Maybe in better times Oregonians could accept
a governor's race marked by partisan dirt-throwing and highlighted by a few
million dollars in negative ads brought to you by the selfless Grand Ronde
tribes.
But not now. That won't do in a state with a tax system that drives away
investment and savings. It won't do in a place where everyone sees that
Oregon schools and universities cannot meet today's needs, let alone
tomorrow's, and yet no one is prepared to do what's necessary to change
that.
Oregon has issues, and the governor's race during the next five and a half
months must have them, too. This election must not be just a daily exchange
about who is too liberal, too conservative or too whatever, followed by
vague promises of "change," as if all Oregon needs is a different face in
Salem.
Oregon needs a real debate about its problems. It needs Ted Kulongoski, Ron
Saxton and Ben Westlund to raise their games to a much higher level than
we've seen so far this election year. This state isn't going anywhere if the
dominant questions remain whether Saxton is more conservative than he was
four years ago, whether Westlund is more Democrat or more Republican, or
whether Kulongoski can cut public pensions and still be a "good Democrat."
Please. This state is long overdue for an honest, intelligent debate about
taxes, education, energy and health care. Oregon is more likely to see that
kind of debate if Westlund gets into the race. If you get a chance to sign
Westlund's nominating petition, do it.
On taxes, the candidates must either defend the current system that is
killing investment in this state and leaving it desperately vulnerable to
another recession, or describe a better, fairer, more stable tax structure.
It's not enough, either, to simply call, as Saxton has, for eliminating the
state's high capital gains tax. What then?
On education, how do the candidates propose getting more money into
classrooms and university lecture halls? You'll hear the candidates chant
about cutting bureaucracy and administration, but Oregon's been hacking away
at that for years. Saxton has some ideas about contracting out services.
Kulongoski keeps talking about stable funding. Neither seems likely to push
much new money into classrooms.
On energy, what are the candidates' ideas to spur greater production and use
of renewable energy? Kulongoski has proposed a renewable energy standard to
increase demand for wind, biomass and other renewal fuels. Saxton has not
talked much about energy, except for jawboning about high gas prices.
On health care, which candidates are serious about tackling the issues of
skyrocketing health care costs and the growing rate of uninsured in Oregon?
Westlund is pushing initiatives that would make health care a constitutional
right in Oregon and increase the cigarette tax to pay for coverage for
uninsured kids. Kulongoski has endorsed the cigarette tax and has tossed out
other health care ideas. Saxton is proposing health savings accounts and
tort reform.
These are the great unresolved public policy issues of our time in Oregon,
even as the debate roars on about gay marriage, abortion and immigration. An
entire generation of Oregon political candidates has only papered over the
big issues. That just won't do any longer.
