Human Services Coalition of Oregon

HSCO End of Session Message

The Human Services Coalition of Oregon (HSCO), and our network of more than 120 individuals and health and human services organizations, thank our legislators for their work this session to protect Oregon communities in a very difficult budget year. Thanks to hard work and creativity, we can celebrate some real wins this session.  With this said, thousands of Oregon families are facing significant hardships, and cuts to critical services that support our communities will only get deeper in the coming months.   

HSCO will be very active in the interim, working to build a budget that reflects Oregon’s true priorities and builds a positive future for all Oregonians.

Our legislative recap and priorities moving forward are linked below. We welcome your feedback and partnership.

Download HSCO Legislative Recap 2011. 

Growth of Oregon Tax Expenditures - Presentation & Editorial

Steve Robinson's (Decision Metrics) presentation (The Great State Budget Crunch) has received quite a bit of buzz lately. After seeing the presentation The Statesman Journal wrote the linked editorial. (You may also download the pdf.) 

Here's an excerpt from the article: 

"Legislators owe it to themselves, and to their constituents, to see his presentation. The data are so eye-opening that they could dramatically alter the final weeks of the 2011 legislative session. Robinson's bottom line is that Oregon has been handing out tax breaks — officially called tax expenditures — far faster than it collects taxes."

Co-Chair's Oregonian Editorial - Budget Priorities

Friday's Oregonian included an editorial from the HSCO co-chairs on the current budget's affect on our most vulnerable. Titled "Oregon's budget priorities: It's too soon to uproot the foundations we've laid," it includes specific alternatives that our legislators can do to prevent the drastic cuts to Oregon's safety net programs.

Oregon's budget priorities: It's too soon to uproot the foundations we've laid

Please share, "like" and consider writing a letter to the editor that references the editorial. 

 

 

Ways & Means Regional Meetings - Bend and Newport Update!

HSCO encourages our members to attend these meetings to discuss the human cost of the budget cuts with our legislators, and more importantly, the alternatives that are still on the table to prevent these cuts. Please feel free to use the Budget Decisions one-pager to spread this message.  Download HSCO Budget Decisions.

Central & Eastern Oregon - Friday, April 29th 4:00 - 6:00 PM 

 Bend: Oregon State University Cascades Campus, Cascades Hall, 2600 NW College Way 

Pendleton (video conference): Blue Mountain Community College, Room E114, 2411 NW Carden Avenue 

La Grande (video conference): Eastern Oregon University, Inlow Room 013, 1 University Boulevard 

Coastal Oregon - Friday, May 6th 4:00 - 6:00 PM 

Newport: Oregon State University Hatfield Marine Science Center, Hennings Auditorium, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive 

Coos Bay (video conference): SW Oregon Community College, Eden Hall, 1988 Newmark Ave 

HSCO Budget Decisions Tool - The Human Cost of Cuts

HSCO has created the attached one-pager to facilitate discussion about the human cost of the budget decisions our legislators will make this session. The current budget proposals will have a devastating impact on our most vulnerable Oregonians and undermine the social fabric that supports our middle class.

Bring this this tool to the Ways and Means Community Meeting at PCC Sylvania TONIGHT (12000 Southwest 49th Avenue Portland, OR 97219) or any of the other Road Show meetings (see below). 

TONIGHT, Tuesday, April 19, Portland (PCC Sylvania): 5:00pm

Friday, April 22, Medford (TBA), 5:00pm

Friday, April 29, Bend (TBA), 4:00pm

Friday, May 6, Newport (TBA), 4:00pm

Download HSCO Budget Decisions.

HSCO's Response to the Co-Chair Budget

The Human Services Coalition of Oregon advocates for the health and dignity of all Oregonians. We do this by supporting public policy that addresses the needs of vulnerable Oregonians. 

Yesterday we sent the following letter in response to the presentation of the Co-Chair's Budget to every member of the Oregon Legislature. In this letter, we offered suggestions on steps the legislature can take to ameliorate the significant cuts in services to vulnerable Oregonians that the current budget would require.

Download HSCO-Budget Alternatives

Health System Transformation Team Roster

The roster for the Health System Transformation Team has been posted online: http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/health-system-transformation.shtml. 

The Health System Transformation Team will meet for 10 weeks between February and April 2011. All meetings will be in Salem on Wednesdays, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Meetings will be open to the public, but there will not be public testimony periods. Please see below for information on providing public input. The meeting location is in Salem at Willamette University's Putnam University Center.

http://www.oregon.gov/OHA/health-system-transformation.shtml

Christel Allen 

Human Services Coalition of Oregon 

2011-2013 Governor's Budget

Here is a link to the Governor's just-released budget:

http://oregon.gov/DAS/BAM/docs/Budget_Policy/2011-13_GBB.pdf

This will be a major item of discussion at next week's meeting (Monday, February 7 in the Capitol's Indian Affairs Room--Rm 167A--from noon to 1pm). We encourage you to bring your thoughts and questions. 

Best, 

Christel Allen 

Human Services Coalition of Oregon

Have a Heart Day! RSVP for February 14 in Salem

Please join Oregon Thrives and their partners on Monday, February 14, 2011 for a day in Salem at our State Capitol. Join us as we thank our legislators and talk about ways to build a better future for Oregon. For more details, please see the flyer below or visit the Neighborhood Partnerships website for more information. 

RSVP today to Alison, amcintosh@neighborhoodpartnerships.org, or 503.226.3001 x107. Need a ride to Salem? Let us know!

Christel Allen, Human Services Coalition of Oregon

HSCO Annual Meeting

Click Here to Register Now!

"Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance."

~Bruce Barton~

 Hear from key elected officials and national framing experts

Learn how to move your issues forward in a tough budget year

Connect with statewide leaders and advocates

This year, HSCO's role is more important than ever before.  With a $3.5 billion budget gap, all state-funded programs will be vulnerable to significant cuts. JOIN US to hear from key elected officials and national messaging experts to learn how we can be successful in protecting our most vulnerable citizens as well as building an Oregon that gives each individual a chance to succeed.

Invited Guests include: Senator Diane Rosenbaum, Representative Tina Kotek, Representative Andy Olson, and more!

Also featuring: Patrick Bressette of DEMOS, a national nonprofit policy, research and advocacy center dedicated to generating new ideas and catalyzing social change. Patrick is a framing and messaging expert who will train us in moving our messages forward this session.

The Human Services Coalition of Oregon is a statewide network of advocates, clients, and health and human services providers who work together to promote the dignity of all Oregonians through improved public policy and strengthened support for human services.

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This event is free and open to the public.  Donations, however, are welcomed and appreciated!  We will accept cash and checks (written out to HSCO) at the door.  You are encouraged to bring guests, board members, volunteers and other community members. Simply RSVP with the correct number of guests so we have enough food and beverages.