In Final 72 Hour Push Oregon Educators Encourage Young Voters To Return Ballots in Tax Fairness Election

PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the final 72 hours of the campaign to pass two tax fairness measures, educators are joining volunteers across Oregon to bring home a victory.

"In the final 72 hours, educators around Oregon are doing their part to put our state on a new path," said Oregon Education Association President Gail Rasmussen.  "By ensuring corporations and those with means pay their fair share, we can make certain students get the 21st century education they deserve."

Educators are spending the final weekend before the election deadline targeting younger voters who haven't returned their ballots by reaching out to them on Facebook, on their doorsteps and by telephone.

Educators will join volunteers who are pounding the pavement the final three days.  They will go door to door in Salem, Portland, and other Oregon communities.  

Educators are posting to the 200 Vote Yes for Oregon school district fan pages on Facebook. These pages have enabled educators to connect with parents on how passing Measures 66 & 67 will protect their school districts.

Educators are participating in phone banks in Beaverton, Gresham, Eugene, Portland and Salem Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  

Kevin Calkins, a fifth grade teacher in Hood River, is joining rural educators from Hood River, Baker City, Astoria, Philomath, and Corvalis who are phoning voters from their own homes.

Since launching their statewide effort, educators have:

• Knocked on 15,971 doors; talked to 6,505 actual voters on their doorsteps
• Phoned 56,126 voters

Teachers and education support professionals have made public schools a defining issue in the campaign.  

Measures 66 and 67 protect critical education services. Passage of the measures safeguards nearly $285 million for K-12 education by raising the corporate minimum tax from $10 to $150 for the first time since 1931 and increasing the tax rates on household income above $250,000. Currently, more than two-thirds of corporations doing business in Oregon pay just $10 a year in the corporate minimum income tax.

The measures also protect $24.4 million for Oregon's community colleges, preventing tuition and fee increases and $39.9 million for the Oregon University System, keeping higher education and professional training accessible.

For more information, or to secure interviews with educators, contact Cynthia Kain at 202-213-5971 or [email protected].

SOURCE Oregon Education Association