Cascadia today: OR rallies against austerity + abuse at Tacoma ICE center + NW Film Forum has a new leader

I'm on the train home from Salem to Seattle, and I highly recommend the Amtrak Cascades route as a way to get around Cascadia: you can relax, or read, watch a movie – or write a newsletter! If you appreciate my coverage of news from across our bioregion, and for the activism I do with the grassroots organization Cascadia Democratic Action, please consider supporting my work with a paid subscription. And if you're already a supporter, thank you! 💙🤍💚 --Andrew

As residents rally against austerity, OR considers tax reform

A rally of hundreds of activists and union members outside the Oregon state capitol in Salem called for the legislature to prevent another round of tax breaks to the wealthy and urged leaders to better fund health care, child care and education. A former leader of an instructors union from the University of Oregon talked about the shock of recently being laid off thanks to budget cuts, and an SEIU union leader called for an end to austerity budgets.

The crowd urged residents to support SB 1507 which would disconnect Oregon's income tax system from the federal tax code – saving the state some $700 million in tax cuts due to federal tax cuts to the wealthy last year. Another measure in the works that could prevent an austerity budget is HB 4143 authorizing the the governor to withhold moneys owed to the federal government if federal funds are being withheld.

In addition, Rep. Mark Gamba (D-Milwaukie) has introduced a bill, HB 4125, which would reform Oregon's regressive "kicker" refund, which currently issues refunds to taxpayers if state economists guess wrong about projected tax revenue. Gamba's bill would change the estimate process and make it more difficult for the state to hand out refunds. The Oregon Public Policy Center notes the kicker has cost the state $11 billion in lost revenue over a decade, with the richest twenty percent of residents getting 62% of the refunds:

Detainees at Tacoma ICE facility sue for abuse, assault

According to KING-5 News, three former detainees at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma are suing the private contractor GEO Group for alleged sexual abuse, poor conditions, and physical assaults. In related news, hundreds of Seattle students walked out of school yesterday to protest ICE's rampage. And Oregon governor Tina Kotek and 31 mayors in Oregon sent a letter to DHS demanding ICE stop all enforcement immediately.

News flash to Cascadia's leaders: strongly worded letters don't cut it. You need to do something they can't ignore: like STOP MAKING PAYMENTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

Oregon bill would hold back payments to feds

A bill pre-filed in the Oregon legislature would allow the governor to hold back money owed to the federal government if federal funds appropriated to Oregon are withheld by the US government in “contravention of a valid court order.” The measure, whose primary sponsor is Rep Willy Chotzen (D-Portland), does

Cascadia JournalAndrew Engelson

Another missing Indigenous woman is dead in BC

The Tyee reports on the death of a missing teen Indigenous woman who was found dead in Smithers, BC in December. Local police have been criticized for inaction as scores of women have gone missing and been murdered for decades on northern BC's "highway of tears." A commission in 2006 recommended policy changes but the article notes that "Nearly a decade after the MMIWG inquiry began, federal government reporting shows that just two out of 231 calls for action have been completed."

Low Cascadia snow pack threatens drought this summer

As skiers in Cascadia are already aware, this winter has been exceptionally warm, with rain often falling rather than snow. OPB reports that the Oregon Cascades are on track for a record low snow pack, and KUOW reports that Washington's snow pack is at 52% of normal. Learn more about how climate change is affecting Cascadia at the University of Washington's Climate Impact Group.

Northwest Film Forum has a new director

The Stranger reports that Jill Busby is taking the reins at Northwest Film Forum, the Seattle-based nonprofit that promotes independent, alternative, and local filmmakers. It's important work as other organizations and local cinemas struggle: the Seattle Independent Film Festival recently laid off staff and closed the historic Egyptian theater and lots of other local cinemas have shut their doors. Support NWFF by taking a class or attending a screening.

--Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! --Andrew