News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
John Kitzhaber made a campaign stop in Sisters on Tuesday, September 7, in his quest to become the once-and-future governor of Oregon.
The fundraising dinner held at FivePine Conference Center was unusual in a couple of respects. First, Sisters is not a major market for a candidate trailing in the race to build a campaign war chest. More importantly, the format of the $125-a-plate event was not simply a stump speech: Kitzhaber fielded questions from the audience.
In his opening remarks, the candidate emphasized that the priority is "how we get the private-sector economy back on its feet." He believes the state can capitalize on the emerging "green economy" and the development of a biomass industry in Oregon.
He argued that Oregon is spending more and more declining resources on social services and public safety and less and less on families and education, which he sees as putting the state on a "course toward more dysfunction."
"We have to use the next two years to change our trajectory," he said.
He argues that, with state revenues down, it is urgent that the state learn to "invest differently" in an effort to come through the current fiscal crisis with a greater sense of unity in Oregon.
"If you can't do it in Oregon, I don't think you can do it in the USA," he said.
Each table at the event collaborated to draft one question for the candidate. Most questions focused on the economy and on education, which the candidate frequently linked in his description of his priorities.
The first question asked how the state can create a stable tax base. Kitzhaber opined that "there's a direct relationship from heavy reliance on the income tax to these boom-bust cycles."
Kitzhaber has long advocated a sales tax, and said "that debate will begin if I'm elected within the first term.
"We have to modify the kicker law, that I think is an anachronism," he said.
The kicker law is a rebate to taxpayers in times of revenue surplus. Kitzhaber argues that a "rainy day fund" would have allowed the state to more readily weather the economic slide.
In response to questions about education, Kitzhaber advocated a more holistic approach to education budgeting, recognizing education as a continuum beginning in preschool and going through post-high-school training or education.
He argues that state funding needs to be refined from the current enrollment-based system.
"The financial health of the Sisters School District is based on how many students are enrolled in school, not necessary on how well those students are being served," he said.
The candidate touched upon his long-standing advocacy for investment in early childhood development, which, he argues, creates savings in education and social services down the line.
While the questions were friendly - the event being a fundraiser for Kitzhaber's campaign - some were challenging. One table asked how Kitzhaber would deal with unions. While rejecting the portrayal of public employees as villains in the state's fiscal crisis, he said that they would have to face changes in benefit structures that would more closely reflect life in the private sector.
"I think it's very important for us to realize that the unions didn't cause the global recession," he said. "When you look at the (Oregon) deficit, one-third of it is compensation - but two-thirds of it isn't.
"I honor public employees. I think the jobs they do are important, whether they are teachers or firefighters, and we need to recognize that. But (they) need to be part of the solution."
Kitzhaber discussed energy policy and referred people to http://www.johnkitzhaber.com for detailed policy papers. He also pledged to continue a dialogue to reduce the perception that Oregon is inhospitable to business.
He noted that both proponents of tax measures 66 and 67 and opponents fostered hostile messages that "were not helpful" - with opponents portraying public employees as villains and proponents portraying business people and people of higher income as greedy.
"We've created these days divisions between the public and the private sector, and they simply have to be healed," he said.
The event was hosted by Sisters developer Bill Willitts and former Deschutes County Sheriff Les Stiles. Dinner and dessert were created by TR and Jennifer McCrystal of Thyme restaurant.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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