September 29, 2010
Minority & Small Business Week
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R eligion
O pinion
H ealth
Dudley on the Economy
Candidate
addresses
minority
entrepreneurs
pages 12-13
C lassifieds
J ake T homas
T he P ortland O bserver
by
IMIlHhHIM
pages 15-20
M
B usiness
inority
Weaving
Hair fo r
Generations
page 21
J
Capital to Help
Entrepreneurs
page 23
Bond Work fo r
•fl S'äi Minority
f Contractors
1 t p J l l U page 24
F ood
page 36
* -‘Ü r ’
4’**
ence he found him self at a cross­
roads after being diagnosed with
diabetes when he was 16 years
old. At the time, Dudley had high
hopes o f playing basketball pro­
fessionally, and recalled that in
those days it was considered
highly unlikely that someone with
the ailment could fulfill that am ­
bition. However, with persis­
tence he accomplished his goal,
becoming a Portland Trail Blazer.
"I share that because I think
our state is at a tipping point," he
told the audience.
He said that Oregon was a
beautiful state that occupies an
enviable geographic position on
the Pacific Rim, and moving
Oregon forward would take col-
Chris Dudley, the Republican
nominee for governor, made his
case for w hy he should be
elected to the state's top office
before a packed crowd at the
Oregon Association o f Minority
Entrepreneurs headquarters on
North Vancouver Avenue on
Friday.
Speaking at OAME's "Cof­
fee and Issues Forum," Dudley
reiterated his priorities for the
state, his personal story and
touched a bit on what he would
do for sm all, m inority, and
w om en-ow ned businesses if
elected governor.
Dudley told the roughly 200
people in attendance that the
state was on the wrong course
on economic growth. He largely
attributed the state's current
woes to the policies o f former
Democratic John Kitzhaber, who
governed from 1994 to 2002,
Chris Dudley
and is hoping voters will give him
his oldjob back in the November laboration between urban and
election.
rural communities as well as
Dudley cited numbers show­ Democrats and Republicans.
ing that Oregon had the highest
During the question and an­
homelessness per capita, and swer session, Dudley was asked
ranked 47th in job growth and by one woman what he planned
42nd in unemployment nation­ to do regarding the sobering rate
ally.
o f homelessness in the state.
"I ask you, who can say what
Dudley replied that helping
we've been doing is working?” the needy was an appropriate
he asked. “Do we have to get in function o f government, but as
the 50th category before we start governor he would be focused
doing something?"
on job creation and making the
Dudley said that as governor state more attractive for busi­
he would provide tax credits for nesses.
businesses that hire people who
He was also asked by a man
are unemployed or on welfare, in attendance if state workers
and would cut taxes, specifically should begin polishing up their
capital gains, to help retain and resumes, a clear reference to
attract businesses in the state.
Dudley's plans to reign in state
He also shared part o f his spending and possibly privatize
personal story, telling the audi­ some state services.
Dudley, who noted that he
would never demonize public
employees during the campaign,
responded that current Demo­
cratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski has
called for a reordering o f the
state's spending priorities in re­
sponse to the recommendations
o f the governor’s “Reset Cabi­
net.”
The recommendations include
cuts to benefits for state workers,
a reduction in prison spending,
changes in educational structure
and other reductions. Dudley
pointed to the recent $577 million
budget shortfall as .proof o f
Oregon's fiscal unsustainablity.
"We need to look at where
[government] makes sense and
where it doesn't, and I come at it
from a very pragmatic view ­
point," said Dudley who wanted
the state to focus on education,
infrastructure, public safety and
not much else.
He also mentioned that maybe
the state should privatize the sale
o f liquor, a suggestion that drew
applause.
He was also asked by Sam
Brooks, chair o f OAME's board
and moderator o f the forum, what
Dudley had done in the past and
would do as governor for minor­
ity and w om en-ow ned busi­
nesses in the state.
"I was a minority for 16 years,"
said Dudley to laughter, refer­
ring to his time in the NBA,
which is dominated by African
Americans.
He mentioned his work as a
financial planner, how he had set
up camps and a foundation for
kids with diabetes, and serves on
the board o f Self Enhancement,
Inc., before stressing that m i­
norities would be well repre­
sented in state government un­
der a Dudley administration. He
added that he would actively
keep the lines o f communication
open with communities o f color,
telling the audience, “My door is
open.”
"I don't know what to say,
other than I've always walked
the walk," he said.