"Politics is the science of who gets what, when and
why. We had particularly gratifying success in the
2009 legislative session. Services and jobs need stable
funding that will happen with our continued advocacy
and YES vote in January to ensure that corporations
and the wealthiest Oregonians pay their fair share. Tax
reform, passed so courageously in the legislature, is
now being referred to voters. The YES campaign needs
your help; please do not be misled by our opponents.
The passage of this long needed tax fairness proposal
will insure stable funding continues for vital social
services, education and to keep our most vulnerable
citizens safe and secure."
Barbara Casey
Dept, of Human Services, Portland
CAPE Committee Chair
Keeping Score:
How They Voted in'09
Pages 12-15
Our union graded legislators on their votes on roughly 30 key
pieces of legislation in 2009. These bills were in the area of
quality public services and fair taxes; affordable and accessible
health care; and workers' rights. Legislators who fought for fair
contracts for front-line workers, who stood up for unorganized
workers, who went the extra mile in committee hearings, or
who were champions for the issues our members care about
were given additional consideration. There were a handful of
legislators who went out of their way to harm the interests of
working families and those actions are also considered. For a
complete rundown of the bills and votes of each legislator on
each bill, go to www.seiuS03.org or call 1 -800-527-9374, ext. 443.
In previous sessions, we also graded on the issue of economic
justice but because of our union's focus on protecting the
services our members provide, we did not emphasize economic
justice issues like payday lending, consumer protection, and
banking practices. We hope to be able to put more time and
effort on these issues that affect working families in the future.