Candidate profiles: US Senate district #30, Oregon

Carina Miller lives on Warm Springs Indian Reservation, where she raises her son. She graduated from Madras High School in 2005 and went on to get a B.S. in Ethnic Studies from the University of Oregon. Her passions include grassroots organizing, activism, volunteering and being steward of the land. 

How does your previous experience help qualify you for this position? 

Carina serves as a Columbia Gorge Commissioner, Co-Chair of the Energy Committee for the ATNI, Chair of the Native American caucus for the DPO and as member of the Board of Directors for ACLU Oregon. Previously, she served on the 27th Tribal Council for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. 

Tell us why you are running for this office and list your top three concerns. 

 Carina chose to run for office so voices like hers can be heard across the state. In Oregon there has never been an Oregon Tribal member elected to the legislature. She served on Tribal Council for a federally recognized sovereign nation and worked on local, state, and federal levels in multiple areas. Her lived and professional experiences  make her uniquely qualified to represent this district. There are a lot of things left on the table that could greatly improve every community in Oregon Senate district 30. Carina’s top three concerns include the environment/water, education and social justice. 

How should the Oregon Legislature respond to concerns over the climate crisis?

Pass policy that creates a more sustainable economy using the just transition framework. In our state we have experts on climate change and we need to be utilizing their knowledge to help us solve this crisis. While also being mindful of those who will be most impacted, we need to hear their perspectives as well. When we work as one rather than against each other, we can make our state more sustainable for generations to come. 

Please describe a specific piece of legislation you would sponsor or support in the next session. 

Carina would support taking bold action on climate change while also being mindful of those who are being most impacted by these decisions. 

Please give one specific suggestion you have for helping Oregon achieve stable education funding. 

 Tax large corporations. Our children, youth and aspiring college students deserve to have the education they need and want. We need to be demanding more funds from large corporations throughout Oregon to help with these costs. 

 What is your opinion on the practice of members of a political party walking out during a Legislative session? 

It is unacceptable for any elected official to do this and this is why I am running to be your next State Senator. 

Lynn Findley (incumbent)

I’m Lynn Findley, I serve as our Senator for Senate District 30 and previously as State Rep. for House District 60. I have lived in Eastern Oregon for all of my life. I worked in land and fire management and city planning for 30-plus years prior to joining the Legislature.

How does your previous experience help qualify you for this position? 

I have a long track record of fighting issues in the government on behalf of the communities and people I represent. My experiences as a legislator for three years, in city management and various commissions, and legislative committees have molded me to be an excellent listener and advocate.

Tell us why you are running for this office and list your top three concerns. 

I am running for this office to continue fighting for those in my community. Often times, Salem is out of touch with our needs here in rural Oregon. As an Eastern Oregonian all my life, I have seen first-hand the unique challenges we face. Continuing to serve as our state senator would allow me to be a voice for citizens that trust me to represent them and their interests. My biggest priorities are being an advocate for our agricultural community and natural resources, fighting for lower taxes and smarter spending, and removing barriers to economic development in our communities.

Please describe a specific piece legislation you would sponsor or support in the next session. 

The two pressing issues I will address in the 2021 legislative session are introducing an Estate Tax Exemption and Land Use Relief for development.

Please give one specific suggestion you have for helping Oregon achieve stable education funding.

It’s important to understand we can’t treat education as a one-size-fits all approach. In order to achieve stable education funding, we need to reduce the PERS burden, and balance the budget earlier so our districts can plan. Money needs to go to classroom, not exorbitant retirement plans.

What is your opinion on the practice of members of a political party walking out during a Legislative session? 

If my colleagues will not allow for a fair process in the building, then I will represent my constituents from outside the building.

How should the Oregon Legislature respond to concerns over the climate crisis?

The most immediate way to tackle climate change is to ensure we have a healthy landscape and responsible, sustainable practices when it comes to natural resources. We need proper forest management, active fuels mitigation and an aggressive fire suppression program. In eastern Oregon, we successfully employ noxious weed management, sustainable grazing and aggressive fire suppression. Carbon sequestration from having a healthy landscape will reduce our carbon output by over 50 percent, when coupled with the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, our total carbon emission will be nearly imperceptible. We must support Oregon’s agricultural and natural resources with smarter, stronger policy.