Re-elect Emerson Levy

Re-electing Emerson Levy as District 53’s state representative in Salem is the smart move. This district covers the north end of Bend, south end of Redmond, Eagle Crest, Tumalo and Sisters.

We have two lifetime voters in our home: one Democrat and one Republican. We will both be voting for Representative Levy. We have emailed her over the past two years on topics in the Oregon Legislature of concern to us and she has responded every time, quickly and thoughtfully. We have attended some of her town halls. She is a moderate Democrat supported also by the Independent Party. We like her quote: “I am not for big government or small government; I am for government that works.” Our feelings exactly.

She was very productive in her first two years in helping pass a variety of legislation of importance to Central Oregon. She has the intelligence and thoughtfulness to seek out and listen to all viewpoints and make good decisions that benefit the citizenry and businesses. For us, it is her combination of accessibility and responsiveness to her constituents, her intelligence, hard work and common sense that make us excited to see her win a second term. Voting for Emerson Levy is doing yourself a favor because you can rest assured she will put her constituents first and bring benefit to Central Oregon.

— Suzanne Butterfield, Bend

Platt for Bend City Council

While reading my voter’s pamphlet, it was so refreshing to come across Steve Platt, a candidate running for Bend City Council with a lifetime of service to his country, and now to his local community.

Steve attended the United States Air Force Academy. He was an F-16 pilot, and retired as a Colonel. Steve and his wife have made Bend their home, and since his Air Force career, has taught physics to students at Summit High School.

Steve was appointed to the City of Bend Budget Committee, where he has advised the city on the stewardship of public funds. He is supported in his run for City Council by our current mayor, Melanie Kebler.

I’d caution voters to note that one of Steve’s opponents, the current incumbent in this race, does not appear to have submitted a statement in the voter’s pamphlet. Please ensure your vote goes to Steve and his lifetime of service. Bend will be better with him on the City Council.

— Chris Barringer, Bend

Bend was right about tree code

I commend the Bend City Council for establishing the tree code as it pertains to the preservation of our mature tree cover here in Bend. Bend has a proud history of being a nationally designated “tree city,” and you’ve done your constituents a great service by working to preserve tree cover within Bend city limits. Thank you.

Over the past few days and weeks, we’ve all witnessed the effects of the climate crisis. In the U.S. alone, we’ve watched in horror as hurricanes made more powerful by the staggering amount of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere have destroyed billions of dollars worth of property and killed hundreds of Americans. Here in Bend, our citizens have suffered through days-on-days of dangerously polluted air, air polluted by wildfire smoke from forest fires that have rapidly increased in intensity and frequency due to those same greenhouse gasses. Living in this air increases our risk of developing serious medical issues, and this is particularly true for children.

The solution to this problem is simple, free, and requires us to do absolutely nothing to implement: trees.

Beyond their aesthetic value — which is significant — trees regulate temperature, they clean our air of pollution — like the wildfire smoke we’ve all been living through — they clean and filter rainwater, they sequester carbon from the atmosphere and store it in their roots, trunks, and leaves – which helps slow the effects of the climate crisis… the list goes on. Mature trees, those that have been standing for years if not decades, provide these services at a level far surpassing that of newly planted saplings. All of these priceless services are provided by mature trees, and all of them benefit the citizens of Bend.

With that in mind, thank you again for acting on behalf of us, your constituents, and having our best interests at heart by preserving mature trees in our city with the adoption of the tree code.

— Sean Leslie, Bend

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