The recent Oregon statewide primary produced few surprises and cleared the decks for one-on-one basketball in the gubernatorial race. Chris Dudley, former NBA basketball player, secured the Republican nod, while former Governor John Kitzhaber won the Democratic primary. Despite Dudley’s obvious height advantage and presence in the paint, Kitzhaber likely has the lead and the leather at this early stage of the game (OK, I’m done now). Kitzhaber’s campaign platform has strong planks covering his commitment to energy efficiency as the catalyst for Oregon’s energy future while Dudley’s energy positions are a bit more uncertain. NEEC will be meeting in June with both campaigns to assess how a new Oregon administration will work with our industry. Look for additional details on the race in ensuing newsletters.
In a less high profile outcome in this spring election, Oregon voters did also provide school districts with new bonding authority heretofore not available as a means for financing investments in Oregon schools.