By Rep. Jeff Helfrich, The Mountain Times
A few weeks ago, I was privileged to be sworn in once again as your House Representative for Oregon House District 52, and to have my family with me while taking my oath of office. Over the next few months, the members of the 83rd Legislative Assembly will be called to tackle some of Oregon’s most pressing issues. From housing to public safety, we will be tasked with charting a new path forward. And with a keen eye on what our needs are back home, I will get to do this not only on the house floor, but also in the committees I am a part of.
Rising costs in every sector have made creating a future in this state nearly impossible for so many young Oregonians. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in our housing markets, where decades of prioritizing environmental aspirations over the needs of Oregonians has led to a housing shortage. Last session when I was Leader, we passed a housing package proposed by the Governor that invested in infrastructure to reduce the cost of housing. This was just the start. I am excited to be a member of the House Housing and Homelessness committee, where I can continue to engage in legislation building a brighter future for young families in Oregon.
I served for many years as a police officer in the Portland Police Bureau and know firsthand how critical public safety is. This is why I requested to be on the Joint Ways and Means Sub- Committee on Public Safety. The damage to our communities in the wake of Measure 110 has been devastating, and law enforcement got a front row seat. We must give our brave men and women, who put their lives on the line to uphold law and order, all the resources we can muster to protect our citizens. It’s the very least we can do.
I was also pleased to have been named a member of the Joint Committee on Transportation. This critical committee will be discussing how best to update and upgrade Oregon’s transportation system as well as discovering ways to fund our transportation endeavors in the future. With several aging infrastructure needs in our district, I am glad to be able to elevate our concerns to such an important committee.
If we are to chart a new path forward in all these crucial areas, it will require working together on issues and finding bipartisan solutions, not just having bipartisan discussions. I will continue to work on finding a path that benefits all Oregonians. I look forward to and encourage my colleagues to do the same.
As always, you can reach me at Rep.JeffHelfrich@oregonlegislature.gov or 503-986-1452. My office and I would love to hear from you. If you happen to be in Salem during Session, swing by my office H-371. My office and I will do all we can to sit down and chat.