PRIORITIES
“I come from a proud family that has been involved with helping others for as long as I can remember. I want to work for you and with you. We need to improve our schools, create more affordable housing, invest in effective public safety, offer high quality healthcare for all, grow our economy, and restore and improve our environment. With my government experience, I know what it takes to find practical solutions, navigate the complicated agencies, and get things done.” – Ricki Ruiz
Education
Years of underfunding have profoundly affected our public schools. Even with additional funding promised through the 2019 Student Success Act, we have quite a challenge before us. We must ensure that Oregon classrooms do not exceed the student-teacher ratios that characterize our best schools.
We must invest in mental health specialists and the counseling and mentorship that is essential to ensuring that we’re providing an environment that supports children and promotes excellence.
More assistance for our teachers, our students, and our families will go a long way in addressing the needs of our communities. Education funding must be secure and comprehensive. As a first-generation high school and college graduate, I will continue to prioritize strong education funding and policy – from preschool to career, whether that means college, apprenticeships, or vocational training for students. It’s an investment we cannot ignore.
What I will do:
- Continue to invest in educational resources in our state public education system. For decades, the education system has been underfunded. Oregon currently ranks 39 in education and we must improve that.
- Provide intentional mental health supports to all students. Every elementary, middle, and high school who needs it should have mental health counselors on-site to help provide mental health support. Teenage/young adult suicide rates have been increasing compared to rates 10 years ago. We must address this statistic and invest in mental health resources.
- Introduce a plan to pack frozen school food to go for all school districts in the State of Oregon. Many students rely on school cafeteria food and it is the only meal they receive throughout the day. This plan will be optional for school districts to implement setting aside funds to cover expenses around better nutritional cafeteria food, offering more options, and cover expenses in reusable to-go containers.
- Introduction of State-Wide free breakfast and lunch to students in the public education system. No student or family member should pay for school cafeteria food and have the costs be a hurdle or a barrier in order to graduate. Will look for a strategic plan to help cover this plan.
- Begin to look at Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs statewide. Research shows that students are more proficient once going through a pre-k program before starting elementary school.
- Invest in our community colleges to help restore programs that are of high need along with apprenticeships and vocational training certifications. We must introduce a long term plan that helps restore, rebuild, and make community college even more affordable for our community residents.
Housing
Housing costs and gentrification are displacing too many of my neighbors. For example, residents in the Gresham apartment complex where I grew up have seen a 36% increase in rent in the past 18 months. That is an additional $300 low-income families need to come up with every month.
I will work tirelessly to increase the amount of affordable housing in Gresham and around Oregon. We must also invest in our housing voucher programs and make sure this option is available and accessible for our most needing families and community residents.
Investing in first-time homebuyer programs and building on efforts to teach financial responsibility are some ways we can help families build generational wealth. Every Oregon resident should have the chance to establish a household and build a stable life.
What I will do:
- No person deserves an eviction. We must continue to expand affordable housing options focusing on the voucher program. This allowing families and individuals to obtain a voucher that can help pay for parts or full rent for a temporary period of time while finances recover for that family or individual.
- Longterm vouchers allow for families & residents to find a place of living where the voucher pays for a percentage of the rent. This specifically helping single parent, veterans, and families/individuals who live under the poverty line.
- Expansion of new affordable housing units that are in proximity to public transportation, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities.
- Investing in first time home buyer programs that teach individuals how to save money, how to be financially responsible, and how to build enough credit to purchase a home.
- Protections of renters and renter units to make sure renters are not being taken advantage of and their units needing to meet housing code compliances.
- We need to support and house our houseless population and make sure they receive the proper help that they need. This includes mental health and addiction supports. A long term plan that will remain consistent can help change the future. In addition, introducing job readiness, the pathway to return back to school, and continued mentorship is needed.
Public Safety
We need to invest in crime prevention, mental health support, and equipping our first responders with the tools they need to stay safe and to help others. This also means expanding criminal rehabilitation partnerships that save taxpayer dollars by reducing recidivism and repeat offending. Data shows that people of color are more likely to get arrested.
We need to change policing so that police officers – and the decision-makers who lead them – are aware of these racial disparities. We need to focus more on building community as a public safety practice.
I will find strategic ways to implement more community policing, secure resources to invest in prevention measures, and equip first responders with effective tools, including dispatcher trainings that include mental health, domestic violence, and multilingual components. Keeping our families safe and together is key in providing ourselves with a sound, sustainable quality of life.
What I will do:
- Invest in preventative programs in partnership with our schools and existing organizations to link students with mentors who are reflective, understanding, and well trained.
- Provide resources for community building training that work to help prevent crimes and promote healthy partnerships between law enforcement and community members.
- Increase mental health certifications and qualifications introducing mental health responders/units for the purpose of mental health emergency and non-emergency calls.
- Expanding rehabilitation partnerships that save taxpayer dollars by reducing recidivism and repeat offending.
- Support the efforts to help resource our first responders and make sure we have enough officers, firefighters, community crime prevention workers, and emergency preparedness specialists for our growing district.
Healthcare
All Oregonians, no matter how much money they make, have a right to enroll in a healthcare plan that is affordable and comprehensive enough to help them and their families get healthy, and stay healthy. Ensuring preventative medical care is essential for creating a system that works for everyone and won’t collapse under the weight of its own expense.
Healthcare is an important investment that will keep Oregon productive and vital in the years to come. Making healthcare accessible and affordable, and incentivizing preventative care is key to meeting the needs of our working families.
Mental health is also an essential part of healthcare, and critical for overcoming the challenges faced by many families. Oregonians should be able to seek out therapy and psychiatric care without having to wait months and break the bank.
Improving access to professionals who can help with depression, anxiety, and trauma will also provide savings in our schools, our criminal justice system – anywhere where our community is affected by individuals in crisis.
What I will do:
- The basic human right that every Oregonian needs is access to healthcare coverage. All residents and families should have healthcare coverages no matter the age, race, or immigration status
- I will support women’s rights to reproductive freedom of choice including access to reproductive health care services regardless of their ability to pay. This including birth control, abortion, and all reproductive healthcare matters.
- Expand mental health supports and make sure healthcare insurances cover mental health care. Every person deserves the right to seek mental help without having to worry about wait time and expense.
- Support our healthcare workers with all the needed resources as we combat COVID-19. Equip our healthcare facilities with workable protective gear, sanitation stations, and services that will help healthcare workers mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Environment
Oregon doesn’t produce oil or any other fossil fuel. With every purchase we make, we contribute to climate change – and send money to other states and countries that provide for the prosperity of other families.
When we invest in renewable energy solutions, that money can stay in Oregon and expand our economy. We have to consider a more comprehensive approach – one that includes jobs – to a cleaner environment. Our workers are depending on it.
We must also appreciate the health implications of continuing to allow water and air pollution, without being compensated for the damage they cause. Sustainability isn’t simply a matter of protecting our communities and our natural areas, but safeguarding the future of the Oregon economy.
What I will do:
- Invest in renewable energy solutions, that money can stay in Oregon and expand our economy.
- Changing our state goals for economy-wide reduction of Oregon’s Greenhouse Gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 and at least 50% reduction by 2035
- Protection of our forest and wildlife areas by eliminating clear-cut forestry on all publicly held and managed lands. It is important that we protect our water supplies by updating needed protections for our forest waters. We must restrict the allowing of streamside clear cut logging and aerial spray practices in Oregon. Extending the prohibition of aerial spraying within 500 feet of all forest waters, dwellings, and schools is a start.
- We need to address air and water quality and hold those accountable who are decreasing the health of our air and water. We also need to invest in a “Buy Clean” act that addresses carbon emissions from imported manufacturing materials. Following the steps of the State of Washington, we need to identify the communities who are most vulnerable to climate and environmental health impacts
- I will fully support policy to limit development in certain areas that are identified as a high fire risk. I will work with legislative representatives and senators to help stop rollbacks and end-runs around Oregon’s land-use system. One of the most important parts of addressing this issue is to fully invest in mapping out areas of the high risk of fires across the State of Oregon. With full transparency and communication, we will then need to educate our residents on how we determine what’s high risk and what is not.
- Researching potential options of offering free public transportation (that will be safe after COVID-19) which will allow for higher usage of public transit instead of using vehicles. In addition, taking deep research on the need for perhaps re-routing public transportation routes is important in order to capture every area in need that could benefit from free public transit. We need to promote the health benefits of walking and riding bikes from place to place. I will also fully support changing our current constitutional restrictions on transportation funding and will oppose projects that do no incorporate climate and racial justice.
Economy
Our economy is always changing. I will support hard-working residents by supporting policies that create jobs and expand access to higher education, trade schools, internships, and certification programs that get our residents ready for the workforce.
We must provide options starting at an early age so that students have a better understanding of what their choices are and where they will excel. A step in the right direction is improving the electives that are available to high school students, providing more high school and college internships with community partners, and increasing public investment in our community colleges and small businesses.
We need to fund community college certification options – without increasing tuition – so that it remains affordable for all. Small businesses build a strong and diversified local economy as well as being one of the main sources of first-time job opportunities.
I will develop strategic, long-term policy solutions for these investments so that we have more individuals succeeding in finding a great career or starting a vibrant small business.
