Today is Halloween, but Election day is the real trick or treat experience.
This vote will have a lasting impact on our students and our profession, and some choices are really frightening!
Ballots are due on November 6th, and it’s clear we need Kate Brown to be our governor.
This isn’t partisan politics. Her opponent Knute Buehler has been clear—the only way he’ll increase the education budget is by cutting your retirement an average of 40 percent and capping educator salaries. His track record in the Legislature speaks for itself. He voted against lowering class sizes twice, and in 2017 he voted against the entire state education budget.
Take a look at this retirement calculator to see what could happen to you if Buehler gets his hands on your retirement.
We have only one choice if we care about our careers, our students, and our futures – Vote for Kate Brown.
And when you cast your ballot, don’t be tricked by this year’s crop of deceptive initiatives, either!
- Vote NO on Measures 103 and 104, which would create more tax breaks and loopholes to big corporations;
- Vote NO on Measure 105, which would roll back laws protecting us from racial profiling;
- Vote NO on Measure 106, which would restrict healthcare access for women;
Instead, treat yourself—and our community—to the things our students really need:
- Vote YES for Portland Measure 26-201, which will create a clean energy fund, paid for by big corporations;
- Vote YES for Metro Measure 26-199 for additional funding for affordable housing targeted to seniors, low-income residents, veterans, and the disabled.
This election will shape our schools, and our careers, for years to come. So please vote—our democracy depends on it.
In Solidarity,
Suzanne Cohen
PAT President
P.S. Whatever you think of PAT’s political positions, remember that no dues dollars ever go to candidates.