving our mental
health crisis in Oregon?
the federal government and draconian policies
under the current administration?
T.K.: We will not allow our immigrant
neighbors to be criminalized, nor will we
allow families to be cruelly torn apart. We
stand strong with Oregon’s immigrants and
refugees and will use every tool at our
disposal to protect them.
In fact, a few specific policies have
already been introduced that will keep
Oregon moving ahead on building an
equitable state. Cover All Kids would extend
the Oregon Health Plan to all children
residing in Oregon, regardless of
immigration status. The Reproductive
Health Equity Act would improve access to
reproductive care in several ways, including
extending coverage to the 48,000
Oregonians who currently rely on
emergency programs for their reproductive
care.
T.K.: Here in Oregon, there’s more that
unites us than divides us - and I will try to
focus on th at
We all want
better schools,
" I w ill locus oa litres key leaaal
affordable
protoclloass llflia g the statewide baa
health care, a
oa real eoalrol so local gow ram eale
strong
economy, and
caa pass seat sfiabllisatlaa ordlaaaees
good paying
d e s lf aed to meet tbelr o o a ia ia a lt/s
jobs. We’ll
needs; liapleateatlag a ©ae-year, state»
debate the best
wide
aioratorlaia oa real increases;
way to achieve
aad
eadlag
"a© eaase" evictions to
those goals, but
we’ve got to
provide more p redicta bility lo r
keep
re n te rs ."
I.B.: Anything
I ’m not asking?
T.K.: I wiU
continue
working to
make Oregon a
state that
ensures equal
justice, equal
opportunity :
and equal
dignity in our
neighborhoods,
i TIRIA KO TEK
our schools
communicating
and figuring o u r taMwa- —*R---R* R - • • ^{£GON HOUSE SPEAKER
and dur places
ways to move
of work. To
the whole state
that end, this
forward
session we will
together. We can’t succeed as a state if our
be working on the next steps to reduce
rural communities are left behind, so I
profiling and improve equal justice under
always keep that in mind.
the law.
FinaUy, I want to thank everyone who
I.B.: Is there legislation in the works to further supports Street Roots - including aU of the
protect undocumented immigrants in both
vendors - for everything you’re doing to
sanctuary cities and communities throughout
fight for Social change.
Oregon that may be more inclined to work with
ACROSS
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