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Tina Kotek: A track record to count on


Homelessness, soaring prices, crime, addiction, wildfires, drought – we all know things are tough. I’m running for governor because I’m a problem solver. I believe in Oregon and what it can be. I will do everything I can to find solutions and to make things better.

The three major candidates for governor have all been legislative leaders. We’ve all had the opportunity to take on big problems. But too many times, when things got tough in the Capitol, neither of my opponents brought forward solutions. Instead, they distinguished themselves by voting “no” or walking off the job.

That is not the kind of leadership we need if we want to turn things around. For me, public service has always been about listening to people and doing the hard work to tackle complex challenges.

I started my career 20 years ago at Oregon Food Bank. My job was to hear directly from folks all over the state who were struggling, many of them working multiple jobs and still needing help to feed their families. Now, with rising prices for gas, groceries and prescription drugs, I know what those kitchen table conversations sound like.

As Oregon’s House speaker, I was able to get big things done. But I don’t rest on my laurels. As governor, I will bring the vision, values and track record that’s needed to turn things around.

Over the last few years, I sounded the alarm about Oregon’s housing crisis, and I fought successfully to get funding and policy changes that increased shelter capacity, rent assistance, eviction protections, affordable housing construction and homeownership.

And there’s so much more to do. As governor, I will end unsheltered homelessness for the most vulnerable people living on our streets, especially veterans and seniors. We will build more housing and expand access to mental health and addiction services.

When Oregonians struggled during and after the Great Recession, I fought to raise the minimum wageguarantee paid sick leave and start a paid family leave program. As governor, I will protect families from the rising cost of living, support small businesses and strengthen opportunities for community college and job training.

When Donald Trumpthreatened to outlaw abortion, I passed the nation’s strongest abortion access law, protecting Oregonians despite the eventual overturning of Roe vs. Wade. As governor, I will defend and expand access to reproductive health care.

As our nation grappled with mass shootings, I led the effort to expand criminal background checks for firearm purchases, pass a safe storage law, and prohibit convicted domestic abusers from buying guns. In contrast, both Christine Drazan and Betsy Johnson have earned “A” ratings from the NRA in recent years.

As governor, I will make sure we have more state troopers to serve rural communities, partner with the federal government to fight the drug cartels and make sure we have more training classes to speed up getting new officers on our streets.

After decades of underfunding education, I fought to pass the Student Success Act and invest $1 billion more every year into our schools. As governor, I will make sure these funds are achieving the promised outcomes: fully funding career and technical education, improving graduation rates, supporting student mental health and helping every child succeed.

And with record heat and raging wildfires, I am the only candidate willing to stand up to corporate polluters and combat climate change. I put Oregon on a path to 100% clean electricity by 2040, and as governor, I will protect our environment and create good-paying jobs in clean energy.

My track record shows that I can bring people together to make real progress. That’s why I am the only candidate endorsed by trusted organizations including Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon, the Oregon Nurses Association and Moms Demand Action.

We have so much more work to do together. I’ll never stop fighting for Oregonians until we get the job done.

Tina’s op-ed can also be found here.

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