Download a flyer for our May 7th Action in Bend: Foreclose on Walden! Join us at 1pm – meet at the Bend/ La Pine School District Building in downtown Bend.
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
RURAL OREGONIANS “FORECLOSE” ON CONGRESSMAN WALDEN
Saturday, May 7th, 1pm * NW Wall St & NW Louisiana Ave Bend, OR
BEND, OR: On Saturday, May 7th rural Oregonians from across the state, led by the Rural Organizing Project (ROP), will serve Congressman Greg Walden a “Notice of Foreclosure” at his office in Bend.
Congressman Walden was the only Oregon Representative to vote in favor of the “Ryan” Budget – allocating over $700 billion for the military this year and billions in cuts to communities. Rural constituents will converge on Walden’s office to let him know that their communities cannot afford such misguided priorities. Constituents demand that Walden instead hold accountable those responsible for the economic crisis, promote real security by funding energy conservation and functional safety net programs, and stop cuts that ravage rural communities.
“Homeowners are told if we don’t keep our end of the bargain, we’ll face foreclosure,” said ROP executive director, Cara Shufelt. “Congressman Walden isn’t meeting the needs of Oregonians, so we’re putting him on notice – his office is about to face foreclosure.”
Central Point resident Nancie Koerber said, “I lost my small business and my house is in foreclosure. My neighbors are struggling, yet Congressman Walden prioritizes tax cuts for the wealthy over economic security for small towns. When I tried to meet with him about the foreclosure crisis his office said it wasn’t a problem in his district.”
Deschutes County, in Walden’s district, saw over 3700 foreclosures in 2010 alone. Unemployment stands at 14.7%.An average of 2.5 Deschutes County residents are put through costly deportation processes each week. Residents say Walden is out of touch and is doing little to address the needs of community members.
The rally also joins a nationwide fast to highlight the consequences of budget cuts. Kathy Paterno from Powell Butte said, “I consider our nation’s ‘budgetary crisis’ to be a moral issue. It isn’t about money. It’s about values. What and who do we value as a nation? It’s time to cut military spending, eliminate tax cuts and loopholes for the wealthy, and support those in real need. I plan to spend a day experiencing what many in our very supposedly wealthy country experience on a regular basis – a hungry belly.”
Rural Organizing Project works for social justice and advances democracy in rural Oregon since 1992. A grassroots organization with members in every county across the state, ROP leaders see the costly toll budget cuts take. “Congress is trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class,” says Shufelt. “We cannot stand by as our representatives prioritize military spending, deportations, and tax cuts over real security and the needs of Main Street.”