President of the Oregon Senate Rob Wagner’s office phone is 503-986-1600 or Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov
Due to redistricting, your legislators for this legislative session (January 2023 onward) may be different than before. Your legislators are easy to find at this link: https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=fd070b56c975456ea2a25f7e3f4289d1
Make sure your emails and letters explain exactly where you live so that they’ll believe you really vote in their district.
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Eastern Oregon is a huge drain on the state budget – more than $690 per northwestern Oregon wage earner annually, according to an economic analysis funded by the Claremont Institute. Do you enjoy paying for that? A poll found that only 3% of Oregonians think that keeping these counties in Oregon is worth the cost.
Why should western Oregon’s taxes go to counties who don’t appreciate it, vote against Oregon taxes and programs, and reject Oregon government?
We in eastern Oregon don’t feel the impact of western Oregon problems. Our voters weigh in on statewide ballot measures and our senators & reps cause gridlock in the Idaho Legislature.
Idaho is a red state. If Oregon and Idaho choose to move the state line to the Cascades, then western Oregon conservatives could move to Idaho and still be within driving distance of friends and family. Many conservatives polled said they would probably move.
Your communities and our communities don’t need to share a state government. Let’s live and let live. You would still be welcome to visit! Don’t be the kind of imperialist who wants to hold onto territory and people just for a sense of control or to keep the status quo.
It would be expensive and wasteful for E Oregon communities to try to sell all our homes and farms so that we could build new homes in Idaho. It’s easier to move an imaginary line.
Please contact your state senator and state rep in Salem, to ask them to ask Senator Wagner to let our bill have a hearing. The bill, SJM 2, simply invites Idaho to begin talks with Oregon about the possibility of moving the Oregon/Idaho border.
Sample Letter
As of November 8, the Greater Idaho movement has won elections in five consecutive election cycles in eastern Oregon. 12 of the 15 counties that could vote on this there have already voted in favor.
The Greater Idaho movement would like to build a coalition of Democrats and Republicans who support self-determination for eastern Oregon. They are seeking cosponsors for SJM 2, a bill that would invite the Idaho Legislature and governor to begin talks with Oregon on the moving the Oregon/Idaho border.
Will you help this memorial get a hearing in committee? Or help the movement get an informational hearing to explore the sources and the solutions to the discontent in eastern Oregon? Every gubernatorial candidate, and Senate President Designate Wagner’s press release, emphasized the importance of listening to each part of the state. This is your chance to fulfill these promises.
The Greater Idaho movement is offering a win-win solution. It is good for western Oregon because:
1) It would eliminate a massive drain on the Oregon state budget – more than $690 per northwestern Oregon wage earner annually, according to an economic analysis funded by the Claremont Institute.
2) It would reduce gridlock in the Legislature: Democrats would have the super-majority necessary to pass taxation bills. Republicans in the Oregon Legislature would no longer have the numbers to deny quorum by walking out or slow the legislature by forcing bills to be read in full.
3) It would allow western Oregon to get what it wants without interference from eastern Republicans. Eastern Oregon would no longer vote on statewide referendums or statewide candidates.
SurveyUSA did a poll of 1068 voters of northwestern Oregon in January and found that only 3% think that having eastern & southern Oregon in their state is worth the cost. The poll showed that 68% of northwestern Oregon voters thought that the Oregon Legislature should hold hearings on the idea, and only 20% were opposed.
I am a voter in your district. My name and address is:
