Gov. Brown talks 2018 priorities during Bend HS visit

Gov. Kate Brown was in Bend Wednesday, speaking to Bend Senior High school students about the importance of “hands-on experience.”

She went on to say that kind of American dream is no longer possible for many Oregonians.

Brown said sometimes no matter how hard a person works, it can be difficult to get ahead, save for retirement or put kids through college.

The governor also emphasized how important education has become for everyone. She placed a special focus on technical education programs, many of which are offered at Bend-La Pine schools.

“The good news for all of us is that there are jobs in high-growth industries, in advanced manufacturing, in biotech and renewable energy, that you don’t need a college diploma to do. Oregon high school graduates can get these jobs with the right training and these are high-demand, high-wage jobs,” Brown said.

Bend-La Pine high schools offer 148 career and technical education courses, including culinary, engineering and forestry classes. Across all five high schools, there are nearly 2,300 students enrolled in those courses.

Brown said she’s hopeful that providing technical training will increase the state’s “abysmal” 75 percent high school graduation rate.

After speaking to the students and touring classrooms at the school’s Center of Technology and Design, the governor took questions from reporters and discussed her priorities for the upcoming legislative session. The list includes passing legislation to address the opioid crisis.

“My task force reports that when folks overdose and end up in our emergency rooms, they simply go right into the room next door and start using again,” she said. “The bill provides for peer support mentors in emergency rooms, to hopefully get folks out of emergency rooms and into treatment programs.”

Other priorities for this session include changing rules in the construction industry to create jobs and affordable housing.

“We’re working really hard to make it easier for people to move from being wage earners in the construction industry to job creators, by speeding up licensing requirements in the construction industry and by providing support and resources for folks who want to grow their construction businesses in rural Oregon and also building affordable housing,” Brown said.

Gov. Brown will be delivering her State of the State Address on Feb. 5 in Salem.