By Rep. Jeff Helfrich, The Mountain Times
In last month’s column, I challenged you to unplug for a moment. To take in the beauty of the season and of our little corner of heaven. The digital age has given us access to immense amounts of information, which has led to incredible advancements, but also a need for instant gratification. Societally we have become so accustomed to getting what we need now, that we are often shortsighted on what we need for a better and stable long-term future. As I prepare for this year’s long legislative session, I do so with that in mind. How are the decisions we make in those 180 days going to affect Oregon’s long-term future?
A key area that we can always invest in for the future is infrastructure. My district has a number of building needs, from road improvement projects to childcare facilities, to upgrading our aging bridges. Thousands of people (not just those who live in this area) rely on this infrastructure daily, and it is aging. Before it gets to a point of failure, we must invest to revitalize it, and secure its use for generations to come. A key point of contention this session is what we will be doing with the limited dollars we have, and I want to make sure that we can get some of these District needs addressed.
During the short session we began making changes to Measure 110. While not a complete repeal, drugs were recriminalized to an extent and local jurisdictions were able to get some flexibility to provide recovery services to meet their local needs. The establishment of diversion programs ensures that people will not be punitively punished for suffering from addiction. While significant advancements were made, there was still a lot left on the table. Namely, in my opinion was the ability for parents to commit their children to treatment for drug addiction. As it stands, the only way a youth will be forced to go to treatment is if they encounter law enforcement. Parents and guardians should have the ability to address addiction with their wards before law enforcement gets involved. In doing so, we can ensure that the devastation of addiction can be addressed early on in a youth’s battle with it.
There will be many conversations to be had in the months to come. We have been experiencing years of economic growth in this state, however with things starting to cool, it will be important to have a “long-term” lens to our decision making. We must invest in infrastructure that will outlive us, and in providing our children a decent shot at finding success in their lives. I believe that if we do nothing else, those two things will ensure a brighter and better future for this state.
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.