#TimberUnity News

Dear #TimberUnity Community, 

I think I speak for many of us in the industry when I say that I'm humbled and encouraged by how quickly you all have come together to stand up and create a movement which is already changing the dialogue in our state Capitol. Thank you.

Hundreds of your members rallied last week to oppose legislation that will devastate rural Oregon and severely impact Oregon families. I watched in awe at the groundswell of support for Oregonians who felt their jobs were threatened. I know many of you did so without pay. You took time off of work to stand together to show Oregon's government that the silent majority of our state will no longer be silent. 

Because of your passion, tenacity, and resolve, the #Oregon11, our eleven Republican state senators, felt supported and empowered to end this harmful legislation. House Bill 2020 was a flawed concept that allowed for a massive carbon credit scam, would have sent revenue to out-of-state special interests, increased fuel costs to excessive levels, created a huge new bureaucracy to manage it, and will for sure destroy Oregon's natural resource jobs. Because of your sacrifices to engage your government directly, you have halted the inevitability of this horrible law. 

On a larger scale, the economic foundations of rural Oregon are under assault by urban elitists and their legislators who view our communities simply as recreational destinations. So long as the economic conditions of rural Oregon continue to decline, so too will our state. #TimberUnity sprang up because a handful of grassroots leaders got together and said, “Not one more mill.” We’ve seen the devastation in our rural communities over the past few decades. State economists have proven that family wage jobs in our industries can’t be replaced with minimum wage tourism jobs. 

I am encouraged by the genuine organization to save rural Oregon and its natural resource economy. Thank you for demanding fairness, respect and collaboration on state policies that have immediate and consequential impacts on Oregon families. 

I have seeded the Timber Unity PAC with a $5,000 donation to support your cause in hopes that you will continue to support candidates and initiatives that protect Oregon's natural resource industries. It’s time to make our voices heard, and you can help!  Regardless of political party, we need representatives who will vote first to protect our industries which provide food, housing, and basic necessities to all of our state's residents. 

I don't want to see Stimson leave Oregon. The layoffs announced last month were devastating. We want to continue providing family wage jobs and contributing to Oregon's communities in positive ways. But one person can only do so much. It is up to Oregon voters whether they want lawmakers to continue disrespecting the hard-working men and women whose industries built this state, or whether they will fight back to protect our way of life. 

Thank you for taking a stand. I am standing with you to ensure that rural Oregon's jobs, communities, and future generations are protected. 

Sincerely,

Andrew Miller

CEO, Stimson Lumber Company