(EDITOR’S NOTE: Photo from the Tillamook County Family YMCA and the banner greeting Governor Kotek during her August visit.)
To the Editor:
It was incredibly heartening to see Governor Tina Kotek spend a full day on the ground here in Tillamook County in August. Far too often, our rural coastal communities feel distant and overlooked by leadership in Salem, but Governor Kotek’s hands-on itinerary showed a genuine interest in what makes our region tick. At each stop during her visit, she took the time to speak with people and hear their concerns, going a long way toward making people feel included.
Governor Kotek shows her support for rural Oregon in other ways too. Wildfire preparedness, healthcare, repairing old and building new infrastructure, housing availability and school funding are all areas Ms. Kotek has had a positive impact during her term. These are of particular importance to rural areas where options for healthcare and housing are limited and wildfires can be devastating.
It has been said that “Oregon’s problems are not partisan problems” and that is correct. Homelessness, lack of healthcare options, and food insecurity impact us all directly or indirectly. So does election tampering, rampant disinformation and lack of government accountability. What differentiates Governor Kotek from her opponents are the solutions. Governor Kotek, along with Tobias Reed, our Secretary of State and Dan Rayfield, our Attorney General, have steadfastly refused to provide an open door to the Trump administration to come to Oregon, disrupt our elections, negatively impact our healthcare and prey on low income and elderly families.
As we approach the November election, we’ll see campaign ads, speeches and all sorts of claims from candidates. It is difficult to tell truth from fiction.
The Framers of the Constitution relied upon an educated electorate to make decisions regarding who should lead our state and federal governments. Be an educated voter – do your research – question candidate statements – always seek out the truth.
For our state, leadership is demonstrated by preserving Oregon’s integrity as well as providing support for all corners of Oregon. Governor Kotek’s dedication to Oregon values is exactly what our state needs to keep moving forward.
Sincerely,
Teresa Hall
Pacific City, OR
