NEWS UPDATE FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GOMBERG: More Pre-Election Potpourri

10/28/24
Dear Neighbors and Friends,

Each year, Susan and I fund a full scholarship at Oregon Coast Community College.

Scholarship donations help students pay for tuition, fees, and even textbooks. Many of our students are struggling financially. Many are parents striving to better the lives of their families. Many are recent high school graduates beginning their higher education journey. More and more of our students are seeking training for skilled trades and professions that are greatly needed in our district and beyond. The college is “training our own” nurses and medical assistants, teachers, preschool instructors, EMTs, welders, and small business owners.

This year the college awarded $96,500 to 68 students.

Numbers and even the results on paper can seem a bit esoteric. But this week Susan and I attended the annual OCCC Scholarship Donor Reception. At this event, donors and students meet, talk, and explore the effect that sending money has on local lives. We sat down with Leslie Albino DeJesus, a Newport High graduate and recipient of the Gomberg Scholarship, who plans to become a nurse here in Lincoln County after graduation. She inspired us. And she also reminded us that Community College improve lives and also strengthen communities.

In my review of Oregon By the Numbers two weeks ago, I provided details on our district’s economy, income, education, and healthcare. But missing from that report was an in-depth peek at where people work.

How does private-sector employment compare to the public sector? Who is our largest employer? Who has more employees? Samaritan Health Services or Lincoln County? Pelican Brewing or Oregon Coast Community College? The Aquarium or Pacific Seafood?

Each year the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County (EDALC) contacts employers across the county to gather their employment numbers for a “Major Employers in Lincoln County” report. Not only does this report go to the Oregon Employment Department for their own reporting and data analysis, but it is a great tool for us to track the economic movement in our county year to year.

Highlights from this year’s report are:

The Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians (CTSI) remains the largest employer in Lincoln County, with 1008 total employees representing 5% of total employment in the county, with an increase of 101 employees from the previous year.
The Lincoln County School District moved ahead of Samaritan Health Services becoming the second largest employer, largely due to a lack of reporting substitute and student workers in previous years.
Georgia Pacific increased their employment by 36 from 2023.

Below is the breakdown of the Top 25 Employers total employment by industry(6,810 employees representing 33.9% of total county employment):

CTSI (14.8%)
Education (21.5%)
Government (12.7%)
Grocery Stores (11.2%)
Hotels & Lodging (9.3%)
Restaurants (6.1%)

The 2024 Lincoln County Major Employers report can be accessed on EDALC’s website in the Business section of the “County Profile.”

As always, I need to acknowledge that our district includes portions of Benton and Lane Counties. But since we encompass all of Lincoln County, Statistics there give us the clearest understanding of our district.

As we inch toward the end of the year, many of us are considering charitable giving and who to support.

According to the IRS, there are over 26,000 nonprofit organizations operating in the State of Oregon. And as good works proliferate, so does charity fraud.

Charity fraud undermines trust and goodwill toward nonprofits. As stories of generous and kindhearted donors having their virtues preyed upon, donating gives way to a lingering skepticism. No one likes to feel money has been stolen from them. Donors make their gifts because they wish to see the world become a better place and are dismayed to learn that on occasion, their act of generosity has been repaid with callous unkindness.

Being prepared to ask tough questions of the charities asking for money is the first step to protect yourself from being taken advantage of when a potential scammer or fake charity asks you to donate.

Is the charity a registered public 501(c)(3) organization? Ask the charity what their Employer Identification Number (EIN) is.
What is the charity’s name? Taxpayers should be particularly wary of charities with names similar to nationally known organizations.
What are the organization’s mission, goals, and history of success? Seek out the charity’s website to validate their work.

There are also online evaluation tools like the Charity Navigator. With more than 225,000 charities rated, their comprehensive ratings focus on the cost-effectiveness and overall health of a charity’s programs, including measures of stability, efficiency, and sustainability. The metrics inform donors of not just where their dollars are going but what their dollars are doing.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has 20 standards for charity accountability that address four themes: governance, results reports, finances, and truthful and transparent representations. I also recommend the Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO).

Finally, a related tool is Oregon Business’ 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For. The list is divided into three categories: large (50+ employees), medium (25-49 employees), and small (up to 24 employees) organizations and each is given an overall score. This survey ranks nonprofits based on employee satisfaction with their workplace. The survey covers five areas: work environment, management and communications, mission and goals, career development and learning, and benefits and compensation.

Predictably, the larger organizations tend to be based in our larger cities. But in scrolling through the list of recognized organizations, I was pleased to see B’nai B’rith Camp, nestled along the shores of Devil’s Lake near Lincoln City.

“BB Camp” has opened its facilities for day camp for local kids, opened its facilities for local events like the Siletz Bay Music Festival, and opened its kitchens to neighbors in need – providing more than 300,00 meals to Echo Mountain fire survivors. They do good work there. So it is interesting that the Camp is also a good place to work.

We’ve got deer and elk in our woods, our fields, and occasionally in our neighborhoods and yards. Catching sight of them any time of year is a thrill. Especially on the Oregon coast, they pop up on the sides of Highway 101 or maybe even on the beach, looking regal and as elegant as a beast can.

It’s not so nice to encounter elk in the middle of the road, however, which is a problem the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and wildlife officials are trying to highlight this time of year.

October and November see a spike in vehicle collisions with deer and elk in Oregon, primarily due to migration and breeding. Reduced daylight hours and rainy weather further decrease drivers’ visibility.

Each year, ODOT crews remove around 6,000 deer carcasses from public roads, with many more perishing on other types of roads. Research from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) using GPS collars on mule deer reveals that these animals stick to their migratory routes despite the obstacles presented by roadways. Deer are often compelled to cross roads to access food and shelter, leading to frequent and sometimes tragic encounters with vehicles.

Drivers should follow these tips to avoid collisions with wildlife:

Watch for animal crossing signs: These signs mark areas with frequent wildlife crossings so stay alert when you see one,” said ODFW.
Slow down and stay in your lane: even on twisty Oregon coast highways. Swerving to avoid animals often leads to more serious crashes. Maintain control of your vehicle.
Be extra cautious along roads with curves that have dense vegetation: Wildlife can be practically invisible in these areas until they are near the road.
Expect more animals when you see one: If you spot one animal, more are likely nearby. Focus on where the animal came from (not where it’s going), as others may be following.

Wildlife crossings are helping to reduce animal collisions in some areas, providing safer passage for animals and protecting drivers. ODFW and ODOT are working to build more crossings to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and maintain habitat connectivity. Key partners like the Oregon Wildlife Foundation and the Oregon Hunters Association are supporting these efforts.

If you want to support wildlife passage, consider the Watch for Wildlife Oregon license plate. Proceeds from this plate fund wildlife passage and habitat connectivity projects statewide.

This time of year sees a rise in road-killed deer and elk being salvaged for meat in Oregon. Drivers who hit or find a deer or elk must obtain a free online permit and submit the head within five days to the ODFW for Chronic Wasting Disease testing. This fatal disease, affecting deer, elk, and moose, has been detected in neighboring states but not yet in Oregon. Symptoms include loss of balance and coordination, making roadkill testing critical.

Further details on ODFW’s Roadkill Salvage Permits can be found here https://myodfw.com/articles/roadkill-salvage-permits.

I often observe that a legislator needs to know a little bit about a lot of things. These past few days have been a good example. I’m met with special education teachers, the Farm Bureau, and Lincoln County Realtors.

I was honored at the realtor gathering with news that I had earned their highest score of any representative or senator on their list of votes supporting housing affordability and production.

I also joined the Lincoln City Chamber Tuesday as they hosted Sheriff Curtis Landers to celebrate his retirement and thank him for his many years of service to public safety in our coastal communities.

Mayor Susan Wahlke and Sheriff Landers.

In the coming week, I’ll be back with the LC Chamber for their annual Awards Dinner. I plan to attend the Philomath Safety & Streetscape Ribbon Cutting. And I’ll be speaking at the SBDC Fall State Advisory Council Meeting.

Friday night I’ll be at the Taft High School Football Field as they play for the league championship for the first time since 2003. Senator Anderson and I have been asked to together bring out the game ball.

Dick – I’ll take the handoff and you go long….

Have a good week everyone!

Warm Regards,