Worst Oregon political figure of 2023 nominees

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

These are the 23rd annual Taxpayers Awards nominees for the worst political/governmental figure of 2023.

• Secretary of State Shemia Fagan, “Pot Scandal Princess”. Secretary of State, Shemia Fagan audited the marijuana industry. The audit recommended that the State of Oregon find ways to use government power to boost pot profits in Oregon – yet she failed to disclose that the marijuana lobby was paying her $10,000 a month. Fagan resigned in the scandal. Fagan also used political funds to pay for hotel pet fees for her dog. At the same time Fagan released the government report promoting pot, she issued a different government audit report calling for the promotion of higher taxes by repealing the mortgage interest deduction in Oregon. State audits are supposed to identify government waste to “save” taxpayers money, not promote proposals that will cost taxpayers “more” money. Nor should state audits be used to promote private businesses like pot. Fagan also spent $350,000 to create a government mascot named “Blobby”.

• Multnomah Chair, Vega Pederson, “Crack-Pipe Salesman of the Year”. Vega Pederson used tax dollars to budget for 55,000 pipes, 20,000 pipe cleaners, 31,000 straws, 90,000 tin foil sheets, 184,000 copper scouring pads and brass screens (used as pipe filters), 77 cases of ChapStick for drug users for a total cost to taxpayers at nearly $85,000. She wasted tax dollars on a wild lawsuit suing oil companies for $52 billion, saying using oil is bad for the earth.

• Ted Wheeler, Portlandia’s Pass-the-Buck Mayor. After defunding police by 100 positions in 2020, Wheeler proceeded to lobby Gov. Tina Kotek to assign 100 Oregon state troopers to police Portland. Under, Wheeler, Portland is now the second highest taxed city in the United States.

• Eugene Mayor, Lucy Vinis, the “Ban Everything Baroness”. Vinis voted to ban natural gas installations in new homes. She’s also has been holding hearings on banning all new gas stations as a way to force people into new electric vehicles, which some cost an average of $63,000 to purchase.

• Eugene teacher Kirk Miller “Sex Ed Class Scandal”. Students in teacher Kirk Miller’s Health 2 Human Sexuality class at Eugene’s Churchill High School were given a “Fantasy Story” assignment and asked to write about their non-intercourse sexual fantasies. Another assignment was called “With Whom Would You Do It”. It used a spinning wheel with different sexual categories and positions and asked students to write the initials of someone with whom they’d like to engage in such acts. The health class was required to graduate.

Ballots to these 23rd annual Taxpayer Awards have been sent to Taxpayers Association of Oregon supporters in November.

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