Gas tax petition surge adds to Kotek’s November meltdown (7 flops)

By In the news
In: Uncategorized
Friday November 21, 2025


By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

November 2025 now ties with spring of last year, when the spouse scandal broke, as the worst time in Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s governorship.

Here is why:

 

• Stop the gas tax petition surges. Governor Kotek’s flagship bill, the $4.3 billion gas tax, was signed in November, and the petition referendum drive to stop it (by Senator Bruce Starr, Representative Ed Diehl, Jason Williams, Taxpayers Association of Oregon) was launched and has exceeded daily returns across Oregon and ahead of schedule.   There was long lines and wild enthusiasm for this petition.

 

• Kotek backtracks: Governor Kotek had to backtrack on Oregon National Guard statement. KOIN-6 headline below:

 

•  Governor Kotek was criticized for meeting behind closed doors. OPB criticized Governor Kotek for holding key meetings behind closed doors.

 

 

• Media highlights her widespread criticisms — even among supporters.

 

OPB had this story on Governor Kotek;

“…accomplishments have been hard to pin down – and who struggled openly to pass a major road-funding bill in recent months.”

…groups struggle to point out signature achievements of Kotek’s first 2.5 years…”

“Among the more than 40 people OPB spoke with — Republicans and Democrats alike — there was a consensus that the governor is smart, hard-working and driven to take on intractable issues. There’s also a sense among some that she has underperformed.”

 

• ODOT director resigns.  This month the head of the Oregon Department of Transportation resigned amidst a year of controversy.

 

 

• A poll just showed that 67% of Oregonians think Oregon is the wrong track.  Read here.

 

 

• Two Democrat Senators criticized Kotek for delaying signing own signature gas tax bill.

 

 

• Her $200,000 travel trip to Asia was a bust.  There were hardly any news items on her trip to Asia to justify the bad press she received for spending $200,000 to go to Japan and South Korea.

 

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