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Northwest Health Foundation Urges “Yes” Vote on 66 and 67

By: CHP | Posted on: December 23rd, 2009 | Share:
Categories: Economic Issues • Education • Policies and Laws • Public Health • Rural Health • Urban Issues

Community Health Priorities - a project of the Northwest Health Foundation - explores environments, activities and policies that influence health and makes recommendations on those policies when it seems important to do so.

Right now it is important to support Oregon’s upcoming ballot measures 66 and 67. The health of so many people in Oregon is threatened by the cuts that would have to be made if these measures are defeated in January 2010.

More Oregonians need food stamps, unemployment benefits, and Medicaid assistance than ever before. At the same time, the current economic crisis has damaged the state’s ability to fund essential services, including public health programs. If ballot measures 66 and 67 are rejected this January, Oregon will have to cut a wide variety of services — many of which will hit seniors, children and unemployed individuals the hardest.

Northwest Health Foundation and Community Health Priorities support public policies that address the wide range of factors that influence the public’s health. These factors include health care services, but also education, housing, poverty, and access to physical activity and affordable nutritious food, to name a few. Public education would also be one of the most affected budget areas if these measures fail. Because public education is also a strong determinant of the health of the population, this is another influencing factor in the Foundation’s support for these ballot measures.

The Community Health Priorities project, and the Northwest Health Foundation, endorse a YES vote on these measures this January. More information on Northwest Health Foundation’s position can be found at the News and Commentary page of the Foundation’s website.