Main Street Alliance of Oregon
Too often, small businesses are “spoken for” by corporate lobbyists who claim to represent us but are really pushing a Big Business agenda. We’re changing that by creating opportunities for Oregon’s small business owners to speak for ourselves – face to face with decision-makers, at public events and through the media.
* We work on the issues that matter most to small businesses and our entire communities, including health care, financial reform, jobs and the economy, energy and efficiency, among other pressing issues.
* And we’re making an impact. We have a history of accomplishments because of the involvement of our members, led by a statewide steering committee of small business leaders.
* We are affiliated with the national Main Street Alliance.
Please spend time on our website to learn more about our coalition; the issues we work on; our independent research; Main Street Alliance members in the media; the latest from our blog; how you can support our work; and most importantly, how you can get involved.
Thanks!
-The Main Street Alliance of Oregon
New Study Reveals that Failure to Pass Immigration Reform will Hurt Oregon’s Economy
New study provides one more reason House Republicans should not delay passage of immigration reform
Last Friday, Oregon Congressman Greg Walden told reporters that the U.S. House could take up an immigration overhaul next year. Congressman Walden’s statement came just days after Speaker John Boehner told reporters that he is unwilling to work with the U.S. Senate to fix our nation’s broken immigration system–something that polls show a majority of Americans want.
The Main Street Alliance of Oregon’s new report, “Whats on the Line: The Costs of Delaying Immigration Reform”, details how delaying immigration reform can cause a loss in jobs and economic activity for Oregon.
According to the 2014 projection for Oregon included in the report, the longer that immigration reform is delayed the more harm it does to Oregon’s economy and the more jobs are lost.
- Every month of delay costs Oregon $32.4 million in economic activity and 386 jobs.
- Delaying immigration reform and its economic impacts for three month costs Oregon $97.3 million in economic activity and 1,157 jobs.
- Delaying immigration reform for six months will cost Oregon $194.5 million in economic activity and 2,314 jobs.”
The report also revealed that every day immigration reform is delayed, the United States would lose $106 million in economic activity and 1,190 jobs, while every month of that delay would cause a $3.2 billion loss in economic activity and 36,200 jobs.
Sign on to Support Universal Health Care in Oregon
While Cover Oregon and the Affordable Care Act will increase the number of Oregonians covered by health insurance, many small business owners and individuals will still lack adequate coverage.
Health Care for All Oregon, a coalition of health reform advocates and organizations and Main Street Alliance of Oregon, a network of statewide independent small business owners, support the creation in Oregon of a universal, comprehensive, publicly funded, high quality and equitable health care system serving all Oregonians.
In a statewide survey of small business owners, Voices of Main Street, we found that a majority support “a universal healthcare system where employers are not solely responsible for health care costs such as a ‘single payer’ or Medicare for All model.”
How Oregon Small Businesses Would Benefit From Universal Publicly Funded Health Care
Click here to support universal healthcare in Oregon
Download a sign-on sheet (PDF) with which to recruit other small businesses to this campaign!
Join These Oregon Business Owners in Support of Universal Health Care
Dr. Mark Gabriel, Advanced Wellness Center, Portland
David Kramer, Andrews, Kramer and Ersoff LLC, Lincoln City
Michael Wade, Application Development Services, Portland
Stephen Farish, Bayview Finish and Construction, Waldport
Laurie Chadwick, Bed and Biscuits LLC, Silverton
Carol Kulog, Betty’s Books, Baker City
Mark Kellenbeck, BrainJoy LLC, Medford
Mike Sumner, Case Automotive Inc, Woodburn
Michael Barthmus, Doppio Coffee and Lounge, Hood River
Susan Boyd, Dora’s Garden LLC, Union
David Eatwell, Economic Development Consulting, Fairview
Keta Tom, The Fingerboard Extension, Corvallis
Jim Robison, Forward Support Inc, Portland
Jason Freilinger, Freilinger Electronics, Silverton
Joan Kleban, Greater Goods, Eugene
Thea Snyder, Haven Décor LLC, Coos Bay
Larry Gunn, Human Ecology Center, Eugene
Hank Keeton, Phd, Keeton Corporation, Scotts Mills
C. Fuji Kreider, Kreider Consulting, La Grande
Jim Gilbert, Northwoods Nursery, Molalla
Deborah L. Field, Paperjam Press, Portland
Chris DeVito, Pinnacle Insurance, Silverton
Wende Jarman, “Red’s” Barbershop, Florence
Mark Wheeler, Roots Realty, Portland
Stephen Michael, Sasquatch Environmental Consulting, Portland
Alicia Markus, Landscaper, Eugene
Tamara B. Maher, Tamara B Maher PC, Portland
William Duarte, Total Health Clinic, Portland
Brian Setzler, TriLibrium, Portland
Trudy Cooper, Trudy Cooper & Associates, Portland
Mike Nagle, Uppercut Barber Shop, The Dalles
Helen Burmingham, Wellspring West, Portland
Karen Alexander-Brown, Wind Song at the Sea Gypsy, Lincoln City
Click here to support universal healthcare in Oregon
Download a sign-on sheet (PDF) with which to recruit other small businesses to this campaign!
How Oregon Small Businesses Would Benefit from Universal Publicly Funded Health Care
Small businesses across Oregon know the private health insurance industry does not work for them. Here are elements business owners want in a health care system and how a statewide, publicly funded, universal health care system would meet these needs:
1. Remove business owners from the health care management business.
Universal care relieves employers of all administrative responsibilities. Employers do not need to manage funds, determine benefits, or pay providers.
2. Keep health care costs predictable.
Universal publicly funded health care allows every individual and business owner to know their share of costs as a taxpayer. These costs do not change regardless of health, family size, or employment status.
3. Keep employees, full- and part-time, healthy and productive.
By removing deductibles and co-pays, universal care encourages employees to seek health care early. Employees stay healthier and more productive, reducing sick time costs.
4. Provide employees with competitive health care benefits. Keep productive employees from seeking better benefits at another company.
Universal care means every employee gets the same comprehensive benefits regardless of employer. Entrepreneurs can start a new business and retain health care access for themselves, their families, and new employees. Employers do not need to split full-time positions into multiple part time positions to reduce health care costs.
5. Level the playing field for businesses large and small. Companies won’t pay less by reducing or eliminating health care benefits.
All individuals and businesses will pay their fair share for providing universal health care. Oregon companies will have a strong competitive advantage over states with employer based health care and will be better able to compete internationally with countries already providing universal care.
6. Assure health care independent of labor-management negotiations.
Benefits are determined by the single payer agency, not by individual labor-management contracts.
7. Remove the costs of providing care for retired and disabled employees.
A universal health care system provides everyone in Oregon with the same benefits, regardless of age, employment status or disability, relieving businesses of the burden of paying for retiree health plans.
Click here to support universal healthcare in Oregon
Download a sign-on sheet (PDF) with which to recruit other small businesses to this campaign!
Main Street Alliance of Oregon Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, October 8, 2013
CONTACT: Stephen Michael, Main Street Alliance of Oregon, 831-428-3176, stephen@mainstreetalliance.org
NEW RESEARCH: TODAY’S SUPREME COURT CASE THREATENS TO SUPER-SIZE THE INFLUENCE OF BIG OUT-OF-STATE DONORS IN OREGON’S ELECTIONS
New data highlights dominant role of out-of-state elite donors as Court takes up McCutcheon case
Portland, OR—As the Supreme Court hears oral arguments today in the McCutcheon v. FEC case, new state-level research released by the Main Street Alliance of Oregon highlights the influence of out-of-state elite donors in Oregon’s elections in 2012. A whopping 90% of donors who approached the contribution limit in Oregon in the 2012 cycle were out-of-state donors. The research indicates that removing aggregate contribution limits, as plaintiffs in the McCutcheon case seek to do, would only super-size the influence of big out-of-state donors, making government less responsive to Oregon voters.
“I know politicians have always picked up the phone when their big donors call. That’s nothing new,” said Mike Sumner, owner of Case Automotive in Woodburn. “But if the Court throws out the aggregate contribution limits, these elite out-of-state donors will be calling all the shots – and that’s bad news for Oregon residents and small businesses.”
The research, conducted by Public Campaign and Main Street Alliance, looks at out-of-state spending in Oregon by elite “McCutcheon donors” (donors who gave within 10% of the aggregate contribution limit) in the 2012 election cycle. Key findings include:
- 45 elite out-of-state donors gave money in Oregon in the 2012 cycle. 90% of the “McCutcheon donors” who gave in Oregon in the 2012 cycle were out-of-state donors.
- Out-of-state McCutcheon donors gave $69,650 to federal candidates and the state party committees in Oregon in the 2012 cycle. 43% of the elite McCutcheon donor money given in Oregon in the 2012 cycle came from out-of-state donors.
- Looking at donors by sector and industry, 10 elite out-of-state McCutcheon donors in the Lawyers & Lobbyists sector gave $27,400 in Oregon in the 2012 cycle. 12 out-of-state McCutcheon donors in securities and investment (the industry code for Wall Street) gave $9,800 in Oregon in the 2012 cycle.
“Small business owners believe in earning loyalty from customers, not buying loyalty from candidates,” said Deborah Field, co-owner of Paperjam Press in Portland. “We believe success in business should be based on who has the deepest commitment to serving customers – not who has the deepest pockets to buy political favors.”
“If the Supreme Court is serious about protecting our government and our economy from the corrupting influence of pay-to-play politics, this is an open and shut case,” said Mark Kellenbeck, owner of BrainJoy in Medford. “The Court should reject this attempt to super-size the influence of elite out-of-state donors in our elections.”
Read the fact sheet here: http://oregon.mainstreetalliance.org/files/2013/10/McCutcheon-donor-fact-sheet.pdf
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The Main Street Alliance of Oregon is a coalition of more than 1,500 small businesses across Oregon. We work strategically to provide small businesses a voice on the most pressing public policy issues of our time. Our advocacy promotes vibrant businesses and healthy communities, and fosters leadership development of socially responsible business leaders. oregon.mainstreetalliance.org
