INCO Weekly Newsletter 5/13

Your ballot is due by 8 pm on Tuesday, May 21. Postmarks don't count. Take your ballot to an official drop box; they're located throughout the county. Or mail your ballot by Wednesday, May 15 to make sure it arrives in time.   LISTEN TO CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS Thanks to Coast Community Radio/KMUN for these interviews with candidates for the college, port, and transportation district. They serve all of Clatsop County, and your county taxes help fund them. These interviews will also be podcasted on the station’s website.   Radio Interview with Clatsop College Board Candidates   Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at 9 AM   KMUN 91.9 FM/streaming live at coastradio.org Host Joan Herman interviews the two candidates in the contested race in the May 21election on the Clatsop Community College Board, incumbent Andrea Mazzarella and challenger Sara Meyer. Radio Interviews with Transportation District Candidates   Wednesday, May 15, 2019 at 9 AM   KMUN 91.9 FM / streaming live at coastradio.org Host Joan Herman interviews candidates in a contested race for the Sunset Empire Transportation District Board of Directors: incumbent Tracy McDonald and challenger Larry Taylor.    Radio Interviews with Port of Astoria Commission Candidates   Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 9 AM   KMUN 91.9 FM/streaming live at coastradio.org. Host Joanne Rideout interviews the two candidates in the contested race for the Port of Astoria Commission: incumbent Bill Hunsinger and challenger Scott McClaine.

SUPPORT KEY BILLS IN SALEM Important bills working their way through the legislature, so it's time to contact Betsy and Tiffiny with your opinions.  As of May 10, Senate Republicans have skipped four days in the legislature, preventing a quorum. They demand the Semate  kill the Clean Energy Jobs bill (HB 2020), kill the bill to clean up dirty diesel (HB 2007), and kill the bill to ensure guns are safely stored in homes. They also oppose the Student Success Act. State Senator Betsy Johnson -- 503-986-1716   Sen.BetsyJohnson@oregonlegislature.gov.  State Representative Tiffiny Mitchell -- ‭(503) 986-1432‬  Rep.TiffinyMitchell@oregonlegislature.gov. HEALTH CARE: Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO), the major organization in Oregon advocating for creation of a single-payer universal affordable health care system in Oregon has called for support for legislation to do just that.  Bill #SB770-A4 has been approved by the  House Health care Committee and has moved on to the Joint Ways and Means committee with a recommended Do-Pass.  HCAO is calling for phone calls to members of the committee to hold a hearing SAP with a vote following.  This is the message to leave If your legislator is on either: the Joint Ways and Means Committee or the Human Services Subcommittee Note that our Representative Tiffany Mitchell is a original co-sponsor of this legislation.  She could be asked to now support the A4 amendment.   CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM:  SJR18-5 has had hearings and has been amended to resolve the objections to it.  SJR13 has had no hearings and has not been amended to resolved the objections to it.  HJR13, a constitutional referral to allow limits on contributions,  is in House Rules Committee.    KIDS: The Student Success Act, which will provide much-needed school funding and reform Oregon's corporate tax structure, passed the House on May 2 and has moved on to the Senate. Sen. Betsy Johnson's support is critical. Call her, then call again. You can help rally support for the Student Success Act by sharing these items from social media.    PLASTICS: Call State Rep. Tiffiny Mitchell and urge her to vote YES on S.B. 90 to ban plastic straws! Call State Sen. Betsy Johnson and thank her for her Yes vote on S.B. 90 to ban plastic straws and urge her to vote YES on H.B. 2509, a ban on plastic carry out bags, and YES on H.B. 2883, a ban on polystyrene!   Also, there is a public hearing on H.B. 2883 on May  21  at 1 pm in the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Please plan to testify in support of this ban on polystyrene. If you cannot attend the hearing, email your statement in support of H.B. 2883 tosenr.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov CLIMATE: The Clean Energy Jobs bill (HB 2020) is working its way through the legislature. It's important you call Senator Betsy Johnson to urge a YES vote. She is Co-Chair of the Joint Ways and Means Committee, and this bill will have to pass through that committee.

CLIMATE DAY OF ACTION  Wednesday, May 29 10 a.m. State Capitol  - Salem The Clean Energy Jobs bill (HB 2020) is still being worked on in the Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction. We have to keep our attention and our energy focused on our legislators. Join us at our second Lobby Day in Salem to meet with key legislators and Governor Brown. Contact incoregon@gmail.com for the day's detailed schedule and other information. Register here.  Carpool here.

Walk with INCO in the Astoria Pride Parade "Bridging Communities" Saturday, June 8   PARADE:  10:45 check-in on 12th near Marine Drive; 11 am parade From 12th at the Riverwalk to 21st INCO table at the PRIDE BLOCK PARTY:  noon - 6 pm 21st at the Riverwalk behind City Lumber Join the fun with INCO!

INDIVISIBLE OREGON'S TUESDAY CALL OF THE WEEK Tell your Members of Congress:  Trump has committed impeachable offenses.   Congress must hold him accountable by opening an impeachment inquiry.   Senator Merkley's DC office: 202-224-3753. Senator Wyden's DC office: 202-224-5244.  Congresswoman Bonamici's DC office: 202-225-0855 Join other Oregon Indivisibles and call your MoCs on Tuesday. Contact info is here.

HOW IMPEACHMENT WORKS Impeachment starts in the House with investigation and impeachment hearings; if the House votes to impeach, then the Senate is like the jury and can vote to remove the President from office, or not. Impeachment does not require criminal behavior. The US Constitution allows for impeaching the president and his officials, including the Attorney General. Tell Congresswoman Bonamici what you want: 202-225-0855; email via https://bonamici.house.gov/contact-me. Indivisible national and Indivisible Oregon support Congress opening impeachment hearings. Congressional Democrats continue to investigate even as they work on other kitchen-table issues.

THANK YOU! Thanks to the many activists who are working to ban a variety of plastic products that hurt us and our environment, especially as they decay.  At the unanimous request of Astoria City Council at its May 6 meeting, Mayor Bruce Jones signed a letter to our state legislators on behalf of the Council supporting HB2509, HB2883 and SB90, restricting the use of single use plastic bags, polystyrene take out containers, and plastic straws, respectively. "These are reasonable restrictions which will make a dent in the overall problem of plastic pollution and for which there are reasonable alternatives," Mayor Jones posted on FB. Special thanks to McLaren, Jesse, Laura, Nadia, Bebe, and many others who are working to get north coast towns to ban single-use plastic bags and to support legislation for a statewide ban.

HAPPENINGS Details on our events page. Everyone is welcome to all these events. THIS WEEK Tuesday, May 14 - CANCELED. Seaside-Gearhart Community Group monthly meeting, Wednesday, May 15- Vote the Future (VTF) monthly meeting,  6:30 pm, Seaside Library Board Room UPCOMING Tuesday, May 21 - Ballots due by 8 pm for the Clatsop County Special Districts election. Postmarks don't count. Wednesday, June 5 - Advocacy Team monthly meeting, 6:30 - 8 pm, Seaside Library Board Room.  Saturday, June 1 - Astoria Community Group monthly meeting, 10:30 a.m. - noon,WineKraft, on the Riverwalk at the foot of 10th. It’s OK to bring your own food and drink.  Saturday, June 8 - INCO Celebrates with Astoria Pride -"Bridging Communities."  Parade 11 am, 12th and Riverwalk; INCO Table at the Block Party, noon - 6 pm, 21st and Riverwalk behind City Lumber. Saturday, June 15 -  Warrenton Community Group meeting, 11:30. NEW LOCATION: Because Dooger's is closed, we'll now meet in the back room of the El Compadre restaurant, across the street from the Warrenton post office, at 119 S. Main Avenue in Warrenton.

INSIGHTS “What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?” --  George Eliot, “Middlemarch”

ACTION PRIORITIES   How will your Members of Congress know what you want if you don't tell them? •  Contact ONLY elected officials who represent you so you don't dilute the power of actual constituents. •  It's more effective to contact your MoC about one issue at a time.  •  Be sure to tell your MoC when you agree with their positions and votes.   Contact YOUR elected officials here.  For current action items, visit www.incoregon.org and www.indivisible.org.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Get active with INCO's Advocacy Team, Vote the Future Team, and Community Groups.  INCO has 3 websites: our main one; Vote the Future; and Really Do Care INCO Under 40s.   Join INCO's closed Facebook group. Really Do Care also has a Facebook group.  Sign up for emails from national Indivisible at www.indivisible.org. Questions, suggestions, & photos to INCO at incoregon@gmail.com.  Deb Vanasse and Laurie Caplan, INCO Co-chairs INCO Weekly Newsletter   May 13, 2019