A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2022
STATE
Brown pushes social issues in final year as governor
BY PETER WONG
Oregon Capital Bureau
Gov. Kate Brown called on
lawmakers to approve more
money for job training, low-
er-cost housing and child care
in her final state of the state ad-
dress Thursday, Feb. 3.
In her seven years as chief
executive, Brown has governed
during the 2020 Labor Day
wildfires that devastated Ore-
gon, racial justice protests and
a coronavirus pandemic that
sent the state’s economy into a
tailspin — but now is at near re-
cord-low unemployment.
“Too many Oregonians have
struggled to find good-paying
careers,” she said, particularly
the poor, people of color and
rural residents who have not
shared in the recovery. “Our
economy is strong, and we must
keep it humming. Most impor-
tantly, we have to make sure that
every Oregonian feels it.”
Brown renewed her call for
$200 million for Future Ready
Oregon — a plan to target job
training in health care, con-
struction and manufacturing
— plus $400 million more for
housing initiatives and $100
million more for child care.
Although governors usu-
ally deliver state of the state
addresses to a joint session of
the Legislature or another live
audience, the pandemic has
forced Brown to do so virtu-
ally the past two years.
One more year
Brown was secretary of state
when, seven years ago this
month, she succeeded John
Kitzhaber, who resigned under
pressure amid an ethics scan-
dal just 38 days into his fourth
term. (There was a 12-year
gap between his second and
third terms). Brown is barred
by term limits from running
again this year; she will leave
office Jan. 9, 2023.
“In my last year as governor, I
view every day, every moment,
as one more opportunity to fo-
cus on the big and bold work
we still have to do for Oregon’s
working families,” she said.
“I am dedicated to building
a strong workforce for Oregon.
I will bolster that workforce by
providing access to child care
so that parents can go to work
knowing their kids are cared
for. And I will marshal my col-
leagues to once again make a
significant investment in af-
fordable housing. These three
Dave Killen/The Oregonian, File
Oregon Governor Kate Brown spoke at a “Reopening Oregon” celebra-
tion at Providence Park on June 30, 2021. Gov. Brown gave her final
state of the state address on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022.
investments work together to
ensure every working family
can thrive.”
She has called for spending
of an unanticipated $1.5 billion
in tax collections generated by
a strong economy. But she and
legislative leaders have agreed
to set aside $500 million, mostly
from federal pandemic recovery
funds, to balance the 2023-25
budget. That budget will be put
together mostly while Brown is
still governor, although her suc-
cessor will have until Feb. 1 to
propose changes.
Brown also touched on the
private accords, which she and
her staff mediated between the
timber industry and environ-
mental advocates to resolve
disputes going back four de-
cades over the fate of 10 million
acres of Oregon’s forests. Both
sides agreed to protect sensi-
tive species and create a habitat
conservation plan. Brown has
asked for $35 million to start
work on streamside habitat, plus
$121 million to sever the link
between the Elliott State Forest
and the Common School Fund,
earnings from which are dis-
tributed to schools. The State
Land Board seeks to transfer the
south coast acreage to Oregon
State University for a publicly
owned research forest.
Pandemic affects popularity
Brown has the lowest pop-
ularity ratings of any of the
nation’s governors, although
other recent Oregon governors
such as Republican Vic Atiyeh
and Democrats John Kitzhaber
and Ted Kulongoski also saw
sharp declines late in their
second terms. One factor has
been state coronavirus restric-
tions, which have drawn sharp
public criticism and even Cap-
itol protests. State police troop-
ers turned away all but a hand-
ful of unmasked people who
sought to enter the Capitol as
the Legislature opened its 2022
session on Tuesday.
Brown lifted most of her ex-
ecutive orders on COVID on
June 30. But her emergency
authority remains in place, as
does a requirement for wear-
ing masks indoors.
More than 6,000 Oregonians
have died of COVID-19. But
Brown said it could have been
far worse:
“Oregon has fared better
than most,” she said. “We re-
main third in the nation for
lowest cumulative case counts.
If our response to COVID
matched that of the average
state, more than 4,000 Orego-
nians wouldn’t be with us to-
day. We continue to be among
the top states for getting shots
in arms and administering
boosters.
“And all three branches of
government came together to
get money to renters in need. In
less than a year, we have helped
more than 90,000 Oregonians
stay safely in their homes.
“That’s not to say it hasn’t
been hard. It has been utterly
heartbreaking at times.”
But Brown — who said last
week she does not plan to en-
dorse a candidate in the May
17 Democratic primary —
had a closing message.
“To all the future governors
of our state. To the elected lead-
ers who will come next. To our
future business and community
leaders, and youth who will fol-
low our footsteps. Let me leave
you with this: find the opportu-
nity, even in times of crisis. Es-
pecially in times of crisis.
“That’s how we continue on
this journey of transformational
change for Oregon. That’s how
we pursue justice. That’s how
we heal divides and collabo-
rate in ways that serve our state.
That’s how we honor this beau-
tiful place we call home.”
Nike co-founder donates $250,000 to Betsy Johnson campaign
Knight contributed $2.5
million directly to Buehler’s
campaign. When Buehler left
Nike co-founder Phil
the Republican party and an-
Knight threw his wallet
nounced his endorsement of
into the 2022 political ring
Johnson on Dec. 15, specula-
on Thursday, Feb. 3, giving
tion grew whether Knight’s fi-
$250,000 to Betsy Johnson’s
nancial support would follow.
campaign for governor.
Christine Drazan, the for-
Knight’s contribution made
the biggest splash into a grow- mer House Republican leader
ing pool of campaign cash for from Canby who gave up her
2022 campaigns for governor. seat to run for governor, said
fundraising is a constantly
Fundraising for other cam-
moving target depending on
paigns falls under Oregon’s
what opponents are receiv-
open-ended financing laws
that allow contributions of any ing and the ability of some to
self-finance their efforts.
size to candidates as long as
During a Wednesday cam-
they are reported to the Secre-
paign stop in Madras, Drazan
tary of State.
The numbers so far are just said she had no set goal be-
yond the $1 million that she
a drop in a possible flood of
has raised so far.
cash. The 2018 race won by
“Whatever it takes, we will
Gov. Kate Brown over Repub-
raise it,” she said.
lican Knute Buehler, the for-
Fueling the raising and
mer state representative from
spending machines are the ab-
Bend, generated almost $40
sence of an incumbent on the
million in contributions.
BY GARY A. WARNER
Oregon Capital Bureau
ballot for the first time since
2010. Brown cannot run again
because of term limits.
As of this week, the gov-
ernor’s race has attracted 31
candidates: 15 Republicans, 13
Democrats, two non-affiliated
and one Independent.
That’s not counting Dem-
ocrat Nicholas Kristof, the
ex-New York Times colum-
nist who was knocked off the
ballot when Secretary of State
Shemia Fagan determined he
didn’t meet the residency re-
quirement to run.
While Kristof ’s status is in
limbo, his fundraising has
continued non-stop. He’s
raised just over $198,000
since Jan. 1.
Adding to the final mon-
ey-spending binge is the like-
lihood of a three-way race
in November between the
winners of the Democratic
and Republican primaries in
Rich, poor,
old, young.
Compassion
doesn’t
discriminate.
Our calling is you.
May, and Johnson, who can
wait to see who survives the
crowded field.
Under Oregon campaign
law, she won’t be on the ballot
in the May primary. She must
collect nearly 25,000 valid
signatures of Oregon voters
to submit to the secretary of
state by the end of August. If
the signatures are verified, she
would go on the November
general election ballot as an
unaffiliated candidate.
Johnson leads the pack with
just under $3.58 million in the
bank. Along with Knight’s con-
tribution, she also reported re-
ceiving $100,000 on Wednes-
day, Feb. 2, from Columbia
Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle.
In the Democratic primary
field, former House Speaker
Tina Kotek, D-Portland, has
reported $908,202 in the bank.
Labor union political action
committees were the biggest
givers so far in 2022, with
$50,000 from the PAC of the
Laborers’ International Union
of North America and $15,000
from the union-backed Ore-
gonians to Maintain Commu-
nity Standards, which lists its
goal as ensuring a living wage
for Oregon workers.
Kotek also received $10,000
from the Portland operation
of international digital mar-
keting agency Moda Partners,
whose main headquarters is
in Nelson, British Columbia.
Contributions of $5,000 each
came from Rick Dillon and
Ron Odermott, Washington
state residents who are execu-
tives with the Avemere Fam-
ily of Companies, a Wilson-
ville-based operator of skilled
nursing and senior living fa-
cilities.
Treasurer Tobias Read has
$478,178. Oregon does not re-
quire candidates to file fund-
raising and spending reports
until 30 days after transac-
tions. Read’s 2022 information
is limited to the first few days
of the year. His largest recent
contribution was $10,000 from
New York City investor Peter
Joseph on Dec. 31 of last year.
Nick Kristof has just under
$1.88 million in the bank and
reported recent major con-
tributions of $10,000 from
Rice University lecturer Anne
Chao and $10,000 from Seat-
tle-based Women in Sustain-
able Enterprise.
On the Republican side,
Drazan has $851,949 in the
bank and has recent large con-
tributions of $150,000 from
Team Management Co. in
Keizer, $30,000 from CPM
Development Corp. in Spo-
kane, and $25,000 for Thomas
Tuttle of San Francisco, a
principal with Veritas Man-
aged Solutions.
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