Wright, Rust face off in debate

Oct. 9—The two candidates vying for a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives faced off in a debate Monday, with Jerry Rust and Boomer Wright discussing a variety of topics important to the coastal district.

The mostly-friendly contest had a few moments of true debate, where the men shared different views on abortion and Measure 113, which would allow the Legislature to punish lawmakers who walk out of session to stop bills from being enacted.

The debate was hosted by the League of Women Voters in Lane and Coos counties as well as libraries in both counties. Judge Richard Brissenden served as moderator.

In opening comments, the two men shared why they should be elected to serve the district.

Rust, a Democrat who served 20 years as a Lane County commissioner and has a strong business background, said he is prepared to serve in the Legislature.

"I think these life experiences have prepared me for this challenge," Rust said. "Today, I'm asking you to hire me. If you're a voter in the 9th District, I want to be your employee. People are tired of squabbling and intra-party fighting. They want to get things done. They want people to work together. There's a tremendous pent up desire to do something. Specifically, they want more housing, more affordable housing. I have a plan to get that done.

Wright, the incumbent Republican, said he has accomplished a lot during his one term. He said he brought $16 million to the Port of Coos Bay along with funding in North Bend, Reedsport and much more.

"My focus is always on family, faith and freedom," Wright said. "We've done a lot together and have been very successful. We advocate for a limited government. We believe all children deserve access to a quality education. Parental rights don't end at the school house door. We believe families and individuals have the sole responsibility and right to make their own healthcare decisions. All law abiding residents have the right to keep and bear arms."

In questioning, the men outlined their priorities if elected to the Legislature. For Rust, those priorities would be seniors, veterans, children and women's healthcare.

"Those are just generally across the board," Rust said. "I think older people haver worked all their lives. We need to keep seniors in their home. Veterans have paid a price. I think veterans deserve our support, I think women should be able to make their own decisions about their own healthcare choices and I believe my opponent does not believe that."

Wright listed his top priorities as crime, healthcare and education

"We have defunded the police, and we need to return funding to that and to our court systems," Wright said. "Homelessnesses is the other one and I'm working with groups down in Coos Bay to come up with a plan. Education, I served in education over 31 years. We're not serving out students right now. In fact, we're failing our students. Parents need choice."

When education was discussed, the two men disagreed on whether the state is failing our children.

"Let's not be too hard on ourselves," Rust said. "I hear everybody say our kids aren't getting an education. That's not true. Yeah, there are challenges. We lost two and half years to COVID. What I want is the basics, reading, writing mathematics. I do think we could include some vocational training in our schools. There needs to be some skill building at the high school level. I reject the idea that we're failing."

Wright saw things a little differently.

"Serving on the state education and early childhood education committees, I view the real problem is we've asked our teachers to be all things to all students at all times.=," he said. "We've asked our teachers to do too much. Many of our students are failing, but more important, we're failing our students. We must return to a community direction. It does take an entire community to support the education of our students. Each community is well aware of what the needs are for workforce and retention of our youth."

Both men said they would be interested in an independent redistricting committee taking on the challenge of drawing the state's legislative districts.

"Absolutely," Wright said. "It's we the people who should determine where the districts are, not a group of people in Salem and the gerrymandering that happened this last session. It should not be political gerrymandering. It should be to represent the people. To be honest, the Legislature failed us."

"This is a national problem and it's a disgrace the way we have drawn districts throughout the country and in some states much worse than here," Rust said. "I would like to take a look at an independent commission. I'm against the gerrymandering. I will say one thing. This District 9 has a lot of logic. Let's make it nonpartisan. Let's do things right that the people can accept."

Another topic discussed was the decline of coastal fisheries, which has had a big economic and social impact on District 9.

"It's very complex issues, and I know we have ocean conditions that are the result of very complex factors," Rust said. "It starts at the headwaters, where we have taken out fish runs and we haven't put the spawning beds back in good shape. One of the things I want to do is make sure to continue removing these culverts. We've done the easy ones. There's got to be room for some fish hatchery work. I would work with Tribes, our local watershed council. I want to support all those groups."

"Our salmon fisheries are definitely in decline," Wright said. "We need abundance through hatcheries, not an ODF commission that does not support abundance. We do not need another spotted owl fiasco. We on the coast are still recovering from this environmental injustice and insanity. Fortunately, working with the Coquille Tribe, we're working with the ODF to bring back our salmon runs. We need a new direction."

The partisan divide in Salem and the state was also addressed.

"The key is we've got to learn to listen to one another," Wright said. "What happens is we listen, but we don't hear. We don't sit down and communicate. When we don't do that and we don't listen to one another, we have things like what is happening in Portland right now with the crime and violence. We are not listening. We need to listen to one another."

"This is something I've heard everywhere I've gone in the district," Rust said. "People are sick of the bickering. As Lane County commissioner, everything I got done, I did that with Democrats, Republicans and Independents. I'm not one for rancorous name calling and blaming state agencies and blaming other people in government. In general, we need to bring the temperature down, sit together, reason together and come together as a state."

Whether that means one party can walk out to stop legislation is something the men disagreed on. When discussing Measure 13, the differences were clear.

"Of course, I'm going to vote for it and I do think there should be punishment," Rust said. "If you get elected to go to Salem and to vote, you're taking care of the most vital interests of people. I think ordinary people, if they don't show up for work, they don't get paid. If they do it again, they eventually lose their job."

"There's something to be said about believing you have the right to protest," Wright said. "At some times, because you have a super majority, they don't leave you choice. They are ramming down their liberal agenda on people and they don't leave you a choice but to walk away. We have a right to protest majority rule legislation when it is not in the interest of our district. We're not in grade school, Jerry, we're adults."

Another area the men agreed on was lowering the cost of attending college in Oregon.

"In general, I support lowering tuition," Rust said. "I look back at my own college education and it was so inexpensive. Let's bring it down for in-state students. We might even want to have a means test. Some students can afford it more than others. I also support expanding the offering in community colleges. I'd look at the whole gamut."

"I agree we've got to lower the price of education," Wright said. "I don't believe it can ever be absolutely free, and that's too bad. I believe we're not utilizing our community colleges as much as we should. They're much more affordable, especially in rural districts. I believe we need to reduce tuitions."

Voters in District 9, which includes parts of Coos, Douglas and Lane counties will choose their representative in the November election. The district is considered a toss-up district, which has elected Republicans and Democrats in recent years.