Oregon gubernatorial election, 2018

Economy & Jobs
Kate is fighting to make Oregon a place where everyone can lead a good life and raise a family. During her time as governor, the Oregon economy has become one of the fastest growing in the country and unemployment levels hit an all-time low.

TRANSPORTATION THAT MOVES OREGON FORWARD Kate is proud to have passed a monumental $5.3 billion transportation package to create thousands of jobs, fix up Oregon’s aging transportation infrastructure, connect people to school and jobs through public transit improvements, and address the statewide issue of traffic congestion.

Expected to create 16,000 jobs, Kate worked with businesses, community leaders, and legislators from across the aisle to invest in Oregon’s transportation future and make essential seismic upgrades to our roads and bridges. This package also includes the first-ever dedicated funding source for public transit and bicycle infrastructure, and invests in safe routes to school for Oregon’s students and teachers.

EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESSES Small businesses are the backbone of Oregon’s economy, creating 70 percent of new jobs in the state. We can encourage job growth by giving small business owners and emerging entrepreneurs the tools they need to expand. Kate dedicated almost $5 million dollars in 2017 to give Oregon’s innovators and small business owners the running start they deserve. These projects are expected to create or retain nearly 1,800 jobs.

Going forward, Kate will continue helping small businesses across Oregon thrive by cutting red tape. With the input of her Small Business Advisory Cabinet of business leaders from across the state, Kate is advancing policies that offer small businesses important tools such as mentorship programs, access to capital, and support for entrepreneurs in rural and underserved communities. Following the devastating wildfire season of 2017, our Governor formed a Economic Recovery Council to give resources and tools to small businesses that will help them get back on their feet after a difficult summer season.

BUILDING INNOVATIVE AND SAFE NEW INDUSTRIES IN OREGON Kate became governor just after the voters passed marijuana legalization. Since then, the Oregon cannabis industry has grown to make up around 12,500 jobs that bring in $315 million in wages. This industry has careful regulatory requirements that ensures clean and safe distribution of the product. Kate recently signed a bill that requires the comprehensive tracking of all marijuana grown for sale from seed to store.

Kate reached out to federal partners in her work to protect Oregon's legal marijuana system. She knows that all levels of government must continue to work together to ensure a safe and successful marijuana market for Oregon communities.

Additionally, Oregon forests grow the most desirable species for use in Cross Laminated Timber wood products. As the market for this building material grows, it creates a great opportunity for both rural and urban Oregon. Our state is at the forefront of a supply chain for an emerging technology, and we can leverage this opportunity to grow our a robust and globally connected, statewide economy.

PROTECTING OREGON WORKERS As governor, Kate passed a first-in-the-nation worker’s protection bill to ensure fair scheduling practice in the workplace of key industries. This law allows working Oregonians to have a predictable schedule that allows them to plan for medical appointments and childcare.

Kate also shepherded in a historic raise in the state’s minimum wage, because no one working full time should have to live in poverty. She championed paid sick leave so workers can stay home when they are sick, or their child is sick, without losing their paycheck.

Kate will continue to stand with working families by supporting policies that help give opportunities to all Oregonians.

Government Efficiency
Kate became governor at a time when Oregonians’ faith in their state government was badly shaken by the scandal and resignation of her predecessor. But upon taking office, she brought a steady hand to guide state government through a difficult time. Kate has already done more to improve transparency in state government than any other governor in Oregon’s history.

Just as families have to keep to a budget to make ends meet, so does state government. That’s why Kate has taken bold actions to tighten belts and trim costs during her administration.

"Let’s be clear: the state needs to deliver quality public services efficiently and affordably. Oregonians deserve to know that every cent of their money is being spent wisely and that state government is accountable to them. " - Governor Kate Brown

EFFICIENT USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS Kate grew up in a middle class family, and knows what it’s like to live on a budget. Under her leadership, Oregon implemented measures to slim down government spending through increasing efficiency practices -- like not filling jobs that aren’t needed and renegotiating the rents that state agencies pay -- to save over $200 million dollars of taxpayer dollars. Kate even tightened the belt in her own shop, returning hundreds of thousands of dollars that the Governor’s Office didn’t need.

As of June 30, 2016, there was $3.3 billion in uncollected state debt. Kate signed a bill that streamlines returns some of these funds and makes our debt collection process more accountable.

The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is a complex area that Kate has worked on. She convened a Task Force to review and propose options for making up to $5 billion in payments toward PERS costs. Made up of a diverse group of stakeholders, this group is considering the most cost-effective methods to save money while still remaining committed to our Oregon values.

IMPROVING TRANSPARENCY Since taking office in 2015, Kate has transformed the way government works by passing the most significant transparency reforms in Oregon in 40 years. For the first time in decades, the culture across state government is changing to let employees know they are being held accountable to the public in everything they do.

Since taking office, Kate has taken these actions to make government more transparent:

• Shared hundreds of thousands pages of documents with the public, accessible online.

• Established an online public records system so that all Oregonians can see how their government works.

• Created the Public Records Advocate to settle public records disputes between the public and the government, as well as ordered agencies to standardize practices for releasing information.

• For the first time in Oregon’s history, Kate hired a full time attorney to process public records requests.

MAKING VOTING EASIER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN EVER Kate believes your voice is your vote, and every voice matters. She is working to break down barriers so every eligible Oregonian can register to vote and cast their ballot. As Secretary of State, she developed groundbreaking legislation to create the nation’s first automatic voter registration system - also known as the Motor Voter program - which she proudly signed into law as governor. This system has since automatically added over 200,000 eligible voters to the rolls.

Kate will continue working to ensure voting in Oregon is simple, secure, and accessible for all eligible voters.

Healthcare
Every Oregonian deserves to have a doctor they can count on and healthcare they can afford. For too long too many Oregonians have gone without the medical coverage they need. Under Kate’s leadership, access to coverage has been expanded to 94% of adults and 100% of children in Oregon.

But there’s still more work to do. For as long as Kate is Oregon’s governor, she will fight to protect this progress and help keep Oregonians healthy.

“It is our duty to ensure that Oregon children have the tools to grow into healthy adults. It’s our duty to ensure they have access to education, health care, and a bright future.” - Governor Kate Brown

KEEPING KIDS AND SENIORS HEALTHY Medicare and Medicaid programs provide care for more than one million Oregonians, and Kate championed legislation to protect funding for the people who receive health care, mental health assistance, or other critical services thanks to this program. Our governor has stood strong in the face of federal attacks on healthcare, and directed her agencies to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) when Congressional inaction threatened to leave over 80,000 Oregon kids and families without access to healthcare.

Kate has long been an advocate for children and families, and believes no family should ever have to choose between buying groceries and a doctor’s appointment for their child. That’s why she took action to pass “Cover All Kids” in 2017, ensuring that every child in Oregon has access to the healthcare they need to stay healthy, learn, and play.

TAKING ON A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS Oregon has one of the highest rates of prescription opioid misuse in the nation, and this health crisis can have dangerous effects on Oregon families and communities. Kate believes that Oregon needs to act quickly and effectively to address this issue.

She has brought together an Opioid Task Force that is responsible for identifying and implementing efforts to address the growing opioid misuse and abuse across the state. For those that already experience addiction, Kate has made the life-saving antidote Naloxone more easily available to the public through 2017 legislation.

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Oregon became the first state in the nation to guarantee reproductive health care services for Oregonians without any out of pocket costs. From cancer screenings to postpartum care, Kate believes that Oregon’s women deserve full access and choice of services without restrictive policy contracts or co-pays. While Washington DC politicians threaten healthcare options for women, Kate will continue to protect the progress that we have made to make reproductive healthcare accessible in Oregon.

Education
As a family law attorney advocating for children and their parents, Kate has been fighting for Oregon’s kids from cradle to career. As governor, Kate is investing in our schools to keep students on track to graduate from high school with a plan for their future – and ready for college, job training, or the world of work. That's why she announced her plan to create a seamless system of education, from cradle to career.

INVESTING IN OREGON’S FUTURE Oregon’s economy needs a strong and skilled workforce to grow and Kate knows that isn’t possible without a strong education system. That’s why Kate has made education one of her top priorities as governor, passing the largest education budget in Oregon’s history to help reduce class sizes and put more tools in the classroom. This included funding all-day kindergarten statewide for the first time ever, making sure every child has a strong foundation to learn and grow. Kate understands that great teachers change lives, and that’s why she created the Council on Educator Advancement to make sure our educators have the tools and training they need to support student success.

Kate will continue to fight for the resources necessary to make sure every student enters school ready to learn, and stays engaged and on track throughout their education.

MORE GRADUATES, MORE CAREER OPTIONS Kate is passionate about improving high school graduation rates and finding ways to awaken students to the power of their own potential. She appointed an Education Innovation Officer that is building strategies to keep students engaged and on track to earn their high school diplomas. Kate dedicated $170 million to career technical education programs across the state, offering students hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them for jobs, expose them to new technologies, and keep kids excited to come to school each day.

Oregon is seeing results from Kate's commitment to students. During her time as governor, four-year high school graduation rates have increased by 4.7% overall. For students of color, special education and migrant students, the rate has increased by more than 7%.

But she's not done yet. In 2017 Kate announced Future Ready Oregon, a skill and job training initiative for students and adults that will support students on their path towards graduation and beyond. Future Ready Oregon is designed to close the skills gap between the skills Oregon’s workers have and the skills that the state's growing businesses need.

MAKING COLLEGE AFFORDABLE A college degree or job training can be essential to landing a good-paying job - but for many Oregonians, the cost of school has pushed those opportunities out of reach. In 2015, Kate expanded Oregon Opportunity Grants to an additional 16,000 students attending Oregon colleges and universities. Under her leadership, she clarified eligibility standards and added $28 million more in funding for the Oregon Promise program, which allows low-income students to attend community college for as little as $50 per semester.

Environment
Kate is committed to conserving the beauty and bounty of Oregon for generations to come. Oregon is a special place, and as governor, Kate is fighting to protect our land, water, and air. She is standing up to Washington politicians who have walked away from America’s commitment to combat climate change and is working to make Oregon a national leader in clean energy, reducing emissions, and conservation.

“Our generation will be judged not on the fact of climate change, but how we responded to it. We must fight to protect what makes Oregon special.” – Governor Kate Brown CLEAN AIR & WATER FOR EVERY OREGONIAN Clean air and water are fundamental to the Oregon way of life. Kate signed bills requiring engine upgrades for school buses, instituting mining protections for river habitats statewide, and established the Cleaner Air Oregon program. She also implemented new regulations to protect educators, staff, and students from environmental hazards in school facilities, holding every Oregon school district accountable to test for toxins and share test results with the public.

LEADING THE FIGHT ON CLIMATE CHANGE When politicians in Washington D.C. turned its back on the landmark Paris Climate Agreement, Kate stepped up in their place. Under her leadership, Kate will continue the fight to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support innovation that reduces Oregon’s reliance on fossil fuels. Oregon may be a small part of the global problem of climate change, but by working together, we can be a large part of the national solution.

Oregon became the first state to envision a future without coal-powered electricity when Kate signed the nation’s first “coal-to-clean” law, which will completely phase out dirty coal power by 2030 and double Oregon’s reliance on renewable energy by 2040. Since taking office in 2015, she has defended and implemented the clean fuels program which gives consumers more fuel options and reduces pollution from cars and trucks stood up to Big Oil and signed a law that bolsters the use of cleaner-burning vehicle fuels in Oregon.

Climate change threatens Oregon’s economy, contributes to raging wildfires, and threatens our Oregon way of life. Kate continues to lead on climate: Oregon can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy by shifting to clean energy technologies.

PROTECTING PUBLIC LANDS Oregon boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes and natural wonders in the world - and we must be careful to protect it. When some of the worst wildfires in state history struck Oregon, Kate met with firefighters, activated National Guard members, and implemented every tool possible to address the fires.

Kate is passionate about protecting public lands, and put herself on the line to keep the Elliott State Forest in public ownership. She also is working to defend the biodiverse Cascade-Siskiyou’s status as a National Monument, working directly with the Secretary of the Interior to protect this priceless region.

There’s no better way to develop a strong connection to nature and a passion for its conservation than spending time outdoors. That’s why following a ballot measure passed by the voters, Kate approved full funding of Outdoor School for every Oregon sixth-grader. This connection is an important part of growing up in Oregon, and Kate will continue to find ways for more young people to develop that kinship with the natural world.

Public Safety
In the time since Kate was sworn in as governor, more than 600 Oregonians have died from violence inflicted with a gun - more than 100 of those due to homicidal violence. After meeting with families of victims in the Umpqua Community College shooting, she vowed to do whatever she could to prevent a such an event from happening again.

Kate is proactively working to make Oregon a safer place to live by introducing new common sense gun safety legislation, increasing access to affordable housing, and diversifying leadership to ensure Oregonians are treated fairly and have equal access to justice.

“Violence answers nothing, offers nothing, solves nothing. If we want to end violence, we must instill hope and create opportunity. I call on each of us, as Oregonians and as Americans, to join this call to end gun violence now." – Governor Kate Brown COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY While Congress has continually failed to take action on common sense gun safety, Oregon is moving forward. Following the 2018 shooting in Parkland, Florida, Kate's leadership made Oregon the first state to take action to prevent senseless gun violence since the tragedy. She continued her previous work to close loopholes in Oregon law by preventing all convicted stalkers and domestic violence offenders from buying and keeping guns.

Under Kate’s leadership, Oregon became one of only eight states and D.C. to require background checks on private gun sales. Kate refuses to sit idly by while innocent Americans lose their lives to senseless acts of violence. In 2017, she signed into law the Extreme Risk Protection Order. Too often families and friends see certain warning signs in their loved ones before they commit an act of gun violence. This bill gives Oregonians a tool to keep our communities safer, by keeping guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others.

In the future, Kate will continue to make progress on common sense gun safety by supporting legislation that will ensure dangerous people cannot obtain a gun simply because authorities were unable to complete the background check within the current timelines, as happened in the tragic case of the mass shooting in a church in Charleston, South Carolina.

SMART ON CRIME AND JUSTICE REINVESTMENT As governor, Kate enacted legislation that created a task force to assess racial profiling in Oregon’s justice system and then implement reforms and data tracking to improve practices that unfairly target communities of color. She also has worked with public safety officials to provide justice reinvestment programs for Oregonians with non-violent crimes. These programs will keep Oregon from needing to open a new women’s prison, save thousands of taxpayer dollars, offer drug treatment, and keep more families together.

Kate will continue to fight for more diversity in Oregon’s government and justice system, as well as stand up for equal treatment of all Oregonians.

Equality & Social Justice
Kate has dedicated her career to being a voice for the voiceless, so that every Oregonian is supported by their community and has an equal opportunity to lead a good life.

Kate has a proven record of championing policies for equality and social justice throughout her career, and will continue being a leading advocate as Governor.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY WOMAN “I know what it feels like to be paid less — substantially less — than the male lawyer in the office next to me. This is not just about power. This is about making sure women are not discriminated against because of their gender, because of their race or because of their sexual orientation." – Governor Kate Brown

Every morning across Oregon, women open the doors at businesses they own, carpool the neighborhood kids to school, report for duty in the military, and do their part to make Oregon the place that we all love. Women are making strides like never before, but we still have a lot of work to do.

Kate started her career as a legal advocate for women and children and she has worked on policies to improve the health and wellness of Oregon women, including strengthening domestic violence laws and passing the Family and Medical Leave Act so that parents can take time off to care for their children without losing their job.

Equal pay deserves equal work, and yet women and minority communities are consistently paid less than their male counterparts. In 2017 Kate signed the nation’s most comprehensive Pay Equity bill into law, giving working Oregonians powerful protections against discrimination.

LIVING OPENLY AND WITH DIGNITY As the first openly bisexual governor in our nation's history, Kate has been a longtime outspoken advocate for LGBTQ equality. She has been open about times in her life where she had to hide this aspect of her identity to avoid discrimination, and has drawn on those experiences to inform her work on behalf of Oregonians.

As an elected official, Kate has passed bills to improve the privacy and process of changing the legal documents for transgender Oregonians, ban harmful conversion therapy, help LGBTQ veterans upgrade their unfair discharges from the military and fully recognize domestic partnerships in Oregon.

RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE As governor, Kate’s first priority is the public safety of all Oregonians. She has worked to keep immigrant families safe and with their loved ones, as well as address issues of racial profiling.

Oregon’s diverse communities have long been an essential part of our state’s community, culture, and economy. Minori Yasui, an Oregonian born to a Japanese immigrant family in Hood River, was forced into incarceration with his family due to Presidential Executive Order 9066, which required Japanese Internment. Yasui, a young lawyer, challenged this order because he believed it was unconstitutional. He was posthumously awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama, the only Oregonian to ever receive so high an honor.

As Mr. Yasui said, “If we believe in law and justice, then each of us, when we see or believe errors are being made, has an obligation to make every effort to correct them.” Kate has worked throughout her years of public service to follow this advice, as well as to engage, listen, and empower communities of color.

A SAFE PLACE TO SLEEP FOR EVERY OREGON FAMILY Governor Kate Brown's vision is that every Oregonian, in communities large and small, will have access to housing choices that allows them and their family to thrive. That's why as governor she's worked to build or preserve over 11,000 affordable homes across the state. Tens of thousands of Oregonians have a roof over their head because of this work.

Moving forward, she has proposed $370 million of state investments, focusing on housing stability for families with children, veterans, the chronically homeless, and rural communities. Read her full Housing Policy Plan here.^[29]

Education
Boost Student Achievement, Restore Hope and Graduation Rates, Solve the Classroom Funding Crisis, Extend CTE/STEM to All Students and Support Teachers

Governor Kate Brown The failing status quo For too long, Oregon’s elected leaders have tolerated too many poorperforming schools. Diminished expectations not only rob thousands of young Oregonians of a better shot at a brighter future; Oregon also has been denied the full potential of its greatest resource – talented young people ready for college, work, careers and the world. Undoubtedly, good things are happening in many schools across Oregon, but it is also undeniable that we are failing too many kids and families.

Under Governor Kate Brown, despite record funding levels and numerous attempts at state staff changes, Oregon schools and students today face a menacing triple-threat: an ongoing crisis in high school graduation levels, a lingering crisis in academic quality and a growing crisis in classroom funding.

A Student Achievement, Graduation Crisis Since 2015, roughly 25% of Oregon students have failed to graduate from high school on time and Oregon’s high school graduation rate has been ranked 48th or worse in the nation. That means nearly 7,000 young Oregonians who should have graduated each year from high school since Kate Brown took office – did not. And that’s just the average. Among communities of color, the graduation crisis is even more alarming – with roughly 30% of students failing to graduate on time.

A Quality Crisis In addition to an intolerable graduation rate, Oregon ranks low for academic achievement and quality. The Education Week Research Center gives Oregon a “D” and Education Week’s Quality Counts project ranks Oregon 34th in the nation for educational quality. Oregon has the dubious distinction of having one of the shortest school years along with some of highest absentee rates and largest class sizes in America.

A Classroom Funding Crisis On average, Oregon currently spends $12,833 per K-12 student – 21st in the nation. Under Governor Brown, Oregon has never spent more per pupil on K-12 education, adjusted for inflation, up more than 10% in the last five years.

Unfortunately, while spending for K-12 is on the rise, school districts across Oregon continue to face cuts in teaching positions and critical education programs. This is Oregon’s classroom funding crisis. The cause is runaway pension and health insurance costs – with no relief in sight because Governor Brown has refused to pursue real, cost-saving reforms. Brown stonewalled reforms even in the face of PERS assessments that consumed almost half of new K-12 spending in her 2017-19 budget.

Those assessments are costing teachers their jobs and children the opportunity for a better education. Last year, for example, the Beaverton School District received a $21 million increase in state funding but still faced the prospect of cutting 300 teaching positions to finance $14 million in new state pension costs. The district ultimately went to voters with a tax levy to help save the teaching positions. The Salem-Keizer School District, the state’s second-largest district, received $31 million in additional state funding, but its state pension assessment jumped by $10 million, so they were forced to eliminate 67 teaching positions.

Statewide, by 2023-25, pension costs are projected to escalate more than 70% and will absorb, on average, more than 25% of the typical Oregon school district budget. Health insurance premium costs are expected to grow by 7% over the next two years and will soon consume 10% of the average school district budget. Simply put, under Governor Brown, Oregon’s classroom funding crisis has grown worse and she has demonstrated no political courage or leadership in seeking to solve it.

“As Governor, I’ll challenge the unacceptable status quo and restore high expectations. I’ll combine the best Republican, Independent and Democrat ideas to move Oregon schools from some of the lowest performing in the nation to some of the highest.” – Knute Buehler

Knute Buehler Independent leadership where Kate Brown has failed As Governor, Knute Buehler will make improving public education in Oregon his top priority by challenging the status quo, restoring high expectations, putting students first, and by pushing for evidence-based change, innovation and accountability from Oregon educators at all levels. He will combine the best Republican, Independent and Democrat ideas with the goal of moving Oregon from some of the lowest performing schools in the nation to some of the best within 5 years.

Unlike some Republicans, Knute believes we need both innovative academic reforms and more funding to boost the graduation rate and to achieve breakthroughs in overall student achievement. That’s why, in his first two K-12 education budgets as Governor (2019-21, 2021-23), he will propose a minimum of a 15% funding increase. In exchange, Governor Buehler will expect meaningful, bipartisan pension and health insurance reform legislation on his desk in both two-year budget cycles. Reversing Oregon’s student achievement and classroom funding crises will take at least two budget cycles and multiple bipartisan budget and legislative reforms.

5 Big Important Goals to Leap to the Top in Education

1. Advance From Bottom Five to Top Five in Five Years Advancing Oregon schools from some of lowest performing in the nation to some of the highest will require focusing state and local educators on achieving a handful of critical, evidence-based proficiency standards. These standards, combined with enhanced resources and professional development opportunities for teachers, are widely recognized as key ingredients for students graduating from high school on time and with the knowledge and skills needed to advance to a four-year college, a community college or the workplace. Governor Buehler will lead on education reform and student achievement where Kate Brown has failed.

Improved Education Standards Include:

1. By 2022, every child a proficient reader by 3rd grade

2. Triple the number of 7th grade English Language Learners who are English-proficient by (In 2015-16, only 12% of 6-8th grade English Language Learners were English proficient.)

3. Provide access to individual success plans or other targeted supports for every 9th-grade student, to ensure they are on-track

4. To better reflect the growing diverse student population, move toward one-third of classroom staff representing culturally and linguistically diverse

5. Repeal the standardized testing opt-out law in order to inform parents and hold schools accountable; make sure teachers have access to meaningful measures of progress that they can use in practice

6. Allow academically qualified high-school students to use K-12 dollars to enroll in college

Improved Teacher Supports Include:

1. Expand ongoing, individualized professional development opportunities, mentorships and other training for teachers and aides, especially in support of reading and language

2. Give each teacher a $250 debit card each year for unbudgeted classroom needs, to use at their own discretion.

3. Provide grant funds, based on demonstrated district need, for grade school reading

4. Eliminate certification barriers to allow teachers certified in another state or who are military spouses with experience teaching within the Department of Defense Education Activity system, one of the best K-12 systems in the world.

5. Direct the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission to encourage co-teaching training models in order to draw workforce experts to teaching without having to quit their jobs. For example: Make it easier for an automobile body shop worker to teach a body shop class, or a D. mathematician in the tech industry to teach high-level math.

6. Close staff diversity gaps through intentional recruitment from among under-represented populations, including a new, ROTC-style college scholarship program for prospective teachers.

2. Restore the Lost School Year It is well known and unfortunately has become too long accepted that Oregon has some of the shortest school years in the nation. On average, Oregon students have 165 days of classroom instruction each year. The national standard is 180 instructional days a year. Put another way, by the time the average student in Oregon graduates from high school, he or she will have had 180 total fewer schools days than a student in neighboring Washington state – that’s an entire school year less. It’s time to give Oregon students a complete, 12 years of education (plus kindergarten) instead of 11 years. Governor Buehler will lead to restore the lost school year where Kate Brown has failed.

1. Provide increased funding to buy back five days each year to reach 180 by 2021-22. Under current formulas, that means an additional investment of nearly $400 million a year in public K-12

2. Return to a consistent, five-day school week: Require staff training time to be scheduled to minimize instructional disruptions. No more “no-school ”

3. Pass a law requiring all school districts to implement a 180-day school year

4. To balance education opportunities with the ability to participate in summer camps and other pursuits outside of school, a 180-day school year should be from after Labor Day to mid-June.

3. Provide Career & Technical Education for Every Student Who Wants it Career and technical education (CTE/STEM) is proven to not only combat absenteeism and drop-out rates, it is a key ingredient in providing education opportunities to prepare students for jobs and careers that require specific hands- on knowledge and skills. There is increasing student interest, societal recognition and economic demand for well-paying skills and trade-based career paths in areas ranging from health care to technology and construction. The seeds of these future jobs and careers are planted and nurtured in middle- and high-school years. Oregon voters recognized the importance of career education when they approved Ballot Measure 98 by 66% in 2016. In her first budget, Governor Brown cut voter-approved funding for Ballot Measure 98 by 43% in her budget. Governor Buehler will lead for career and technical education where Kate Brown has failed.

1. Fully fund Measure 98 (currently just 57% funded).

2. Recruit non-traditional teachers for CTE/STEM fields. Reduce barriers to teaching certification for experienced CTE/STEM workers, emphasizing co- teaching and other techniques over full- time education studies, to enable non- traditional workers to pursue teaching on a part-time or apprenticeship basis while continuing another

3. Encourage school districts to engage with community based organizations and local industry to share CTE/STEM resources and expertise.

4. Solve Oregon’s Classroom Funding Crisis Improving education in Oregon requires stronger funding to support innovative classroom reforms. In his first two K-12 education budgets as Governor (2019-21, 2021-23), Knute will propose a minimum of a 15% funding increase, paired with essential cost-saving reforms to PERS and health benefits for all state and local government employees. In addition, according to PERS’ own actuaries, fair and legally permissible reforms would save up to $1.2 billion each biennium that could be redirected to classrooms. Simply piling more dollars into a broken and unreformed system will perpetuate Oregon’s classroom funding crisis that each year diverts a greater percentage of education dollars away from classroom learning to fund pension and health insurance obligations. Governor Knute Buehler will lead to solve Oregon’s classroom funding crisis where Kate Brown has failed.

1. Boost K-12 General Fund education budget by 15% in the 2019-21 and 2021-23 budgets.

2. Require that the legislature approve fair and legally permissible pension reforms that could redirect up to $1.2 billion to classrooms prior to signing any new spending bills. Cost-saving pension and health insurance reforms for all state and local government employees that would include at least the following features:

3. Protect pension benefits already

4. Cap salary amount used to calculate benefits at $100,000 per

5. Eliminate vacation and sick leave salary “spiking” for calculation of final-year

6. Require all state and local government employees to contribute toward their own retirement

7. Enroll all new employees in a 401(k)-type plan with a reasonable match and encourage current employees to opt into

8. Reform PEBB and OEBB health benefits to be comparable to health benefits offered by Oregon’s most desirable employers, such as Nike and Intel.

Require:

1. Employee contribution to premium on a sliding scale, based on ability to

2. Offer a partially funded Health Savings Account paired with a modest, HSA-qualifying

5. Modernize Funding and Contracts to Achieve Outcomes Spending for K-12 education is nearly 40% of the state General Fund budget. For most school districts, the state provides about half of total funding, with the balance coming from local and federal sources. With 198 school districts across Oregon, the challenge – and the opportunity – is to drive desired student improvement by reforming the state school funding formula to better reflect desired aspirations, goals and outcomes. The status quo of pumping more dollars into an inadequate and outdated formula, disconnected from cost, quality, performance and accountability is no longer acceptable. Governor Buehler will lead to modernize education funding and accountability where Kate Brown has failed.

1. Provide base funding to support 180 instructional days by 2021-22. Direct additional funding toward specific programs and activities that improve

2. School districts will be given global base budgets and a capped annual inflation target of 3.4% per year – the same target as the state’s giant Medicaid program. District labor agreements could not exceed the

3. Implement state-set parameters of “qualified economic offers” of total compensation (base pay plus district share of benefits costs), which would be within districts’ global budget limitation. An offer that provides an increase of at least CPI and not more than 3.4% is a “qualified offer” not subject to arbitration. In other words, local unions would have to accept qualified offers.

4. Districts could apply for multi-year grant funds in support of transformative activities or innovation pilots, awarded based on targeted uses and demonstrated financial

5. Make it illegal for any school district in Oregon to negotiate a contract that allows the purging or destruction of personnel files that could be critical in a future investigation.

Health Care
Restoring Leadership, Accountability & Innovation For a Healthier Oregon Oregon was once known as a leader in health care policy innovation and delivery. Unfortunately, today we’re known for scandals, lawsuits, mismanagement and waste. In recent years, despite significant increases in health care spending, the Oregon Health Authority has been defined by excessive management turnover, massive technology failures, a lack of accountability and tens of millions wasted that should have been spent providing care for those in need. And the next stage of Medicaid reform, aka “CCO 2.0,” has stalled out for lack of gubernatorial leadership.

Health care is a fundamental need, not a luxury. Given the ongoing changes and uncertainty surrounding federal health care policy and funding, it’s never been more important for Oregon policy makers, providers and insurers to recapture a sense of shared purpose, innovation and collaboration for a healthier Oregon.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will lead to ensure that every Oregonian has access to high-quality health care, and that every Oregon taxpayer has confidence their tax dollars are being carefully managed and invested to provide the best possible care for the greatest number of people at the lowest possible cost. Governor Buehler will lead on health care where Kate Brown has failed.

1. Reclaim Oregon’s National Leadership in Delivery of Medicaid Services

1. Continue to oppose drastic federal cuts in State Medicaid funding. Provide State funding for Medicaid that is stable, long-term and broad-based – not a collection of hidden fees, taxes and budgeting gimmicks.

2. Make State Medicaid hospital assessments permanent.

3. Coordinate investments, set financial expectations and determine specific metrics in social determinants of health – such as workforce training, employment, community engagement and housing.

4. Hold Coordinated Care Organizations’ (CCOs) rate increases to 3.4% annually, as promised in the original CCO reform waiver.

5. Prepare for third-generation CCOs through mission and geographic alignment of Early Learning Hubs, Regional Solutions, and related social and health services.

2. Every Oregonian Who Needs Mental Health Care Gets It For years, Oregon policymakers have talked about integrating mental health and physical health, but little progress has been made. We must expand access to mental health services and hold payors accountable for delivering on the promise of mental health integration.

1. Reorganize the payment and delivery of Medicaid mental health services to fully integrate mental and physical health through CCOs, with counties continuing to serve as providers, and tie CCO funding to outcomes. Today, these programs are administered through both CCOs and counties, which unintentionally perpetuates misalignment of funding and service delivery.

2. In cooperation with non-profits, county mental health and health systems, expand access to walk-in and community based mental health facilities throughout the state.

3. Reverse the trend: Be the only state in the nation that significantly reduces its suicide rate.

4. Create evidence-based standards for licensed substance abuse treatment facilities, to help make sure that people are successful in recovery.

5. Stop the criminalization of the mentally ill, and develop robust court-designated conservators for assistance with care and treatment.

3. Cut Opioid Abuse-related Deaths by 50%

1. Two-pronged approach to combat the abuse of methamphetamine, opioids and other dangerous drugs:

-Bolster medical treatment and peer-to-peer counseling and set evidence-based outcomes standards for licensed treatment centers. -Prevention: Focused, public health prevention carefully designed to reach and teach kids before they use dangerous drugs. -Educate prescribers during academic training and in continuing education.

2. Tighten controls on legal distribution and return of prescribed controlled substances.

4. Support Reproductive Rights & Women’s Health Care

1. Regardless of changes in federal law, ensure that Oregon remains a pro-choice state and that all Oregonians maintain full access to reproductive rights and health care.

2. Continue to make improvements to Oregon’s pioneering over-the-counter birth control law, speeding payments from insurers to pharmacies, and promoting greater awareness and convenience of the new, landmark law.

3. Decrease the unintended pregnancy rate by another 25% over the next five years.

5. Ensure Every Oregon Child is Healthy & Ready to Learn Rep. Buehler has released a detailed plan to improve education in Oregon. A key component to enhanced learning, especially in early grades, is children’s health. Today, nearly half of all children in Oregon are enrolled in Medicaid yet Oregon is ranked 46th for child wellness checkups and 42nd for child dental checkups. Given the availability of funding (76% federal), Oregon must improve its targeting of these critical resources to improve children’s health.

1. Raise Oregon Medicaid to the Top 5 among States for child wellness checkups and child dental checkups – and hold CCOs accountable for outcomes.

2. Provide on-site behavioral specialists and peer support hotlines in all public schools, managed by CCOs. (About half – 48% – of Oregon children are enrolled in Medicaid.)

3. Invest in drug abuse prevention and education designed to reach adolescents.

Homelessness
Ending Unsheltered Homelessness in Oregon by 2023 A seven-point plan that offers compassion, expects responsibility, creates opportunity and develops independence for Oregonians in need.

Under Kate Brown, Oregon’s homeless crisis is growing worse. A federal report of 2017 revealed nearly 14,000 people statewide are classified as experiencing homelessness – a 6% increase in the past two years alone. Homelessness has become a humanitarian, public health and public safety crisis that no longer can be left primarily to local governments and non-profit agencies to address. It has become a statewide problem that demands bolder, more creative leadership from a Governor and state government.

In Oregon, Knute Buehler believes that a street or sidewalk should never be anyone’s home, that homelessness itself isn’t a crime, nor should it be accepted as a permanent way of life. As Governor, Knute will balance Oregonians’ generosity and compassion with their expectation for clean, safe neighborhoods and communities. Buehler will lead where Kate Brown has failed.

The causes of homelessness are multifaceted and complex. For many it’s an economic condition – with rising housing costs and the overall cost-of-living outpacing wages and income. For others, it may result from a mental health condition or physical disability beyond their personal control. And for others, addictions may impair the decision-making required for a life of personal responsibility. And for some, living and camping on the streets, sidewalks and other public places is – or may be – a lifestyle choice or act of rebellion.

No matter the circumstances of each person facing homelessness, as Governor, Knute will lead with compassion, a specific plan and a little tough love to solve this challenging and complex problem. As Governor, Knute will listen to and bring together the best ideas of Democrats and Republicans along with social service providers, the homebuilding community, law enforcement, business community, landlords and tenants, faith leaders and leaders from communities of color and disadvantaged populations. As Governor, Knute Buehler will not be constrained by partisanship, precedent, ideology or orthodoxy in seeking creative solutions to solving homelessness, its root causes and community impacts.

Homelessness in Oregon can be solved — and must be solved — to rescue those Oregonians directly experiencing it and to address the concerns of those in neighborhoods, business districts and communities across the state impacted by its consequences.

7 Ambitious Proposals to Solve Homelessness in Oregon

1. Leadership from a Governor to End Unsheltered Homelessness in Oregon by 2023 While good work and significant financial resources are being committed to combatting homelessness across the state, Oregonians want a more aggressive response to the homeless crisis and greater clarity in purpose, philosophy and policy from their government leaders. As Governor, Knute Buehler will provide leadership to solve homelessness based on policies that embrace a culture of compassion, responsibility, opportunity and independence in providing shelter, services and treatments and that balance the generosity of Oregonians with their reasonable expectation for clean, safe neighborhoods and communities.

1. Convene a statewide summit in December 2018 focused on the ambitious goal of ending unsheltered homelessness in Oregon by 2023. Bring together diverse stakeholders to share ideas, best practices and failures, and offer recommendations for all levels of government, non-profit providers and community leaders. Address the immediate need for shelters, services and treatments with the longer term need for social and economic independence, and the best strategies to address the reasonable public safety and public health consequences of neighborhood, street and public space camping.

2. Establish a Chief Homeless Solutions Officer, reporting directly to the Governor to provide leadership, coordination and accountability in combating homelessness statewide along with its root causes and community impacts. The office will help align federal, state, local, non-profit, community and private resources toward agreed upon priorities and goals.

2. Dedicate State Medicaid Funds to Community-Based, Street-Level, Mental Health Treatment

1. As Governor, Knute Buehler will seek state legislation and pursue changes to Oregon’s federal Medicaid agreement to allow enhanced physical and mental health care at community-based clinics and supportive housing where homeless populations need care the most. Currently, legal barriers exist that prevent Medicaid-funded, locally-based mental health and drug treatment, complicating access to treatment and substantially driving up costs by pushing homeless populations to more expensive Emergency Room care.

3. Replace Unhealthy, Unsafe Camps with 4,000 New Temporary Shelter Beds and 4,000 New Supportive-Housing Beds by 2023

1. As Governor, Knute will allocate $10 million in the state 2019-2020 budget and direct the new Chief Homeless Solutions Officer to help pool federal, state, local, non-profit and private resources to create, statewide, an additional 4,000 temporary and 4,000 supportive-housing beds with on-site, integrated services and treatments by 2023. State grants will be made to local governments and proven non-profit and private partners to build and manage the beds and programs.

2. The 4,000 temporary shelter beds will serve homeless populations that can reasonably transition to independent living following care, services and treatment. The 4,000 supportive-housing beds will serve those who cannot live independently, many of whom are currently living in camps, on streets or in public places, and who need long-term assisted living.

3. Wherever possible, prioritize the use of surplus government properties (or formerly owned properties such as the Wapato Correctional Facility) for either additional temporary or supportive housing and care facilities.

4. Streamline approvals for new shelter space and expedite approvals for existing projects in

the pipeline. Move shelter applications to the top of the pile, cut red tape and revisit prohibitive zoning laws that block creation of additional facilities.

5. Coordinate state social services to co-locate with federal, local and non-profit service agencies.

6. Provide matching grants and tax incentives to local non-profits to prioritize building domestic violence shelters for women and their children.

4. Provide Local Governments Clear Authority and Greater Flexibility to Manage the Health and Safety of Streets and Sidewalks

1. As Governor, Knute will introduce legislation, based on 2013 legislation (HB 2963) approved 57-2 by the Oregon House of Representatives, to allow local governments the legal authority to more strictly regulate people sitting, lying and camping on streets and sidewalks – if the local governments wish to do so. Among the legislators supporting the bill in 2013 were Rep. Tina Kotek and Rep. Jennifer Williamson. The billed died in the Senate. A Multnomah County Circuit Court ruled in 2009 that a change in state law is required to give local jurisdictions the authority to act.

2. Direct the Oregon Department of Transportation and other state agencies to more aggressively develop cooperative agreements with local governments to prevent and manage the public-health and public-safety impacts of individuals camping on state lands. Individuals are placing themselves at-risk in high-speed, high-traffic areas, and creating public health and fire emergencies from extended camping on public lands.

5. Empower Oregonians to Maintain or Secure Affordable Workforce Housing with Expanded Direct Rental Assistance for Qualifying Individuals and Families

1. With rents rising faster than many personal incomes, we must assist working families with short-term housing security and long-term economic independence. To achieve this, as Governor, Knute Buehler will establish The Oregon Workplace Housing Assistance Fund. The fund will provide $50 million over five years, administered by the Oregon Housing Authority, in monthly direct rental assistance to qualifying low-income individuals and families for a minimum of one and maximum of three years. The goal of direct assistance is housing affordability and security and family, neighborhood and school stability during workplace transitions and rising housing costs.

2. Direct rental assistance is a quicker and more cost-effective approach to promoting housing affordability, personal economic opportunity and family, neighborhood and school stability than putting state and local governments in the business of building, owning and managing affordable housing units.

6. Fast-Track the Construction of 20,000 New Housing Units Over the Next Five Years of All Types and Sizes — Affordable and Accessible for Lower- and Middle-Income Renters and Buyers

1. The combination of a rising economy, more people moving to Oregon and a deficit in new single- and multi-family housing construction — particularly in the Portland area — has created a housing supply shortage and affordability crisis. Middle- and lower-income renters and buyers are now competing with higher-income renters and buyers for the same homes — driving housing costs up, affordability down and middle- and lower-income families out. The solution to rising housing costs is to increase the supply of homes available to rent or buy in the market.

2. As Governor, Knute Buehler will encourage all levels of government to adopt an “all of the above” approach to housing, land use and zoning to increase the supply of housing, and the diversity of housing options — from traditional multi-family apartments to innovative modular, tiny-home and communal living arrangements to rent or own. Increased density in existing urban areas, particularly in transit corridors, combined with new suburban neighborhoods with diverse housing styles and types should all be pursued by city, county and Metro governments with the support of relevant state agencies.

3. Make surplus and idle state lands ­­— such as low-yield forest land near coastal towns and vacant Oregon Department of Transportation-owned land — available for development of supportive, transitional and entry level housing. Require all local governments to inventory their land holdings for possible affordable housing development.

7. Enhance Workforce Training, Job Skills to Create Opportunities to End the Cycle of Poverty that Leads to Homelessness For those who are physically and mentally able to do so, independent living should be the goal for those currently experiencing homelessness. This transition begins with a safe shelter and services, moves to addiction and other treatments and care as needed, and ends with access to affordable housing and employment opportunities. As Governor, Knute Buehler will lead to ensure that those on the pathway from homelessness to economic independence have access to the education, life-skill and job training opportunities they need for success.

1. Create a voluntary Governor’s Leadership Council on Re-Entry Employment, where willing employers and non-profits could coordinate efforts to train and employ those who are formerly homeless who have found housing, temporary or permanent, for entry level jobs.

2. Direct Regional Solutions Centers to work with trade unions and industry to connect transitional homeless to intensive training programs that lead to Career and Technical Education apprenticeships. Programs should be designed to be short-term, oriented towards achieving full-time employment afterward, and specific to the local workforce needs.

3. Direct higher education and community college authorities to work with innovative, skills-oriented training programs to enhance offerings for those who were homeless who are now in transition to permanent housing.

4. Ensure workforce training experts have a spot on statewide homelessness oversight groups.

5. Work with non-profits, local government and other service providers to ensure that people stabilized in housing get coaching on daily life skills like shopping for nutritious foods, cooking and basic money management.

One Oregon – Bridging Oregon’s Rural/Urban Divide
Oregon is blessed with many unique geographic regions. Each area enjoys its own individual beauty, culture and assets. And each region offers its own natural and human resources capable of sustaining the economy of today while creating new opportunities for the economy of tomorrow. Oregon has an incredible combination of geography accessible to the world, sustainably-managed and renewable natural resources, and innovative, independent-minded people who share the values of economic opportunity and environmental stewardship.

But for too long, too many of Oregon’s small towns and rural communities have been left-out and left-behind as they seek to chart their future and nurture economic opportunities. The result is excessive unemployment and poverty along with destructive social consequences like drug addiction, domestic violence, and homelessness. In addition, local school and government tax bases grow fragile, resulting in cuts to education, public safety and social services, in places and at times when they are needed most.

Despite record low statewide unemployment and state government collecting more tax revenue than ever before, too many Oregonians aren’t sharing in this prosperity and experience hardships from decisions and policies related to Oregon’s so-called rural-urban divide. Unemployment in rural Oregon counties continues to be persistently at higher rates than in urban areas. Under Kate Brown, Oregon’s economic, social and political divisions have grown worse.

“After seven years of uneven economic recovery, 17 out of Oregon’s 23 rural counties remain below peak employment.”– State of Oregon Employment Department

Knute Buehler doesn’t believe Oregon’s rural-urban divide is an immovable feature of the natural landscape. He understands it is an artificial political divide resulting from policy, personnel and political choices made every day in Salem by elected officials and unelected government employees.

These choices can either heal divisions – or make them worse. Oregon’s Governor has the unique opportunity and responsibility, if he or she chooses, to consciously build a more united Oregon with more balanced policies that include all Oregonians no matter who you are, where you live, or how you register to vote.

In the face of division and hardship, Oregonians from rural communities remain resilient and hopeful about their future. All they lack is a Governor who cares, and a Governor who will listen, learn and lead.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will bridge Oregon’s rural-urban divide and will be a Governor for all of Oregon – not just for a single region, political party or ideology.

Buehler will break down barriers, sign permits and make state government a partner in helping rural communities realize their dreams and achieve their full potential.

The world needs more safe, high-quality foods and nobody can produce it better than Oregon’s farmers, ranchers and fishermen. The world needs more quality and innovative wood products, and no one can make them better than Oregon workers and mills. And the world needs clean, affordable energy, and no place is better positioned to deliver it than Oregon’s International Port of Coos Bay. As Governor, Knute Buehler will lead for all of Oregon where Kate Brown has failed.

8 Big Important Goals to Bridge Oregon’s Rural-Urban Divide and Close the Achievement and Opportunity Gap

1. An Accessible Governor who Listens in Every County, Every Year As Governor, Knute Buehler will hold an open Town Hall-style meeting in each of Oregon’s 36 counties every year through his term as Governor. The practice, pioneered by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, will ensure that Oregonians in every corner of the state have access to their Governor and, as important, that Governor Buehler can hear directly from people about the issues they care about most.

Oregon is a big state with many small towns and far-away places that rarely see a Governor – but those smaller communities are as much a part of the state as our big cities. The difference in issues and concerns from Oregonians in Curry, Harney and Wallowa counties may be as different as those from Oregonians in NE Portland or Eugene or Medford – but all are important and all need to be heard.

In addition to annual Town Hall meetings in each county, as Governor, Knute Buehler will participate in hosted quarterly “Ask the Governor” forums on either TV, radio or social media platforms to listen to concerns and take questions from Oregonians across the state. And Governor Buehler will convene an annual “One Oregon” conference with the mission of building personal relationships and understanding between people from urban and rural Oregon.

In total, nonmetro Oregon had per capita personal income (PCPI) of $37,332 in 2015, while metro Oregon’s was $45,040.– State of Oregon Employment Department

2. Statewide Diversity in Appointed Government Policy-Making Positions

Oregon’s Governor is responsible for hiring and appointing hundreds of people to professional and volunteer policy-making positions during his or her term in office. Each of these individuals will have an impact on state policies and practices on everything from agriculture, forestry and fisheries to energy, transit and child care.

As Governor, within his discretion under the law, Knute Buehler will seek to ensure not only gender, racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity in hiring and appointments, but also political and geographic diversity as well. There is no substitute for the unique perspectives of those directly involved in rural agricultural and resource endeavors.

As Governor, Knute Buehler also will direct state agencies to actively engage rural stakeholders in agency initiatives and rule making, and he will ensure that they are not disadvantaged. Knute Buehler will issue an executive order requiring agencies to perform, in coordination with the Department of Administrative Services and Office of Economic Analysis, rigorous economic impact analyses of major new rules, and to mitigate any potentially disproportionate impacts on rural areas. He also will ensure that the existing periodic administrative rule review statute is enforced.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will not employ ideological litmus tests in hiring or appointments. He will open the doors of state government to a new generation of Oregonians who previously may not have been considered for service in state government. He will make a special effort to ensure that Oregonians who live in rural communities have their voices heard and their views represented in senior staff policy-making and advisory roles in state government.

3. Approve the Jordan Cove Energy Center at the Port of Coos Bay

For more than a decade, a $7.5 billion natural gas energy facility has been under consideration at Jordan Cove in Coos Bay. Coos County and Oregon’s south coast area has been of the most economically hard hit regions of the state for many years.

The International Port of Coos Bay, with its direct access to the Pacific Ocean, Asia and other world markets, is ideally positioned to play a key role in delivering clean-burning natural gas energy to waiting world populations that will use the energy regardless of its origin. In addition, the necessary private investments envisioned for the Port and surrounding areas to make the facility a reality will create long-lasting benefits for other industries and job-creation opportunities along the South Coast and Southern Oregon regions.

The proposed facility is one of the largest private investments ever proposed in Oregon, creating 3,500 construction jobs over 2 to 4 years that pay an average of $80,000 a year – double the average annual income in Southern Oregon counties. It will create 250 permanent, high-paying jobs with good benefits. And Jordan Cove will generate more than $40 million a year in state taxes and $60 million a year in revenues to support local schools and services in Coos, Douglas, Jackson, Lake and Klamath counties. While located in Coos County, the energy center would be a massive economic boost for all of southern Oregon – creating jobs, boosting incomes, generating new tax revenues and building new infrastructure. And with economic benefits, hope and opportunities will return to communities devastated by years of recession, depression and indifference from state leaders.

The project requires federal, state and local support from various government agencies. Local officials in Coos County – including local Democratic state legislators – strongly support the project.

Even so, Governor Brown refuses to support the energy center despite its overwhelming economic and social benefits – putting loyalty to special interests in Portland and Eugene ahead of what is good for the people of the South Coast.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will support the Jordan Grove Energy Center at the International Port of Coos Bay and will champion the appropriate state and federal permits and approvals so construction can get underway after years of delay.

4. Defend Free Trade & Open Markets for Oregon Products

One in seven Oregon jobs is trade-related, uniquely uniting Oregon-grown agricultural products from rural communities with port jobs in and around Portland. Importantly, Oregon is a gateway exporter for products grown and made in Oregon and all across the nation. In 2017, Oregon exported more than $5 billion in agricultural products alone, making agriculture a top economic driver in the state. Oregon’s top 5 agricultural export markets include Japan, South Korea, Canada, China and the Philippines.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will be a strong advocate for free trade, open markets and Oregon producers – no matter which President or political party holds the White House or Congress.

Free trade and open markets are good for all of Oregon. As Governor, Knute Buehler will continue the practice begun by Governor Vic Atiyeh and continued under previous Democrat Governors in leading trade missions around the world to promote better trading and cultural relationships for Oregon businesses and products.

5. Enhance Business & Education with 100% Statewide High-Speed Broadband Access by 2023

In today’s economy, high-speed broadband access isn’t a luxury – it is a necessity. While most Oregonians enjoy easy access to fast broadband Internet service – essential for commerce, jobs, education and many consumer needs – many rural Oregonians are still waiting for reliable, fast Internet service. High-speed broadband deployment is an economic development imperative to attract high-tech and remote-worker jobs to rural areas.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will direct Business Oregon, the state economic development agency, to lead an interagency effort to coordinate and maximize federal broadband grants that are currently not being secured due to lack of coordination and competing priorities at the state level. He will take an “all of the above” approach to broadband development – wireless and wired – and push for a common strategy among local and state cable and telecommunications regulators. To encourage faster adoption of next-generation wireless, he will propose limits on local government fees on wireless transmission installations.

According to the National Broadband Map, only about 55% of people living in rural areas have access to speeds that qualify as broadband, compared with 94% of the urban population. – State of Oregon Employment Department

6. Foster Rural Job Growth From Fully Funded Career & Technical Education

There is increasing student interest, societal recognition and economic demand for well-paying skills and trade-based career paths in areas ranging from health care to technology and construction. The seeds of these future jobs and careers are planted and nurtured in middle- and high-school years. Oregon voters recognized the importance of career education when they approved Ballot Measure 98 by 66% in 2016. In her first budget, Governor Brown cut voter-approved funding for Ballot Measure 98 by 43% in her budget.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will fully fund career and technical education and ensure rural communities receive their fair share of CTE/STEM funding and resources. Career and technical education (CTE/STEM) is especially important in rural communities to ensure that young people have the skills, particularly in manufacturing and health care fields, to fuel job growth and meet the anticipated skills needs over the next decade. And he will incentivize training of medical personnel by providing a seed fund to stimulate rural residency medical training programs for primary care and mental health providers in rural communities.

7. Invest in Essential Water Resource Infrastructure

As Oregon’s population has grown, public investment in essential water infrastructure has not kept pace. This is critically important in many rural communities where manufacturing, agriculture and food processing industries rely on access to water to protect and grow jobs.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will make planning and permitting of water infrastructure a higher priority of state government and will streamline state permitting for water efficiency projects, to ensure water users have greater certainty on timelines and outcomes. Buehler will support state bonding capacity to bolster investments in water infrastructure modernization to better utilize existing water resources, including development of environmentally friendly storage of water that could then be used to mitigate droughts.

8. A Champion for Sustainable Forestry & Jobs

Oregon’s timber and forest products industry has a proud legacy and a dynamic future. Oregon is the largest lumber producer in the nation, and in many rural communities’ timber and forest-products jobs remain the backbone of the local economy. Oregon is a premier timber-growing region, with unrivaled manufacturing expertise. Oregon State University is among the most prestigious forestry schools in the world. The state of Oregon pioneered sustainable forestry with the passage of the state Forest Practices Act in the early 1970s – a law requiring the replanting of trees and advancing strict environmental safeguards. Forest policy and management in Oregon is complex because of the unique mixture of federal, state, tribal and private lands that all play different roles in providing wood products, wildlife habitat, recreation and scenic vistas. Today, about 75% of Oregon’s annual timber harvests come from private lands.

As Governor, Knute Buehler will be a champion for those who work in Oregon’s timber and forest-products industries, and a leader for state and federal policies that promote healthy forests and healthy communities. Forest lands will be actively managed to reduce the threat of catastrophic fires and to promote stronger, healthier, more resilient forests. Oregon businesses can lead the way in creating innovative engineered building materials to meet the growing world-wide demand for durable, beautiful and sustainably manufactured wood products. And Oregon forests can help combat climate change by generating renewable energy from biomass and by pulling in and storing man-made carbon from the air and sequester it in wood products and buildings of all types.^[29]