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I urge everyone whop cares about Oregon to vote FOR Measure 76.  This tiny bit of funding (about 1% of the state General fund and Lattory budget) has done so much good - and there is so much more to do to protect our treasured rivers, streams, woods, wild places and parks.  I remember when the voters left funding these values to the Legislature - parks decayed and were in danger of being closed to the public, many of our streams were murky with sediment from run-off, our salmon were endangered of being listed as endangered, and people in Washington County had to go all the way to the coast before they found a state park.  All that has changed - why would we go back to those days?

I want to leave a heritage of clean water, jobs in habitat restoration and special places for future Oregonians - join me and vote "YES" for Measure 76.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
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In the past we learned that to protect the really special places and the amazing variety of animals and plants on land, we needed to use a wide range of approaches. We created parks and wilderness areas, we enacted various kinds of regulations on human activities (such as hunting and fishing regulations and pollution prevention laws), and we zoned land use to reflect how we want to live together. All of these approaches are meant to benefit both people and ctitters. We have made these decisions because we care about what kind of a world we leave our children and future generations.

In the ocean we have yet to fully rise to our stewardship responsibilities. In the ocean off the Oregon coast we only have a tiny protected area near Whale Cove. I have faith that as Oregonians concerned about the future we can find solutions that will maintain traditional uses such as fisheries, that will benefit coastal communities and economies, and that will leave a legacy of a healthy ocean for the future. I also hope that we can rise above the divisive, "either-or", and fear based arguments to really think about the future and the legacy we will leave future generations.

posted 5 years, 3 months ago
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