Oregon GOP legislative leaders respond to Gov. Kate Brown

Oregon Senate Republicans
Oregon House Republicans

On Friday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) delivered her 2016 State of the State Address at the City Club of Portland’s Friday Forum.

Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli Responds to Governor Brown’s 2016 State of the State Address

Salem, Ore. – Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day) released the following statement following Governor Kate Brown’s second State of the State address held at the Portland City Club:

“In February, Governor Brown and Democrat leadership failed to do the one thing Oregonians were counting on: take meaningful steps toward restoring transparency and accountability to state government.

Governor Brown promised in her inaugural State of the State to overhaul Oregon’s public records system and strengthen Oregon’s ethics laws. She has failed, just like she failed to deliver a bipartisan transportation package in 2015.

She and her Democrat colleagues failed to address critical missteps by state agencies resulting in high costs for taxpayers and the loss of trust in government services like our foster care system.

Instead, the Governor is praising her Democrat colleagues for back room deals that resulted in a slew of new mandates costing small businesses and working families.

How long will Oregon voters allow their leaders to say one thing and do another?

Oregonians deserve more than lip service. The reign of one-party rule in Oregon needs to come to an end before the quality of life we all value disappears.”

Statement From House Republican Leader Mike McLane On Governor Brown’s State Of The State Address

Salem, Ore. – House Republican Leader Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte) issued the following statement regarding Governor Brown’s 2016 State of the State Address:

“Despite the Governor’s sunny rhetoric, there are storm clouds on Oregon’s horizon. Our schools and local governments are just beginning to feel the weight of crushing PERS obligations, our transportation system is struggling to keep up with our growing population, our high school graduation rate remains one of the worst in the nation, and trust in our state government in the post-Kitzhaber era remains at an all-time low.

“If the past year and a half has proven anything, it’s that Governor Brown and legislative Democrats lack the political courage necessary to tackle Oregon’s most pressing crises. At nearly every turn, they’ve chosen the path of political expedience over sound governance and bold leadership. Oregonians expect and deserve better from their elected leaders.”