Letter to Citizens
October, 2024
Dear Citizens of St. Helens:
I’m writing again to thank you for your support for Steve Toschi for Mayor of St. Helens. I’m hoping that you will forward this letter to people with school-age children and anyone who wants to see a brighter future for St. Helens.
I was at the St. Helens v Scappoose High School Football game (my third game this year). I’m so proud of our High School Students. What I saw last night was a lot of St. Helens School Spirit. The band was fantastic and was right next to a large cheer section. The students sang together led by a huge squad of cheerleaders. The football team, while not winning the game, nevertheless represented St. Helens and themselves well, with uniforms, plays, and conduct. Our students are a credit to their parents. We have parents that are teaching our children the importance of rules, the importance of conduct, and other values. Our young people showed pride in their school, and pride in themselves.
Earlier in the day, I was on Brady and Tammy’s radio show on KOHI, Odd Fridays, in a Mayoral forum with Rick (Jennifer Massey did not show up). I asked Rick why during the eight years he has been mayor the City has done nothing about blight. His response was “I believe people have a right to do what they want with their property.” I’m attaching pictures of blighted properties that have existed in our business districts for Rick’s entire tenure. I don’t look at these buildings as “normal.” We need new leadership for many reasons, one of these being that I come from a generation that knows when St. Helens prospered.
St. Helens is facing complex challenges. I have achieved in my personal life and I will bring those experiences and abilities to work for you in the mayor’s office. Our children deserve to live in a town that is free of blight and crime. How do we tap into the economy around us, and keep our small town values? I’ve seen it done and we can model other communities where it has succeeded. Let’s build a community where our children can work and raise a family.
I’m going to make sure St. Helens gets on and stays on the path to success and prosperity. St. Helens was still St. Helens when it prospered.
I think my 35 years of coming here and nearly 5 years living here full time, my love for this place, my marriage to the Sharp family, plus my education and experience are the right attributes for me to be your Mayor. My nieces and nephews all go to school here. My opponents, Jennifer and Rick, have both tried to stir bias that I was not born and raised here. I know so many people who have moved to St. Helens from elsewhere. They contribute a lot to our community. Do we want to elect a mayor that stirs prejudice? Don’t we have enough problems with intimidation and bullying? My message has been consistent: engage the community, a positive outlook, my education, my experience, and my willingness to represent all people in St. Helens, new and old, rich and poor, and of any color, for a brighter future, and a safe, community of character. The “four corners” of my campaign have been: “Smart Slow Growth,” “Competent Leadership,” “More Freedom,” and “Stop Portland Creep.” The last is about rejecting the failed Portland policies.
You know a change is needed. We face challenges of growth. Salem wants us to take on more people without jobs. We need to create a prosperous community. We can prosper and still be St. Helens. Don’t fear the brighter future. I am retiring from active law practice in January 2025. I will have the time to be your full time Mayor – with an office – that’s the kind of positive change that is just the start. It’s going to take work to fix the budget problems, to negotiate with the police their new contract, and to make sure we have land use laws so we end up with a prosperous community. How do you keep crime down? It starts with working class housing. People with jobs who live here. People with values like yours.
Please forward this to everyone in your email address book. I’ve included my speech delivered to the Chamber of Commerce.
Please make sure you vote for Steve Toschi for Mayor of St. Helens.
BELIEVE IN STEVE!
Steve Toschi
To learn more about me: www.stevetoschi.com; or email: [email protected]
Enclosures: Speech to Chamber; My Priorities
Some of the blight that’s been there for more than eight years in our business districts:
This is not “normal.” St. Helens is part of an economy where these property owners should be able to sell or fix up their land. We need a mayor that can get property owners to step up and improve the community. Instill the pride in our City as our youth have pride in themselves and their school.
Here is the office downtown that I created. It is a place for me to work for you. It is a place where I will listen, and be kind:
Before:
After:
This office is not going to cost you a dime. I’m going to use my Mayoral Stipend to pay the rent – $500 a month. I’ll remodel it at my expense after the election. It’s right around the corner from the Plymouth Pub. Come by and see it please. It’s part of the brighter future. A change for the better.
In May 2023, I held a Town Hall meeting to stop the City from passing a law that would have legalized homeless camping on residential streets, along the waterfront, in the parks, and in the business districts. Some of you getting this letter were there when we did this and thank you! It shows what we can do when we pull together as a community. You will also remember the insults hurled at us by the City Council, and the gag law they passed after we arose for our neighborhoods and parks. Here is a copy of just some of the pages of the petition:
Below is an article written by Aaron Martin about the gag law, Res. 1986, passed as a result of making your voices heard on a subject so important to our community, not allowing homeless camping on our streets and in our parks! We need a government open to input – no suppression of speech. The law was made to control people who are on commissions from discussing points of view different from the city. I want this law repealed. More Freedom.
A Vote for Steve Toschi is a vote for a brighter future! We will have a professional Mayor that meets (and maybe even exceeds) the expectations of our community.
Thank you again!
Steve Toschi