[PL-Directors] Influential Legislators

[Jim Scheppke]

Dear Directors:
Last week the committee assignments for the 75th Oregon Legislative Assembly
were announced.  Typically the Legislators who have the most influence about
the State Library Budget, including the Ready to Read Grant program, are the
member of the Ways and Means Committee in the House and Senate.  Here are
the members, for your information. The Legislators with an asterisk are even
more influential, because they sit on the Education Subcommittee that is
likely to hear our budget and make recommendations to the full committee.

Joint Ways & Means
 (Senate members)
Sen. Margaret Carter, Co-Chair (Multnomah Co.)
Sen. Betsy Johnson, Vice Chair (North Coast)
Sen. Alan Bates (Jackson Co.)
Sen. Vicki Walker (Lane Co.)
Sen. Joanne Verger (Central and S. Coast)
Sen. Rod Monroe (Clackamas Co.)*
Sen. Jackie Winters (Marion, Polk Co.)
Sen. David Nelson (NE Oregon)
Sen. Doug Whitsett (Central Oregon)
Sen. Fred Girod (Marion, Linn, Clackamas Cos.)*
(House members)
Rep. Peter Buckley, Co-Chair (Ashland)
Rep. Nancy Nathanson, Vice Chair (Eugene)
Rep.David Edwards (Hillsboro)*
Rep. Larry Galizio (Beaverton, Tigard)*
Rep. Bill Garrard (Klamath Falls)
Rep.George Gilman (Prineville, Lakeview)
Rep.Bob Jenson (Umatilla Co.)
Rep. Betty Komp (Woodburn, Salem)*
Rep. Tina Kotek (Portland)
Rep. Dennis Richardson (Grants Pass, Medford)
Rep. Chip Shields (Portland)
Rep. Greg Smith (NE Oregon)*

In addition, Sen. Richard Devlin (Lake Oswego and Tualatin)*, Reps. Judy
Stiegler (Bend)* and Gene Whisnant (Redmond)* will sit on the Education
subcommittee, though not on the full Ways and Means Committee.

If you have a Legislator on the list above (especially the ones with an
asterisk), I would ask that you communicate with them about the importance
of the Ready to Read Grant program and other State Library programs to your
community. Ask them to support funding for the Ready to Read Grant program
as recommended by Governor Kulongoski at $1 per child per year with $1,000
minimum grants (the same as this biennium). Let them know what your library
plans to do with your Ready to Read grant to help more children in your
community become good readers.

The Legislature does not convene until January 12th, so you still have
plenty of time to communicate with your Legislators before they come to
Salem.  Even if they are not on the Ways and Means Committee, let them know
that the Ready to Read Grant program and other State Library programs are
important. 

I also hope you have marked your calendar for Thursday, March 5th, which
will be OLA Legislative Day in Salem.  We need all of you here to support
the Ready to Read Grant program and other programs in what will undoubtedly
be a very tough budget year in Salem.

I will appreciate your help. --> Jim

Jim Scheppke, State Librarian
Oregon State Library
250 Winter St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4367
(fax) 503-585-8059
jim.b.scheppke at state.or.us