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M artin L u th er K ing J r .
January 12. 2011
ro 2011 s p e c ia l edHion
Kitzhaber Focuses on Budget, Economy
Returns to
office as
governor for
third time
(AP) - After an eight-year
hiatus from public life, John
Kitzhaber has taken back the
helm of a state reeling from jo b
lessness, with a budget deficit
that will soon bring steep cuts in
services on which residents rely.
Kitzhaber took the oath of
office Monday to begin an un
precedented third term as gov
ernor of Oregon.
A former emergency room
doctor who once called Oregon
"ungovernable" as he finished
what most people expected to
be his final term in office nearly
a decade ago, Kitzhaber has laid
out lofty goals to transform the
way government thinks and op
erates.
Before he can get there, how
ever, he'll have to tackle a bud
get with a $3.5 billion shortfall.
And he'll have to do it while
■ <
'
and not enough on investments has held the position since the
like education that could keep 1986 election.
people away from the criminal
Lawmakers in the House have
justice system and state-funded worked out a rough framework
services, Kitzhaber said.
for sharing power. There will be
"We have our priorities back co-speakers, one from each party,
ward, and the central challenge who will share the duties. But
facing Oregon today is to re much is left to be decided, and the
verse this trend," Kitzhaber said. first test of whether the House
Kitzhaber said he would fo will be able to function alsocomes
cus on creating jobs and raising Monday, when the Legislature
per-capita income above the will convene for the first time. The
national average, working not. House will attempt to organize
just on job growth in the Portland and approve rules to govern the
area but also in rural areas and in next six months.
minority communities.
There will also be a milestone
"I want, in fact I expect, to be in the Senate. Lawmakers are
held accountable by the citizens expected to elect D em ocrat
of Oregon for making significant Peter Courtney to a fifth straight
progress toward that goal during term as Senate President. No
my term," he said.
body has ever been Senate presi
The state House of Repre dent longer than four terms - a
sentatives will be evenly split record held by several former
b etw e en R e p u b lic a n s and senators, including Kitzhaber.
Democrats, with 30 members
Kitzhaber's third gubernato
John Kitzhaber is returning to public life to once again lead
each. With no tie-breaking pro rial election was his closest. He
Oregon as Governor.
vision, no piece of legislation can d e fe a te d R e p u b lic an C hris
working with a Legislature that get situation.
get to Kitzhaber's desk without Dudley, a pol i tical newcomer and
could be on course for gridlock.
Oregon spends too much on support from both parties.
former professional basketball
Kitzhaber's inaugural address fixing problems after they've
Kitzhaber is continuing domi player, with 49 percent of the
focused largely on the economy arisen — on prisons, courts, fos- nance of the governor's office vote, compared to 48 percent for
and the state's precarious bud- ter care and other services — by the Democratic Party, which Dudley.
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I teach a B ollyw ood
dance class on cam pus,
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School Boundary
Changes Proposed
After more than a year of
analysis, Portland Public Schools
is addressing both low enroll
ment and overcrowding in some
of the K-8 schools that feed into
Grant High School.
District official say the goal is
to serve area students better. In
particular, the school district is
focusing on low enrollment in
grades 6-8 at Sabin PK-8 School;
low neighborhood enrollment at
Beaumont Middle School; over
crowding at Alameda Elemen
tary School; and space concerns
at Sabin.
A boundary advisory com
mittee — composed of parents
from each o f the a ffe c te d
schools, neighborhood associa
tion members and district s ta ff-
met in December to help PPS
develop a series of options.
The entire community is in
vited to learn about and com
ment on the options at a meeting
Thursday, Jan. 13 from 6 p.m. to
8 p.m. at Beaumont, 4043 N.E.
Fremont St.
The school board is scheduled
to consider boundary changes
during a board session on Mon
day, Jan. 24. Any changes would
take effect in the fall and would
not affect current students or their
siblings, school officials said.
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