Gov. Brown, challenger Pierce clash in first debate, held in Bend
The first debate between Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Republican challenger Bud Pierce, held Saturday evening in Bend, featured few agreements and numerous clashes over issues ranging from the Measure 97 corporate tax hike to federal land management, health care coverage and climate change.
But overall, Brown said she wanted to build on progress with more funding, while Pierce cited numerous problems in the state, repeatedly labeled Brown a “25-year career politician” and said the “the real answer is prosperity” and government living within its means.
The event, held at The Riverhouse, is the first of five debates between the former state lawmaker and secretary of state, thrust into the governorship as John Kitzhaber resigned amid scandal early last year, and the Medford oncologist, “janitor’s kid” and Marine who said “I say what I mean, I mean what I say.”
The crowd was boisterous and partisan in support for each candidate throughout much of the hour-long question-and-answer exchange,sponsored by the Oregon Territory chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, The East Oregonian, Jefferson Public Radio and NewsChannel 21.
In her opening statement, Brown said she is proud that Oregon created the first automatic voter-registration program and that the state is moving away from coal energy.
Pierce told the crowd he grew up in a small town and never forgot where he came from. He painted his opponent as a career politician who is out of touch with rural Oregon.
The only debate planned east of the Cascades focused on issues important to rural Oregon and touched on the economy, land use and the urban-rural divide. And each accused the other of “non-answers” to some questions.
Brown said she still supports Measure 97, a major corporate tax hike on the November ballot. She said it would add much-needed revenue to head off cuts in key basic services such as schools and health care.
The governor said the state needs to do more when it comes to health care options for rural communities.
Brown said her opponent would kick people off the Oregon Health Plan and move them into the troubled health insurance exchanges, as several insurers have cited major cost hikes as a reason they have scaled back or dropped out of the exchanges.
Pierce said he didn’t know where Brown got that he wants to kick people out of OHP and said he supports the expansion of Medicaid, which was increased to 1.1 million people.
A panelist asked Pierce how he plans to make sure the agricultural economy in rural Central Oregon doesn’t suffer major losses or even disappear because of threatened species such as the Oregon spotted frog.
Pierce said that will require all parties to work together and to form common-sense regulations and to recharge the groundwater supplies.
He cited other states, including Washington and Idaho, which are enacting similar proposals when it comes to their water.
Brown said Oregonians need to adopt sustainable practices with the state’s water, preserving groundwater for future generations.
“I don’t think we want to look like Idaho. I think we want to keep Oregon green,” she said.
The two candidates also disagreed on ways to deal with the shortfall in the state Public Employee Retirement System.
“I believe we deserve an affordable retirement system for Oregon taxpayers and that all Oregonians need to have access to a secure retirement,” Brown said.
She stated her opponent’s proposals would lead the state into lawsuit after lawsuit.
Pierce said he’ll actually do something to fix the PERS problem, rather than just ignoring it.
Both candidates are set to meet again on stage in Portland on Friday at noon in a debate sponsored by the City Club of Portland. Others take place Oct. 6 in Eugene, Oct. 13 in Medford at the studios of KOBI and Oct. 20 in Portland at the studios of KGW.
If you missed the Bend debate aired live on NewsChannel 21 or the KTVZ.COM livestream, you can watch a replay on Sunday at 5 p.m. on KFXO.
Here’s more of what they had to say on some key issues:
MEASURE 97:
Brown said she supports the corporate tax hike for three reasons: “We need adequate revenue for key basic services like schools and health care. Second, there are no other viable options on the table. and No. 3, it’s time for corporations to pay their fair share.”
To which Pierce said, “I absolutely disagree. Measure 97 will cost the Oregon private economy 30,000 to 40,000 jobs, and increase the cost of living for every Oregon family $600 a year.” He said he’s proposing a $20.6 billion budget o “address needs without raising taxes and fees.
“The issue before us is, can Oregon learn to live within it’s means, or always demand more.”
OWYHEE CANYONLANDS:
The governor was asked to clarify her stand on the controversial proposal to turn more than 2 million acres in southeast Oregon into the Owyhee Canyonlands National Monument.
Brown said Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has said the Obama administration is “not likely to move forward on monument designation unless a collaborative process is in place.” She noted how all sides came together on a sage grouse conservation agreement to avert its listing as an endangered species.
Pierce noted that the residents in the area have voted and “said overwhelmingly no” to the idea: “We don’t need another layer of bureaucracy involving the Owyhee.” Asked again if she’s for or against it, Brown said, “I’m very clear, there needs to be a collaborative process … in place and local people need to be heard.”
FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT:
Pierce was asked how he plans to fight to take lands back from federal management. He spoke of talking with federal officials about transferring 5 percent a year back to local control.
“The federal government is incapable of managing lands’ productive value, leading to a very angry group of people,” a reference to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover.
Brown called a return of federally managed lands to local control “unrealistic” and said, “I think there’s a third way,” such as a recent “good neighbor agreement” signed with the Forest Service to collaborate on thinning and fire prevention on federal lands. And she noted last year saw a 15 percent increase in timber harvesting on public lands in Eastern Oregon: “That’s success.”
As for the Malheur occupation, Brown said she “worked very hard” to make sure “Harney County got every single dime reimbursed” for its expenses during the occupation, as well as the State Sheriff’s Association.
CASCADIA QUAKE PREP/INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING
Asked how he’d make sure Oregon is prepared for a mega-quake offshore, Pierce said while such planning is important, “folks tend to want to prepare for what’s very rare, but not what’s common,” on issues such as suicide prevention and wellness.”
But while Pierce said the state must invest in seismic retrofitting, he said the key is “you have to grow a great economy with prosperity. That’s our greatest deficit — prosperity.”
Brown said she doesn’t believe that such major investment in transportation can happen “without additional resources.”
“My opponent thinks you can do it with what’s on the table. I don’t think that’s realistic or pragmatic,” the governor said.
But when it comes to disaster planning, Brown said all Oregonians need to make sure they are ready as well, with 14 days of food and water supplies and an emergency plan in place.
EDUCATION:
“By any standard, we have a failing education system, despite government controls,” Pierce said. “The problems of rural areas have been neglected by this governor, not for two years but 25 years.”
Brown said she’s brought aboard an “education innovation officer” to make sure the state continues to invest in key programs like early childhood education.
HEALTH CARE:
Brown said she’s proud that 98 percent of Oregon children are now covered by health insurance. “All should have access to health care. It is a fundamental right.”
But Pierce said, “If we can’t get more frugal medical practices, all the great words in the world from the governor will not provide affordable insurance.”
CLIMATE CHANGE: On a question about balancing the need for regulations to keep water and air healthy with rural need to capitalize on resources, Brown said the biggest issue facing the state,region and world is climate change. She said the state is working to provide the tools and resources needed “to be flexible and adaptive n the face of climate change.” To which Pierce replied, “That was a non-answer” and added, “We don’t need to take less water out of the river than Idaho and Washington does. We have to deal with climate change, we have to lower our carbon, but we have to have water for our farmers.” To which Brown replied, “I think that also was a non-answer.” She noted the need to have water not just for today’s farmers but for future generations.” And she said the state Water Resources Department needs more resources “swo we don’t use up all of our groundwater now.” “I don’t think we want to look like Idaho. I think we want to keep Oregon green,” the governor said.
FUNDING:
Brown said, “I believe we cannot cut our way to a better Oregon, and my opponent is proposing an all-cuts budget.” She bemoaned the 50 percent cut in Oregon State Police troopers since 1980 as local law enforcement struggles with funding issues.
Pierce chided the governor for calling his proposal an “all-cuts budget,” and said Oregonians are weary of hearing “there’s no way to redirect spending, no way to be more frugal.”
“The real answer is prosperity,” he said. “The answer is not more government taxes. The answer is prosperity. The answer is a better functioning government, and not a government that can’t run right and demands more and more resources.”
GROWTH/AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
Pierce said Bend’s years of work and a 1,600-page document to bring in about 2,400 acres is a “laughable expansion” of the city’s urban growth boundary that won’t address the issues of land costs and government feeds. He said counties should have an option of whether they want to growth or not, and be able to “freeze” the size of the communities.
“Let’s let the counties control their land use much more,” he said.
Brown said she’d worked with lawmakers to provide more affordable housing, leveraging resources at the local level and working with private developers.
“I will also fight to see that no one gets evicted from their apartment for absolutely no cause,” she promised.
PERS:
Brown said a state Supreme Court ruling that “we must keep our promises to Oregon retirees” means “there’s no clear path available, but the work continues.
“My opponent says he will have proposal after proposal,” she said. “Every time I hear those proposals, I hear lawsuit, lawsuit, lawsuit. We must move Oregon forward.”
But Pierce said nothing has been done to address the issues, and “We need to do what’s been proven to work,” in various ways to change the system for new PERS members so that they pay more of their own retirement costs, like other states.
“This is the issue Governor Brown cannot address because she’s wholly owned by the public employee unions,” Pierce said. “That’s a big bullet that absolutely has to be bitten on, and this governor will not go there, and we” continue to suffer.”
CLOSING PITCH:
Brown said she got her start in politics “fighting for working families” and cited “incredible progress,” such as a higher minimum wage, “significant investments in education” and a new retirement savings plan for all Oregonians.
“There’s much more work to be done to make sure Oregonians thrive,” she said. “Together, we can build on the progress we’ve made.”
Pierce said it’s clear there are “two very different people up here – one a 25-year career politician — every answer, ‘more resources,’ ‘more money’ — all a failure. Sounds great, slick words, great sounding — doesn’t work.”
And he said he’s “spent my whole life in the private sector. We need to turn people loose” to prosper.
Pierce said if he’s elected, “I will spend three months a year in rural Oregon” to “hear the voices.” But he also said, “We need one Oregon, united, not rural and urban. There’s only one race — the human race. If we work together, we can have a brighter future.”
