Document text
Legislators focus on health, schools Local reps establish session priorities By Dani Dodge Southern Oregon legislators took a disparate set of priorities to Salem this week and will spend the next six months or so fighting for them. Although the priorities differ, legislators say they are trying to address the problems that most plague residents here in rural Southern Oregon. Rep. Susan Morgan, who is serving her second term representing District 46, said she believes the spirit of the current legislature, which opened Monday, is ripe for a successful session. "The flavor of this session is definitely different than the last one. There�s a lot of energy to get things done," the Myrtle Creek Republican said. "The question is how long we�ll be able to sustain that." Morgan, who represents portions of Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties, is already working on a bill to ensure that federal payments to schools � meant to replace lost timber revenues � go to rural schools most reliant on timber revenues rather than being equally portioned out to all schools in Oregon. "It�s a complicated issue, but we think we have some compelling arguments," Morgan said. "The big winners if we are successful are Lane, Douglas, Josephine and Jackson counties." Some legislators will spend the session focusing on priorities they heard about repeatedly during their months of campaigning around their districts. Sen. Jason Atkinson said while he was doorbelling in Jackson and Josephine counties, he heard about the plight of seniors. The Jacksonville Republican is concerned about the governor�s proposed state budget that reduces some senior programs and scraps Project Independence, a program that helps low-income seniors stay in their homes by providing help a few hours a week. "One of the biggest problems is people on a fixed income who can no longer afford to stay in their own home," Atkinson said. "It�s better for them to live in their own home and that�s what I�m working on." Rep. Cherryl Walker, a first-term Republican from Murphy, said she also will be focusing on restoring Project Independence as well as restoring Oregon State Police troopers that Gov. John Kitzhaber cut from his budget. She suggests that if the state doesn�t implement the governor�s plan to start up a new voluntary program to screen all first-born children, there should be enough money to pay for important services for seniors and safety. Walker asserts that the state�s current programs already take care of mothers with newborns. She notes there are programs for pregnant teens, others to boost nutrition for pregnant women and infants and the Oregon Health Plan that covers almost all children not covered by private insurance. "Cutting Project Independence is setting us up to increase our costs," Walker said. "These people get maybe three or four hours a week of assistance for things like bathing or washing their hair. Without the program, they may get hurt or they may end up in nursing homes and hospitals at a higher cost and we don�t want that." Rep. Alan Bates, a first-term Democrat from Eagle Point, is basing his priorities on issues he knows from his profession as a physician and service as a school board member. Bates said he wants to champion a more efficient and cost-effective Oregon Health Plan and make sure higher education funding isn�t cut. "Higher ed is too big a priority to let it slip back," Bates said. "As we slide toward higher and higher tuition, it�s like we�re funding a private college system because tuition is getting high enough so it�s only wealthy and upper middle income (people) who can afford to go." Similarly, Rep. Rob Patridge (R-Medford), a former deputy district attorney, will work on issues he dealt with as a prosecutor, such as toughening penalties against people who are repeatedly caught manufacturing or selling methamphetamine. It�s only one of four pieces of judicial legislation he hopes to pass. But Patridge also wants to boost the state�s reading outreach program and begin a program so that kids without books at home can get some free. "The point is to invest in reading materials and get it in the hands of kids," Patridge said. Sen. Lenn Hannon is hoping in this, the last of his seven terms as state senator, he�ll be able to pass a bill that will require insurers in the state to treat mental illness and drug and alcohol treatment like they do cardiac arrest and diabetes. Hannon, who went through alcohol treatment himself, said he knows the value of treatment. "Being this is my final session, I�d like to set this at rest," the Ashland Republican said. "I feel strongly an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.