Weekly Update: New Jobs for Main Street?

Take Action

Start talking to your coworkers! That's right - there's an election coming, ballots are being mailed this weekend, and too many Oregonians still don't know what it's about. Oregon's union movement has endorsed a YES vote on both Measure 66 and Measure 67. Take this week to make sure everyone you know looks for their ballots in the mail, knows what the measures are all about, and knows to return their ballots by January 26th!

Why We Need the Jobs for Main Street Act

Amidst Senate votes on healthcare last month the House passed an important bill - H.R. 2847, the Jobs for Main Street Act. Now the Senate is considering this important Act, which will invest in transportation, school and community college construction, and low income housing; support police, firefighters and teachers; increase job training; support small businesses who are trying to create jobs; and help the millions of Americans who are still unemployed.

The cost to the budget? Nothing new. The money will come from leftover bank bailout funds that were used to help out Wall Street while Main Street continued to struggle.

Check out the bill, and look for more information and ways to take action to help make sure it passes in the coming weeks!

In Other News...

Election Update - Look for Your Real Ballots!

This Friday ballots will hit the mail and you'll have a chance to vote YES to protect our schools and communities. It's crucial, as we near the election, to keep in mind two important numbers: $250,000 and $10. Here's why:

$250,000 is what your family income is if Measure 66 affects you. Make less than that? Your taxes won't change a cent!

$10 is what 2/3 of Oregon corporations will pay come tax-time, while the average Oregon family pays $3100. It's also the same minimum-tax corporations have paid for 78 years while taxes on the middle class have continued to increase.

It's time for a change. Your ballot will arrive in the mail this weekend or early next week. Don't confuse the "poll" that was mailed to many Oregonians in the past few weeks, which looks like a ballot, with your official ballot. The "poll" was put out by groups campaigning against the measure, and is not an official ballot. When you get your ballot make sure you fill it out and return it by Tuesday, January 26th.

And don't forget - a yes vote is a vote to protect school, public safety and the vital services our communities depend on.

AOI - Rogue of the Week

That's right. Because of the AOI lawsuit to stop S.B. 519 from taking affect (see last week's Update for those details), which, according to the Willamette Week "cynically claim[s] First Amendment rights in order to stifle employees' efforts to unionize," they received the high honor of being named this week's Willamette Week Rogue. Check out the article.