By Janet Byrd
August is here, and the summer is racing by. I hope that you’re all relaxing and spending time with loved ones, taking time to savor the long days and our beautiful state, and taking time to restore and reflect.
At the same time, I assume that your inbox and social media are filled with reminders and appeals for engagement, resources, and attention, just as mine are. 100 days until the election! RE:Conference is around the corner! Register today!
These times call on us to do both. To attend to ourselves and our families, to our immediate communities, and to attend to how we work together for the greater community and the greater good. There is so much at stake, and we cannot take anything for granted.
The Neighborhood Partnerships Board and staff are particularly concerned about the choices we will face as we vote on November 6th. We have taken a stand on two of the statewide ballot measures and one local one, and we will consider positions on others. We urge you and your organizations to look closely at what we as voters are being asked to do as we fill out our ballots, and stand up for what’s right for all of Oregon.
We OPPOSE Measure 105. Measure 105 would throw out Oregon’s “sanctuary” law, which passed more than 30 years ago with broad support from both Republicans and Democrats. The law gives clear guidance to local police on how to handle complex immigration issues. The law has helped reduce racial profiling while keeping local police focused on protecting local communities. If Measure 105 passes, Oregon will be left without any of these important protections or this guidance. In Oregon, we believe in fairness and looking out for our neighbors. If Measure 105 passes, it could open the door to racial profiling and families being torn apart, simply because someone is perceived to be an undocumented immigrant. We believe that that’s not the Oregon way.
We SUPPORT Measure 102, which is a constitutional amendment that will help local communities throughout Oregon address the dire need for housing that is affordable. You can read more about this critical measure elsewhere in the newsletter. We also SUPPORT the Metro bond measure for affordable housing, which will create affordable homes for 12,000 people immediately and provide homes into the future for our region.
We urge you to take care of yourselves, and to take action. Take action to create homes, take action to help our communities and neighbors build a better future, and take action to help Oregon be the place we believe and hope it can be for all of us.