Kotek’s ODOT bluff blown. She finds secret stash of millions.

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

Back in August, Governor Kotek forced lawmakers to cancel their Labor Day family travel plans and forced them into a special hastily called emergency Special Session at the State Capitol.   As the lawmakers met over Labor Day weekend, Governor Kotek did not even bother to leave her vacation on the coast to either testify at her own bill hearing or help pass the bill.

At the time, Kotek said lawmakers had to pass the gas tax bill by September, or ODOT would face immediate slashing of ODOT jobs which would put people’s lives at risk.   That gas tax was suspended, thanks to the 200,000 early turn-in signatures referendum drive by the Right to Vote on the Gas Tax PAC (Chief petitioners, Senator Bruce Starr, Representative Ed Deihl, Jason Williams of the Taxpayers Association of Oregon).

Since September, no mass ODOT layoffs occurred.

Turns out Kotek found some millions in secret funds.

The Oregon Capitol Chronicle reports, “Transportation Department spokesperson Katherine Benenati said no service cuts or layoffs have been determined within the agency, and any layoffs would not take place until after the legislative session ends in March. Kotek has continued hiring winter seasonal staff using existing funding, savings from vacancies and recent voluntary departures to maintain these services in the short term, she said.”  

Amazing how Kotek and politicians can find tens of millions of unused tax dollars when they need it.

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