As we prepare for the 2019 legislative session, we spoke with Oregon Representative John Lively, a democrat representing Springfield, District 12. He has lived in Springfield for more than 50 years but was born in LaGrande and grew up in Wallowa. He has served on the Springfield City Council and as the city’s mayor and is headed into his seventh session for the Oregon legislature. Last year he began serving on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Education where budget recommendations are made for the education portion of the state budget. He is also a member and chair of the House Committee on Early Childhood and Family Supports which is focused on programs for children age 0-5.
In this interview, we discuss his experiences working on behalf of children and families and how that work has evolved over the years. We also explore the role of Oregon’s Early Learning Hubs in supporting early learning efforts, economic factors that impact family stability, the state revenue forecast for the next biennium, and much more.