Issues
My name is Boomer Wright, and I am your newly elected State Representative for Oregon’s House District 9. I am honored to be able to bring our Coastal common sense to Salem. I am rooted on here on the Coast so I am aware of the problems that our community faces and I will not let Portland politicians dictate how we live our lives.
Protecting Working Families
The State of Oregon penalizes our small businesses and entrepreneurs with new taxes and harmful regulations. As a former manager of a small business, I know the struggle firsthand of trying to comply with mandates created by Portland politicians.
My priority is creating and protecting jobs for local working families. We need our elected leaders to promote good ideas like the Jordan Cove Energy Project, which will bring hundreds of jobs to our community. I will also work to support our oppressed forestry, farming and fishing jobs, which are the backbone of our community.
Preserving Our Rural Way of Life
As your Representative, I will vote NO on policies that don’t fit our district. I would have been a NO vote on Cap and Trade, which would have caused prices for fuel and goods to skyrocket with little to no benefit to our environment. I would have voted NO on the tax on Oregon sales, which already is leading to an increase in cost of living, including the cost of public education.
We need common sense solutions that work for our rural areas of Oregon, not just Portland. Cookie-cutter solutions have been tried and failed and we’re bearing the brunt of the experimentation here on the Oregon Coast.
Education
I had a successful career as a teacher, principal, and superintendent for 31 years in Florence and Mapleton. I know firsthand the struggles our teachers have in a system that is often failing our kids. They need more support and resources to teach kids, especially in rural areas like ours.
Governor Kate Brown and her Department Education staff have a one-size-fits-Portland approach that is out of touch with coastal families. We need solutions that ensure that our tax money goes directly to teachers and into classrooms.
Healthcare
Now more than ever it’s critical that our rural healthcare system receives the resources it needs. Portland continues to be a priority in Salem while our coastal communities are left behind. I will fight to make sure you get your money’s worth from your tax dollars in our local healthcare system.
Ours is one of the poorest districts in the state. The cost of healthcare hurts us here on the coast more than most places in Oregon. Our elected officials should be prioritizing making healthcare affordable for working families again.
Veterans
Our community is home to thousands of veterans. My son served in the U.S. Air Force and is currently in the Air National Guard. We need to do everything in our power to stand up for those who sacrificed so much for our freedom. That includes working to improve access to services for veterans, which in our area can often require driving great distances to reach.
Our state should partner with rural counties to improve access for our veterans. As your state representative, I will support the renewal of the Senior and Disabled Referral Program, which provides property tax deferrals for those who have served.