Oregonians need a transportation package now, not in 2017

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Oregon Senate Republicans

California Billionaire Tom Steyer’s Role in Demise of Transportation Package Reveals Democrat Corruption 

Salem, OR – As the six-month filing period for state office opened on Thursday, Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day) has a message for those seeking election to serve the people of Oregon in 2016.

“If you want to be in the legislature; if you want to be governor; if you want to be secretary of state or treasurer; you need to be committed to prioritizing Oregonians over special interests,” said Ferrioli. “Corruption, scandal, and placing special interests above Oregonians plagued the 2015 Legislative Session under the leadership of one party rule. Ultimately, this led to the demise of a transportation package. Oregonians deserve better.”

On Wednesday, The Oregonian revealed ^[2] that Governor Brown met [by phone] with California billionaire and extreme environmentalist Tom Steyer before finally pulling the plug on a bipartisan transportation package. This latest twist arouses suspicion that Governor Brown buckled to the same political pressure that former Governor Kitzhaber and his fiancé Cylvia Hayes succumbed to by choosing a divisive, expensive clean fuels mandate over a transportation package.

Senator Ferrioli highlighted Tom Steyer’s involvement in Oregon’s 2014 election cycle, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-state special interest contributions to Democrat candidates via the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and the Democratic Party of Oregon.

“It’s sad to learn the influence that Tom Steyer, a prominent Democrat funder, had in the demise of the transportation package,” said Ferrioli. “The collusion by Democrat leaders to save the Clean Fuels program needs to be called out for what it is: corruption.”

As roads deteriorate, Oregonians will continue to be at risk. Under the current Democrat leadership, one thing is clear: our roads aren’t getting better. Democrats can prove their allegiance to Oregonians by repealing the so-called Low Carbon Fuel Standard mandate and moving forward with a transportation package that will create jobs, reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions and strengthen the economy in local communities throughout Oregon.