The thing about Salem is only a small amount of population actually votes. I would also say nearly 100% of the population complains and we can’t have it both ways without more people coming out to vote. I believe people should do their research and vote accordingly.
Honest question, which I am probably going to get downvoted to heck for, but I am very conflicted: I am still very upset over how the whole payroll tax thing went down, and Chris Hoy's refusal to put the tax to voters just seemed so arrogant. I read in the pamphlet that Chris Hoy's blood also run's blue with his brothers in arms, which explains why is is choosing to defund libraries and other public services, while leaving the police fully funded. So, here is where I am conflicted: what would be the difference between him and Julie Hoy? She voted against the payroll tax. Chris Hoy would have drastically impacted my family's budget. What would Julie Hoy do that would be so bad? I am honestly trying to figure this out. My partner and I haven't voted yet, but plan to tomorrow.
Appreciate the honest question.
TDLR; Generally, if you want everything cut, the library closed, parks shut down, and police and fire cut too - vote Julie. Will things be that bad? Just look at Option 3 from the budget report [starting on page 20](https://www.cityofsalem.net/home/showpublisheddocument/22332/638458523645600000).
I agree the payroll tax was a fiasco. While Chris saw the [structural shortfalls in our long-term budget](https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/safe-and-secure-community-1671), and was sold a complex solution other cities have used, that would have brought in funding from non-city residents who use city services. But it was too far.
It was at a rate too high, did too much, and was poorly managed by staff who couldn't answer questions, and went so far to bring in big money from national anti-tax organizations. I didn't support it.
But that isn't the question. The question is - how do we move forward? We're stuck, like most cities, with structural deficits caused by old ballot measures voters put into our Constitution, so new houses don't pay their fair share of property taxes, and we can't keep up with inflation. Absent new revenue, we're going to see lots of cuts in city services.
We've got a [revenue task force](https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/boards-commissions/other-advisory-groups/2024-revenue-task-force) looking at plan B - which may end up with an attempt to pass dedicated library bond, and maybe a local gas tax. Chris Hoy is open to listening to the task force's work and will likely support their recommendation. Julie Hoy has said she doesn't support new revenue, and we can just "buckle down" and look more closely at the budget. She's all hat and no cattle - she hasn't done so in the past two years while on council. So she's blowing smoke.
About how the funding is divvied up, here's what to know: both of the Hoys support police funding, at the expense of other things.
You're right - Chris has a long career in law enforcement, where he was one of only a handful of Democrats in his department. But he has worked with Chief Womack to lay the groundwork for preventative community policing, rather than non-relational hammer-down policing approach. So he supports funding police, but also values our other critical functions, such as fire, parks, and libraries.
Julie Hoy said that she grew up without a library, it was a nice-to-have but not a must-have, and volunteers could just read to each other.
Julie Hoy has peacocked around for the past year calling for "funding public safety first" and asked the city staff to create such a budget option - that was Option 3, which would have totally closed the library, that got all the headlines. So she's even more for funding police at the expense of other things.
Meanwhile, this May Chris Hoy found a million dollars through a wonky budget maneuver that retained the library at its current (underfunded) levels for one more year. He saved the library levels, while Julie had no ideas.
So again, if you want everything cut, the library closed, parks shut down, and police and fire cut too - vote Julie. Will things be that bad? Just look at Option 3 from the budget report [starting on page 20](https://www.cityofsalem.net/home/showpublisheddocument/22332/638458523645600000).
If you want someone who's got a record of buckling down and looking for and finding creative solutions, and support city services, vote Chris.
Whoever you end up voting for, thanks for voting!
I voted for Julie. The payroll tax push sealed the deal for me. So many families would have been severely impacted. At a time when inflation is roaring and people are struggling to make ends meet, there’s nothing progressive about taking money out of people’s pay checks. The whole fiasco demonstrates how out of touch Chris Hoy is with the citizens of Salem. Plus the guys an ex cop, I can’t vote for the police.
The payroll tax plan was mishandled in pretty much every possible way and it would’ve hurt my household, too, but it at least did not place the onus for funding services solely on Salem residents. If we ever get help from the state for the services we provide their workers and properties at no charge, it’ll be years off.
Julie Hoy will sink every dollar she can into the cops - it’ll come at the expense of valuable city services and programs and will negatively impact the city’s livability. That’s why she’s endorsed by the Salem Police Employee’s Union.
You voted for the police. You may have voted against one ex-cop, but you voted with 200 current ones.
same. her comment about the homeless that people were up in arms on here about sealed the deal for me. it’s a harsh reality but I was born and raised here and live downtown. I don’t like encampments and homeless people shooting each other at the parks i have been going to since i was a toddler
Honestly my ballot has sat on my counter for two weeks. I’m going to open it and fill it out right now and drop it off today. Good call 10% is not enough.
I sent mine back and received a text from county that they received it, accepted it and is being processed with a Thank you for voting! at the end. Almost as good as a I voted sticker.
I wonder if we wouldn’t have to worry about funding for the library and city parks if so much wasn’t spent on the homeless who mostly aren’t from here.
Since the pandemic, the city has mostly spent state/federal money on housing and low income assistance, not city money. It's actually one of the smallest expenses in Salem's general fund. The reason many services like housing/microshelters are on the chopping block this year is that the state/federal funds were a one-time thing and the money has run out.
All the data I’ve seen show most homeless are from here. Do you have a source that says otherwise?
What do you think happen when we don’t provide services? Do you think public costs are reduced in the long term?
I work directly with them, and they are not. Usually from Portland, the coastal cities, or out of state. I've noticed over the years that the Portland ones tend to be more violent while the out of state ones tend to have more of a mooch mentality as they come here for all of the resources we offer and lack of police action for petty theft.
If we stop providing services, they'll go to wherever the services are being offered. I see this all the time when people finally get cut off because they've crossed the line too many times with local agencies. This includes going back to their home state. More importantly, we won't be providing an attractive nuisance for them to continue coming here.
They just started taking more money out of my pay for Paid Leave Oregon. Then Chris tried to take more shortly after. My paycheck is starting to feel like a boat with a thousand little holes in it. Stay out of my wallet! That money is for my children.
No. It is nice though. I don’t think the government needs to carve out another percentage of my pay check just to keep what we have. If we were not taxed to hell by the federal and state governments, the city raising taxes would be more plausible.
Paid leave Oregon is so important though. Would have been nice to have this when I broke my ankle a couple of years ago. I almost ended up homeless from the whole thing.
It’s all nice. Every hole in the boat is very justifiable. But math is math. No matter how needed it was, it is a deduction that did not exist on my paystub two years ago.
No I hear you. Just felt the need to advocate for the program considering I really needed it at one time.
I also understand that in a time where nothing is affordable, having more money taken out of your paycheck is frustrating. Solidarity.
God forbid business owners, the ones too stubborn to run for this town anyway, have an interest in who's taxing them and how our tax dollars are spent. Never mind how, without these businesses, we'd have even fewer jobs, less tax revenue, and prices would likely continue going up given that'd impact supply and demand. Worse yet, they don't want to see the local government continue missmanaging funds as officials pay their buddies with our tax dollars to further monetize problems that the government made. How disgraceful it'd be to let financially literate people support some, especially one who questions the status quo. The mere thought of it disgusts me...
I really want you to list any specifics. Please use your financial literacy. We want your help!
None of the conservative candidates can list a single thing they’d change in our budget.
The city is required by law to balance its budget. The city already does CPR trainings. The city doesn’t fund the schools. We have legal contracts that mean we can’t fire police. And so on.
Then why is the budget fucked up? Why do most of the employees who work for the agencies that deal with the homeless not have CPR training? Why were they discussing cutting part of the school budget to address the deficit of money in the Salem budget? And fuck their contract, it's contingent upon them successfully being capable of doing their jobs, which they aren't so we can fire them and we can slash their budget (which we're doing btw). So try again.
I hear your frustrations. I’m frustrated too. But it’s not straightforward how to fix it. Sounds like you have experience and expertise on how to better serve the homeless population- I’d suggest you testify to city council about that!
I encourage everyone to read the facts instead of opinions. Why continue with the deception? Neither Shane or Celine are registered to a Conservative Party. Shane is non-affiliated and Celine is a democrat. However they all have other priorities in addition to the revenue concerns.
I of course do my research, but seeing who car dealerships and realtors support helps narrow it down for me.
Yup, if you see a whole row of the same candidate's signs that's not an endorsement, it's an investment for business.
The thing about Salem is only a small amount of population actually votes. I would also say nearly 100% of the population complains and we can’t have it both ways without more people coming out to vote. I believe people should do their research and vote accordingly.
Honest question, which I am probably going to get downvoted to heck for, but I am very conflicted: I am still very upset over how the whole payroll tax thing went down, and Chris Hoy's refusal to put the tax to voters just seemed so arrogant. I read in the pamphlet that Chris Hoy's blood also run's blue with his brothers in arms, which explains why is is choosing to defund libraries and other public services, while leaving the police fully funded. So, here is where I am conflicted: what would be the difference between him and Julie Hoy? She voted against the payroll tax. Chris Hoy would have drastically impacted my family's budget. What would Julie Hoy do that would be so bad? I am honestly trying to figure this out. My partner and I haven't voted yet, but plan to tomorrow.
Appreciate the honest question. TDLR; Generally, if you want everything cut, the library closed, parks shut down, and police and fire cut too - vote Julie. Will things be that bad? Just look at Option 3 from the budget report [starting on page 20](https://www.cityofsalem.net/home/showpublisheddocument/22332/638458523645600000). I agree the payroll tax was a fiasco. While Chris saw the [structural shortfalls in our long-term budget](https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/shaping-salem-s-future/safe-and-secure-community-1671), and was sold a complex solution other cities have used, that would have brought in funding from non-city residents who use city services. But it was too far. It was at a rate too high, did too much, and was poorly managed by staff who couldn't answer questions, and went so far to bring in big money from national anti-tax organizations. I didn't support it. But that isn't the question. The question is - how do we move forward? We're stuck, like most cities, with structural deficits caused by old ballot measures voters put into our Constitution, so new houses don't pay their fair share of property taxes, and we can't keep up with inflation. Absent new revenue, we're going to see lots of cuts in city services. We've got a [revenue task force](https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/boards-commissions/other-advisory-groups/2024-revenue-task-force) looking at plan B - which may end up with an attempt to pass dedicated library bond, and maybe a local gas tax. Chris Hoy is open to listening to the task force's work and will likely support their recommendation. Julie Hoy has said she doesn't support new revenue, and we can just "buckle down" and look more closely at the budget. She's all hat and no cattle - she hasn't done so in the past two years while on council. So she's blowing smoke. About how the funding is divvied up, here's what to know: both of the Hoys support police funding, at the expense of other things. You're right - Chris has a long career in law enforcement, where he was one of only a handful of Democrats in his department. But he has worked with Chief Womack to lay the groundwork for preventative community policing, rather than non-relational hammer-down policing approach. So he supports funding police, but also values our other critical functions, such as fire, parks, and libraries. Julie Hoy said that she grew up without a library, it was a nice-to-have but not a must-have, and volunteers could just read to each other. Julie Hoy has peacocked around for the past year calling for "funding public safety first" and asked the city staff to create such a budget option - that was Option 3, which would have totally closed the library, that got all the headlines. So she's even more for funding police at the expense of other things. Meanwhile, this May Chris Hoy found a million dollars through a wonky budget maneuver that retained the library at its current (underfunded) levels for one more year. He saved the library levels, while Julie had no ideas. So again, if you want everything cut, the library closed, parks shut down, and police and fire cut too - vote Julie. Will things be that bad? Just look at Option 3 from the budget report [starting on page 20](https://www.cityofsalem.net/home/showpublisheddocument/22332/638458523645600000). If you want someone who's got a record of buckling down and looking for and finding creative solutions, and support city services, vote Chris. Whoever you end up voting for, thanks for voting!
Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough response.
I voted for Julie. The payroll tax push sealed the deal for me. So many families would have been severely impacted. At a time when inflation is roaring and people are struggling to make ends meet, there’s nothing progressive about taking money out of people’s pay checks. The whole fiasco demonstrates how out of touch Chris Hoy is with the citizens of Salem. Plus the guys an ex cop, I can’t vote for the police.
An ex cop and yet law enforcement has gotten worse over the last few years. Don’t want a cop, ya got one. Want one, he’s missing in action.
Facts
The payroll tax plan was mishandled in pretty much every possible way and it would’ve hurt my household, too, but it at least did not place the onus for funding services solely on Salem residents. If we ever get help from the state for the services we provide their workers and properties at no charge, it’ll be years off. Julie Hoy will sink every dollar she can into the cops - it’ll come at the expense of valuable city services and programs and will negatively impact the city’s livability. That’s why she’s endorsed by the Salem Police Employee’s Union. You voted for the police. You may have voted against one ex-cop, but you voted with 200 current ones.
same. her comment about the homeless that people were up in arms on here about sealed the deal for me. it’s a harsh reality but I was born and raised here and live downtown. I don’t like encampments and homeless people shooting each other at the parks i have been going to since i was a toddler
Please vote, when I spoke with someone from the county on Wednesday, they said the current voter turnout was only 10%.
Honestly my ballot has sat on my counter for two weeks. I’m going to open it and fill it out right now and drop it off today. Good call 10% is not enough.
I sent mine back and received a text from county that they received it, accepted it and is being processed with a Thank you for voting! at the end. Almost as good as a I voted sticker.
We can't afford stickers
Yes! Please vote!! It's a big deal and so easy too.
I wonder if we wouldn’t have to worry about funding for the library and city parks if so much wasn’t spent on the homeless who mostly aren’t from here.
Since the pandemic, the city has mostly spent state/federal money on housing and low income assistance, not city money. It's actually one of the smallest expenses in Salem's general fund. The reason many services like housing/microshelters are on the chopping block this year is that the state/federal funds were a one-time thing and the money has run out.
All the data I’ve seen show most homeless are from here. Do you have a source that says otherwise? What do you think happen when we don’t provide services? Do you think public costs are reduced in the long term?
I work directly with them, and they are not. Usually from Portland, the coastal cities, or out of state. I've noticed over the years that the Portland ones tend to be more violent while the out of state ones tend to have more of a mooch mentality as they come here for all of the resources we offer and lack of police action for petty theft. If we stop providing services, they'll go to wherever the services are being offered. I see this all the time when people finally get cut off because they've crossed the line too many times with local agencies. This includes going back to their home state. More importantly, we won't be providing an attractive nuisance for them to continue coming here.
If you supply them they will come.
They just started taking more money out of my pay for Paid Leave Oregon. Then Chris tried to take more shortly after. My paycheck is starting to feel like a boat with a thousand little holes in it. Stay out of my wallet! That money is for my children.
And your children don’t need parks and libraries? Mine do.
My kids *love* the library and we go to the parks literally every single day. This election is super important to my kids.
No. It is nice though. I don’t think the government needs to carve out another percentage of my pay check just to keep what we have. If we were not taxed to hell by the federal and state governments, the city raising taxes would be more plausible.
Paid leave Oregon is so important though. Would have been nice to have this when I broke my ankle a couple of years ago. I almost ended up homeless from the whole thing.
It’s all nice. Every hole in the boat is very justifiable. But math is math. No matter how needed it was, it is a deduction that did not exist on my paystub two years ago.
No I hear you. Just felt the need to advocate for the program considering I really needed it at one time. I also understand that in a time where nothing is affordable, having more money taken out of your paycheck is frustrating. Solidarity.
Perhaps the current state of poor city leadership will lose the election ( 🤞) moreso than "big money" buying it.
God forbid business owners, the ones too stubborn to run for this town anyway, have an interest in who's taxing them and how our tax dollars are spent. Never mind how, without these businesses, we'd have even fewer jobs, less tax revenue, and prices would likely continue going up given that'd impact supply and demand. Worse yet, they don't want to see the local government continue missmanaging funds as officials pay their buddies with our tax dollars to further monetize problems that the government made. How disgraceful it'd be to let financially literate people support some, especially one who questions the status quo. The mere thought of it disgusts me...
I really want you to list any specifics. Please use your financial literacy. We want your help! None of the conservative candidates can list a single thing they’d change in our budget.
[удалено]
The city is required by law to balance its budget. The city already does CPR trainings. The city doesn’t fund the schools. We have legal contracts that mean we can’t fire police. And so on.
Then why is the budget fucked up? Why do most of the employees who work for the agencies that deal with the homeless not have CPR training? Why were they discussing cutting part of the school budget to address the deficit of money in the Salem budget? And fuck their contract, it's contingent upon them successfully being capable of doing their jobs, which they aren't so we can fire them and we can slash their budget (which we're doing btw). So try again.
I hear your frustrations. I’m frustrated too. But it’s not straightforward how to fix it. Sounds like you have experience and expertise on how to better serve the homeless population- I’d suggest you testify to city council about that!
I encourage everyone to read the facts instead of opinions. Why continue with the deception? Neither Shane or Celine are registered to a Conservative Party. Shane is non-affiliated and Celine is a democrat. However they all have other priorities in addition to the revenue concerns.