OPINION

Scoring the Oregon Legislature: Misses on education, homelessness and public safety

Bud Pierce
Guest Opinion
The Senate Chamber at the Oregon State Capitol

The Oregon Legislature concluded on June 26, but unfortunately, they missed tackling critical issues. They made no progress on education, homelessness, and public safety.

Ignoring students

Oregon’s children suffer from a low-performing, public K-12 educational system. This includes low graduation rates, poor student performance on standardized testing, and a very short school year.

The goal of Oregon’s Legislature should have been to work with local school districts to improve the quality of education and training. Instead, they passed SB 744, which eliminated benchmarks that required students to display acceptable proficiency in math, reading, and writing to graduate from high school.

For subscribers:Here are 14 bills that passed the 2021 Oregon Legislature

No real help for individuals experiencing homelessness

Both HB 3124 and HB 3155 addressed homelessness and were signed by Governor Brown. HB 3124 increases the time that written notice must be posted before removing homeless individuals from established camping sites. HB 3115 requires that local laws regulating sitting, lying, sleeping, or keeping warm and dry outdoors on public property must be “objectively reasonable.”

It is unacceptable to have people, especially those with mental health and addiction problems, living on our streets. The solution is not to impose more restrictive rules that allow individuals without homes to take matters to court. The clear answer is permanent, transitional shelters and treatment of mental health disorders and addictions.

Homeless sweeps announced:Encampments at Market Street, Salem Parkway planned to be cleared

Failed to keep Oregonians safe

The first role of government is to ensure public safety and order without violence being committed against its citizens. Public safety agencies require more resources and training, not less.

We need leaders and programs who can bring our state together and not allow innocent people to be assaulted in the streets or property set on fire.

Anarchists in Oregon targeted public buildings and destroyed many small businesses. None of the Legislature’s six reform bills addressed how to keep our citizens safe from crime.

State Capitol riot:Oregon House expels Rep. Mike Nearman

Dr. Bud Pierce

We need to know that the Oregon we experience tomorrow will be safer than what our state saw yesterday.

West Salem resident Bud Pierce, M.D, Ph.D., is a business owner and senior partner of Oregon Oncology Specialists. He announced his candidacy for governor of Oregon in April. You may reach him at info@budpierce.org