Vineeta Lower is a Seaside resident and a former Republican candidate for House District 32.
In 2018, Representative Mitchell won by less than 5% and just a few short months later it was apparent that she did not represent the people of House District 32. Rather, she represented the big unions and special interest groups that paid her way to a legislative seat. She voted the way she was told to vote, even going against promises she made to her previous co-workers and friends.
Don’t make that mistake again!
A vote for anyone other than Suzanne Weber is a vote to continue to raise our taxes and implement ridiculous fees taking money from the vulnerable population on a fixed income, single parents and families already struggling to make ends meet.
It would be a vote to continue with legislative representatives aligned with big unions and special interest groups; and that candidate doesn’t have to be told how to vote because she is a card-carrying member of those groups who pull the strings of legislators like Rep. Mitchell.
Suzanne Weber has the interests for only the citizens of House District 32 and the support of those from all parties.
Vote Suzanne Weber for House District 32!
Lisa Lamping is a Warrenton resident and owns ClatsopNews, a digital news site.
In Robert Potter’s letter on October 6, he bemoaned that Suzanne Weber doesn’t constantly scream her party affiliation from the rooftops, while Debbie Boothe-Schmidt announces her partisanship at every opportunity.
Which affiliation would Mr. Potter like to know?
The fact that she was nominated by the Independent Party, a reflection of her belief that party doesn’t matter when it comes to getting work done for the people, as well as an acknowledgment of her 18 years as a non-partisan mayor and city councilor?
Or her nomination by the Republican Party, the party she’s been affiliated with for decades, but no one ever knew because she’s always cared about results, not party affiliation?
Or her nomination by the Libertarian Party because of her dedication to the civil rights of all Oregonians?
The reality is that Mayor Weber doesn’t wear her party affiliation or nomination on her sleeve because she believes partisanship is the problem.
Debbie Boothe-Schmidt is a partisan activist. She has been for years. That’s why partisan extremists in Portland who don’t care about us have dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into her campaign.
Debbie is dedicated to total partisan politics now and she would do nothing but follow her partisan bosses in Salem. We’ve seen enough partisanship in Salem.
Let’s send a message to political party bosses that the North Coast is sick of partisan politicians like Debbie Boothe-Schmidt.
Let’s send a non-partisan, pragmatic, experienced leader to Salem.
Let’s vote for Suzanne Weber for State Representative.
Debbie Boothe-Schmidt is a Warrenton resident and the Democratic candidate for House District 32.
The North Coast has been my home for almost 30 years. I’ve raised my kids here, run a small business in Astoria with my husband, and appreciate that we are a tight knit community who looks out for one another.
This year I retired after devoting 23 years in the criminal justice system, working to make my community a safer place for all people who are lucky to call the North Coast their home.
As a Trial Assistant in the Clatsop County District Attorney’s office, I worked with police agencies and district attorneys to uphold one of our most sacred rights as American citizens, the right to a fair trial. I devoted my career to working with our local law enforcement and others dedicated to public safety, even representing Clatsop County workers and mental health providers as president of my union, AFSCME 2746.
That’s why it is deeply offensive when my opponent, Suzanne Weber, spreads outright lies by inferring I want to defund our rural police. Police officers are our brothers, sisters, family, friends and next door neighbors. They are interwoven in our communities and we all respect and know the importance of their work.
My granddaughter is bi-racial and it breaks my heart when she talks about how systematic racism has produced unfair outcomes solely on the basis of her race. I have also heard stories from people of color in our own community enduring horrendous racial slurs and children of color being taunted in our schools. I believe that Black lives matter, and I am still confused and disheartened to hear people object to the idea of valuing Black lives as much as they value all other people’s lives. But I have also been abundantly clear that I oppose the violence we have seen on the streets of Portland. Suzanne Weber will have you believe that I want to defund the police, but if you look closely you’ll realize she’s using scare tactics and easily fact-checked lies to deceive voters. Just ask the District Attorney of Clatsop County and my former boss who endorsed my campaign, Ron Brown. In times of crisis and distress, we need our leaders to step up and move past partisan politics. I have been dismayed at how leaders have responded to the unrest to gain political points. Over in Portland, I have watched how Portland’s Mayor Ted Wheeler’s inaction resulted in chaos and violence in the streets. On the national side, President Trump has only added fuel to the flames with his partisan rhetoric and fear-mongering campaign ads. I’m disappointed that my opponent, Suzanne Weber, has also stooped to this level. At a time of heightened unrest around the country, Suzanne Weber and her campaign are taking a crisis and using it for their own political gain. We need leaders who will bring us together, not tear us apart. We need transparency, not obfuscation.
These attacks are easily debunked as either misleading or outright false. Her citation for this misinformation is an endorsement I received from Indivisible North Coast. However, Indivisible North Coast has never made a statement about defunding our local police.
Suzanne Weber is exploiting unassuming voters who likely do not have the time to research every political claim. That’s just not the way elected officials should behave. These attacks are not only false but they are distracting from the actual choice voters have this fall. I am running for state representative to be a voice for all of our rural constituents and make sure the Coast is never left behind. I will fight for investments in our public schools and local community colleges. I’ll fight to make healthcare, including mental health, more accessible and affordable so no one has to drive to Portland to get the care they need. And I’ll fight for our local small businesses because I know firsthand what support they need to recover from the pandemic. That’s why I have a broad and diverse coalition of endorsers behind me, including over 40 community leaders like small business owners, healthcare providers, local elected officials, and educators, as well as trusted organizations like the Oregon Nurse Association, Oregon Education Association, Stand for Children, Basic Rights Oregon, and dozens more. As state representative, I will bridge the partisan gap that is dividing our community, because I know when we look past our differences we will find many shared values with our neighbors.
Too often, important conversations are halted because of the polarization of this country. I pledge to never walk away from hard conversations. I promise to have an open door to every constituent, no matter what, because I know the best policies are ones that are crafted with every stakeholder in mind. Most importantly, I promise to never lie to you because I believe in honesty and integrity. That is what our democracy and nation relies on.
Tamra Taylor is an Astoria resident
This week I opened my mail box to find an outrageous letter from the desk of the Tillamook County Sheriff. The letter is an endorsement of Suzanne Weber and infers that Debbie Boothe-Schmidt will defund the police.
It doesn’t say who paid for these letters to go out but it is curious that the Sheriff is using his official title and Suzanne Weber’s PO box as the return address. During the Seaside debate Weber admitted her campaign paid for the mailing of the letter. Does Weber support elected officials misusing their positions of power?
Not only was the funding behind this letter not clear but the letter contains outright lies. Debbie Boothe-Schmidt worked in our criminal justice system at the Clatsop County District Attorney’s office for 23 years. She has never said she wants to defund the police and inferring it is absolutely ridiculous. Their claim that Debbie is supported by a group that wants to defund the police is also misleading. Debbie is endorsed by the local group Indivisible North Coast who has not made a statement about defunding the police. The group who has made a statement about defunding the police is Indivisible National who has their own endorsement process and have not endorsed Debbie. I am tired of politicians like Suzanne Weber spreading misinformation for political points.
I am not a Tillamook County resident but I would be outraged if my Sheriff was using his position to lie to citizens. Weber continues to try and mislead us. Please join me in voting for Debbie Boothe-Schmidt next week when we get our ballots.
Mary Nauha is an Astoria resident.
Days after the Astorian endorsed Suzanne Weber as someone with “an independent streak who can partner with Sen. Betsy Johnson”, a mailer came from the mysterious Facts and Fairness PAC spreading unfactual information about her. Who runs this PAC?
Some digging into the state campaign finance system reveals that it’s the same Portland politicians who sent us Tiffiny Mitchell and the same Portland campaign consultants who are pulling Debbie Boothe-Schmidt’s strings. These political elites have shown they don’t care about us at the coast or the industries that support our families and way of life. A way of life that’s vastly different from theirs!
Why are her supporters so vocal that Suzanne’s campaign literature isn’t labeled, yet stay silent on the fact that Debbie’s political handlers have gone so far as to even create a shadow-money political action committee trying to hide where her support is coming from? Because Suzanne is a proven nonpartisan leader with a lifetime of experience here at the coast and Debbie Boothe-Schmidt is a terribly inarticulate, ill-prepared and inexperienced candidate. They realize they’re on the verge of losing, that it’s out of their control and they’re scared. That’s why.
Politicians from Portland bought this seat two years ago and installed an equally inexperienced “yes-woman” named Tiffany Mitchell. Suzanne Weber isn’t going to let that happen this time. She’s going to make sure that the people of rural Northwest Oregon choose their representative in Salem. Vote to give our communities a voice. Vote for Suzanne Weber.
Bob and Bonnie Shumaker are Banks-area residents.
Suzanne Weber is the right person for District 32
I am a registered Democrat. My husband is a registered Republican. We don’t vote along party lines. We vote for the person who we feel is the right candidate. We both plan to vote for Suzanne Weber. We do not need another neophyte representing District 32. Oregon’s legislature also needs more balance. The democrat’s current super majority is not working. Suzanne Weber has the background and governmental experience to help bring common sense back into Oregon’s legislature. Please join us in voting for Suzanne Weber to represent District 32.
Marlene Acker is a Nehalem resident
Remembering the details of the recent fire event behind Bay City, namely the Pike Road Fire, in Tillamook County, we can be extremely thankful for the local resources who quickly went into action. I counted 15 logging, excavation, and forest product companies who quickly surrounded the perimeter and kept it from spreading.
They were LOCAL companies who harvest and help manage our private and state forests. Without the expertise of these people, we most likely would have had a different outcome than 300 sq. miles that burned. The equipment used in this operation were gas and diesel powered. This is the very fuel that is being threatened by the powers in Salem who are raising the costs of doing business for them, along with many other regulations for living that are strangling the very businesses who saved us. When you see a logging truck, a chip trailer, an excavation wide load trailer, please wave, smile and support. They saved us and would do it again when called upon.
This is the way of life in rural Northwest Oregon. We have forests that should be managed and maintained by those who know how. Trees are cut, replanted, and they grow back. The hills are bare for a little while, but it doesn’t take long to get back to green.
We have Suzanne Weber who understands and lives this way of life. This is just one issue where she will fight for us and bring common sense and rural values back to Salem.
Bill Kerr is the president of United Steelworkers Local 1097
This November, I am finally looking forward to voting for a candidate instead of just voting against one, that candidate is Suzanne Weber. I have gotten to know Suzanne and we have talked about many issues we face on the North Coast. I firmly believe she is someone who can and will stand up against the puppets of the Portland Politicians and vote for what is right.
Weber is currently the 3 term Mayor of Tillamook and has broad support across House District 32. She understands what it means to be from the North Coast and for the North Coast. She does not hide behind “secret groups” and she will fight for our jobs and our community. Weber understands labor issues, will not defund the police, and will make sure that all of our voices are heard in Salem
Debbie Boothe-Schmidt does support the labor movement but being a union official doesn’t automatically qualify you to represent the district. Now is just not the right time for Boothe-Schmidt.
Now is the right time for Weber please join me in voting FOR Suzanne Weber and FOR the North Coast.
Gretchen Allen is an Astoria resident
Suzanne Weber is accused by her opponent Debbie Boothe Schmidt of wanting to reduce school funding because of her stance on the Student Success Act or Corporate Activity (CAT Tax) affecting Oregon’s small businesses. As a business consultant and tax preparer, I take issue with this accusation.
In my tax practice, I already see the effects of this tax on our small businesses. Debbie’s partisan rhetoric response that this will make large corporations finally pay their fair share and provide money for education proves how little she understands this tax and its implementation. ALL business, not just corporations as the name implies, with over $1 million in gross receipts are subject to the tax. When applying a tax to gross receipts, $1 million is still a small business. It is the locally owned market, appliance store, contractor, pharmacy, and many others. This tax is effectively a sales tax on Oregonians.
The tax has already increased costs for our schools, businesses, and the people of the State of Oregon on items they are purchasing every day and current construction projects. How can Debbie say this tax has not affected her business? As of yet, no money has been provided to education. Will the money ever be provided to schools? We need someone who uses common sense, experience, and a nonpartisan approach to review this tax and the other issues facing our schools, small businesses, and all of Oregon. My vote for Representative of House District 32 is Suzanne Weber.
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