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Published 1:38 pm Monday, December 23, 2024

Your votes and taxes make life-changing impacts

You have voted and paid taxes to support programs that help those most in need. You have voted to support our planet so that our children have a future to look forward to. You have voted to support our youngest so that they can thrive.

Too often, we forget to say thank you. As a volunteer running an after school program at a family shelter serving up to 70 families needing housing, I see the result of these taxes.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I thank you for the smiles I see as kids gather around a table to make decorations for their rooms, chatting happily and singing.

I thank you as I see someone going from reading first words to conquering a full book.

I thank you as I watch parents gathering and exchanging support as they navigate difficult lives.

And I thank you as I say goodbye to a family moving into permanent, good housing.

We don’t get everything right. Many of these programs are in their infancy, working to solve problems that are decades in the making.

But we are moving forward. We learn and improve every day, thanks to the many dedicated workers who give so much. And thanks to you.

You make this happen. I am so grateful.

Carol Greenough

Board member and volunteer for Family Promise of Tualatin Valley Bridge to Home shelter in Washington County

PSU Performing Arts Center will enrich community, economy, education

I am writing to express my support for the proposed Performing Arts and Culture Center at Portland State University. As a faculty member of PSU, I recognize the profound impact this project will have on our university and the broader community.

The new Performing Arts and Culture Center represents an unparalleled opportunity to enrich our cultural landscape and significantly boost local businesses.

By providing a state-of-the-art venue capable of hosting Broadway-level productions and other high-profile events, this center will not only attract visitors to our area but also position PSU as a premier destination for students passionate about the arts.

This initiative is poised to enhance our university’s visibility and appeal, particularly for prospective students interested in arts-related programs.

The increased enrollment and engagement from these students will undoubtedly strengthen our arts community and contribute to the vibrancy of our academic environment.

I wholeheartedly support this project and urge our community to join me in advocating for its realization.

The benefits of a Performing Arts and Culture Center extend beyond the confines of our campus, promising to invigorate our local economy and foster a thriving cultural scene for all.

Thank you for your consideration and support of this transformative initiative.

Marc A. Moran

Northwest Portland

You can maximize funding for Oregon’s vibrant cultural network with your giving

This year Oregon ranked first nationally, per capita, in donations to the arts and in the top five states for arts participation (according to “50 States of Arts Participation: 2022—A geographical analysis of results from the Survey of Public Participation in the Arts.”)

That engagement extends to other cultural pursuits such as library and museum attendance, and visits to the many cultural venues and historic sites where our collective stories are created and told.

We in Oregon are known for our values and our commitment to what matters, including our arts, heritage and humanities. That’s why we are also the only state to offer a Cultural Tax Credit to citizens who support cultural nonprofits.

When you make a donation to a cultural nonprofit you care about, then make a matching donation to the Oregon Cultural Trust by Dec. 31, you qualify for a 100 percent state tax credit for your gift to the Cultural Trust. You also direct a portion of your taxes to support the more than 1,650 cultural nonprofits who enrich our lives.

Those who claim the tax credit annually call it a “win win” and a “no brainer.” You double the impact of your giving at no cost to you to support future cultural projects.

Since 2001, participation in the tax credit has enabled the Cultural Trust to award more than 10,000 grants totaling over $40 million. Last year alone, the Trust awarded a record $3.85 million to 148 cultural organizations across the state, including funds for local re-granting by our county and tribal cultural coalitions. That included close to $1 million to 53 nonprofits in the Portland Metro area.

By matching your cultural donations to the Cultural Trust, you maximize funding for Oregon’s vibrant cultural network. You help foster innovation. You create equity and access where barriers exist. You fuel creative initiatives. In short, you make culture count.

Sean Andries, chair, Oregon Cultural Trust