PORTLAND, Ore. — It may have been Saturday morning, but that didn't stop hundreds of people from taking time out of their weekend to show up in person and possibly get the chance to testify in front of Oregon lawmakers on the Joint Committee on Ways and Means about the state budget.
At Portland Community College's Sylvania campus, crowds packed the auditorium.
"It was very empowering to walk into that room and see that it was standing room only today. That the community is engaged as it is," said Steve Shumate, who attended the hearing.
The committee held a two-hour public hearing on the state budget — more specifically the roughly $32 billion from the general and lottery funds that the Oregon Legislature has control over and can allocate.
Speakers voiced support for a wide range of legislation — from climate change, to education, health care, to public safety and mental health.
Several, including Anastasia Godsey and Yolanda Reyes-Aguilar, came out to discuss their role as personal support workers advocating for better pay and better working conditions.
"I know personally a lot of people who have to work multiple jobs — on top of the full state job," Godsey said. "I see that people cannot take their breaks. They sometimes skip their lunches. They have to work mandatory overtime, and they still feel like they are falling behind."
"We are here fighting for a living wage, a fair wage," said Reyes-Aguilar. "The work that we do is very heavy and very difficult and we don't really get vacation time, and a lot of the time we are working 24 hours a day."
Shumate, who's been a home care worker for about 25 years, said many essential workers feel a similar strain. He hopes lawmakers can help make a difference with this and other issues facing the state.
"As we are seeing a higher and higher demand for the services, both our services and these other agency services, there's just not enough funding out there. The homeless problem continues to get worse, and more and more people struggle. More and more Oregonians struggle."
Here's a list of additional meetings in the coming weeks:
Newport
When: April 14
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Location: Newport Performing Arts Center, 777 W Olive St, Newport, OR
Roseburg
When: April 21
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Location: Umpqua Community College, 1140 Umpqua College Rd, Roseburg, OR
Ontario
When: April 28
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Location: Four Rivers Cultural Center, 676 SW 5th Ave, Ontario, OR
Note: Ontario, Oregon is in the Mountain Time Zone
Statewide Virtual Testimony
When: May 3
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Location: Oregon State Capitol, Hearing Room F, 900 Court St NE, Salem, OR