Oregon Governor Kate Brown shared her legislative agenda today at the University of Oregon. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, tackling housing concerns was among the top items.
Fresh from her successful re-election bid, Governor Brown laid out her plans. The Democrat played up Oregon’s low unemployment rate, and overall job growth in recent years. But she acknowledged there were many residents struggling to make ends meet, or even find shelter. Brown called homelessness a “crisis” that’s hit many communities.
“For many families, that cost of housing, education, health care, childcare, and of course, higher education are all outpacing wage growth,” Brown said. “And all of this against the backdrop of a federal government that has never been in more disarray.”
Brown wants lawmakers to invest $400 million into affordable housing. She also backs a proposal that would make Oregon the first state to have statewide rent control. With Democrats enjoying control of both legislative chambers, Brown’s ambitious agenda may soon become reality.
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Oregon Governor Kate Brown says she wants to improve education for all the state’s children and youth.
Speaking today at the University of Oregon in Eugene, the Democrat laid out her legislative agenda. Brown has already proposed that lawmakers find $2 billion this session for education funding. Among her goals are improving graduation and retention rates for communities that are already struggling.
“We have failed our students of color,” began the governor. “And we have left rural Oregon behind. Now is the time to close that opportunity gap. Our education system is in desperate need of repair, reform, and reinvestment.”
Brown joked that another proposal to make the school year longer would not be popular with high schoolers.
Copyright 2019, KLCC.
