BerniePDX is thrilled to endorse two new candidates: Willy Chotzen (HD-46) and Farrah Chaichi (HD-35)! We also endorsed Participatory Budgeting Oregon! Learn more about these campaigns below, and join BerniePDX to textbank from home for our other endorsed candidate, Mike Schmidt for DA, on Tuesday, 4/30 at 5:30pm!
As a public defender and former public school teacher, Willy is intimately familiar with the injustices faced by working-class Oregonians. That’s why he understands that healthcare and housing are human rights. Willy supports bringing down housing costs by removing the ban on local rent control and instituting a vacancy tax. He believes the state must invest heavily in education, including smaller class sizes for students and better wages for teachers.
Willy will work to achieve universal healthcare, and expand addiction and mental health treatment. He also supports expanding public transportation to help Oregon reach our climate goals. Willy’s pro-worker platform has earned him many union endorsements, and BerniePDX is proud to join them in backing Willy for State Representative in HD-46!
Learn more and get involved: chotzenfororegon.com
BerniePDX is excited to endorse Farrah Chaichi for State Representative in HD-35 for a second time! As a proud democratic socialist, Farrah is the people’s candidate. She believes that the state should prioritize housing, healthcare, and education for all, over tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy.
Farrah will continue to use her time in Salem to push for more affordable housing through mandatory inclusionary zoning and lifting the statewide preemption on local rent control. She wants to tax big polluters and use the funds to combat climate change. As a vocal proponent of universal healthcare, Right to Rest, and workers’ and tenants’ rights, Farrah is the candidate we need in the legislature!
Learn more and get involved: chaichifororegon.com
BerniePDX endorses Mike Schmidt for Multnomah County District Attorney because of his emphasis on alternatives to incarceration. During his tenure as the current DA, Mike created the STEP Court program, which offers mental health and addiction treatment as an alternative to jail time for certain offenses. Mike also established the Restorative Justice program to hold wrongdoers accountable without incarceration and give victims a voice in the accountability process. These policies minimize the number of people that enter the prison system while still administering justice and not infringing on voting rights.
As DA, Mike focuses on serious crimes that impact community safety, not minor non-violent law breaking, like protesting. He implemented an immigration-neutral sentencing policy so that minor offenses, like receiving a traffic ticket, won’t automatically lead to deportation. Mike’s office is also partnering with public health experts to address violence in our community, and the Justice Integrity Unit he established has already reversed wrongful convictions.
For these reasons, BerniePDX supports the re-election of Mike Schmidt as Multnomah County DA. Mike’s corporate-backed opponent will take our county in the wrong direction.
Learn more about Mike and get involved at mikeschmidtforda.com
BerniePDX is proud to endorse Participatory Budgeting Oregon! Participatory budgeting is a deliberative democratic process that will give the people of our state a direct say in how to spend a portion of public funds. The initiative is still in the petition stage. Sign the petition to get it on the November ballot: communitybudgetingforall.com/sign-the-petition