Merkley addresses residents' concerns

Senator holds town hall meeting for crowd in Stayton
By Thelma Guerrero-Huston • Statesman Journal • August 30, 2010

More than 100 people attended Sen. Jeff Merkley's town hall meeting Sunday in Stayton.

Merkley fielded questions from the crowd on a variety of topics.

Ken Adams of Salem told the Democrat that he was concerned about banks repeating actions that culminated in a national recession not seen in decades.

"What's being done about that?" Adams asked Merkley.

"As a freshman senator, I expressed interest in the financial overhaul bill," Merkley said. "Sen. Chris Dodd recruited me for the banking committee. We managed to get a bill through Congress that restricts banks and investment houses from making (speculative) investments."

John Taggart of Aumsville took the conversation a completely different direction.

"We have soldiers at war, but you wouldn't know it because we almost have a news blackout," Taggart said. "We hear more about celebrity rehab than real news. Why doesn't the FCC do something about that?"

Merkley responded: "Once airwaves are leased to a company, our government does not control how those companies report news."

Elizabeth Poecker of Sublimity asked Merkley about the possibility of Congress restructuring income tax forms to have college tuition be a line item instead of a credit deduction.

Another pocketbook-related question focused on ways to "plug the loopholes that are allowing companies to outsource jobs."

Merkley told the latter attendee that companies that benefit from having their businesses located outside of the country work hard to keep such loopholes open.

"Our current tax structure contributes to the movement of American companies taking their business to other countries," he said.

After the town hall meeting, Merkley told the Statesman Journal that he and many others in Congress are concerned about companies refusing to hire workers over the age of 50; age discrimination is illegal.

"The problem is that proving age discrimination is not easy," he said. "Openings for older workers are fewer, but we have to help get them back in the workforce, maybe in a new capacity."

On the topic of immigration, Merkley said he would support reform that would include integrity at the border, integrity with employment, and a path to citizenship for the undocumented.

"Sen. (Charles E.) Schumer and I are working to bring a package to Congress," he said.

"But reform isn't going to happen this year."
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article ... 001/update