As home prices rise, Oregon's gubernatorial candidates address inflation

Oregon voters on Nov. 8 will choose from among five candidates to be the state's next governor: Republican Christine Drazan, unaffiliated candidate Betsy Johnson, Democrat Tina Kotek, Libertarian R Leon Noble and Constitution Party candidate Donice Smith.

The Statesman Journal asked the candidates about their position on a variety of issues, from guns to abortion to forest management. We will run their answers, presented in their words, over the next several weeks.

(Answers may be edited for clarity and length. Information in italics was added by the Statesman Journal. The order of the responses will be rotated with each question).

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Many Oregonians are concerned about cost-of-living increases, from gas prices, to rent, to prescription drugs. What role should the governor play in addressing rising day-to-day expenses?

Betsy Johnson:

Even before inflation drove up the daily cost of living for every Oregonian, the cost of housing in Oregon was rising faster than most people could afford. All over the state, Oregonians tell me they can’t afford to buy or rent a home, and many face the threat of homelessness. 

Oregon has a housing affordability crisis because we have a politician-made housing supply crisis. For too many years, state and local politicians have thrown up roadblocks to the construction of new housing, making housing more expensive. Today, we are living with the results. Housing inventories are at a record low, while rents and home prices are skyrocketing. Oregon ranks at the bottom among the 50 states when it comes to housing production relative to our needs. Builders tell me it can take just as long to get something permitted as it does to build it. That is ridiculous.

As governor, I will make ending our housing supply crisis a top priority so we can reduce the cost of housing and increase options for Oregonians of all income levels. That means every kind of housing Oregonians need to rent or buy – single-family homes, apartments, townhomes and tiny homes. We need housing that nurses, teachers, grocery clerks and all Oregon workers can afford.

Oregon needs to build 580,000 new homes by 2040. That means producing 30,000 new units a year, compared to the 19,000 we produced last year. I will get the politicians and the outdated rules, regulations and fees out of the way so we can increase the supply of housing and begin to reduce the cost of housing.

(Johnson in her statement cites statistics provided by a report from the national pro-housing organization Up for Growth that ranked Oregon 4th in the nation for under-production based on its 2019 numbers, as well as numbers from the advocacy group People for an Affordable Oregon in documents opposing Gov. Kate Brown's executive order related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Tina Kotek:

I started my career 20 years ago at Oregon Food Bank. My job was to hear directly from folks all over the state who were struggling, many of them working multiple jobs and still needing help to feed their families. Now, with rising prices for gas, groceries, and prescription drugs, I know what those kitchen table conversations sound like.

As House speaker, I made sure that we raised the minimum wage, capped the price of insulin, and fought to protect renters from unfair evictions and rent gouging. (In 2016, Kotek supported and Johnson opposed a bill that became law to raise the minimum wage over the next several years. Kotek and Drazan in 2021 supported a bill that became law to restrict the amount health insurance companies could charge for insulin. They both in 2021 supported a bill that became law to require landlords to delay evictions if the tenant has applied for rental assistance.)

As governor, I am going to keep fighting for Oregonians struggling to make ends meet. I will partner with other states to lower prescription drug costs for Oregonians. I will make sure we build more affordable housing across the state. I will expand access to community college, job training, and apprenticeships. And I will continue to fight for investments in Oregon's child care system so that parents and children have the care they need and providers of all types are paida wage that reflects the essential work they do.

Donice Smith:

One of those things I would address to the state leadership is that all those over 70 years of age pay no more property tax on their homes. The cost of living has risen so badly and now seniors are being forced to sell their homes and live in rising cost rentals because of the 3% yearly rise of their home property taxes.

We should consider making it more possible to purchase locally grown food in the stores.  We should not find out that people are having to go over the border to get insulin. As governor, I would insist that there are limits and regulations on what these Big Pharma can charge for life-saving insulin and heart medications, and all other medications. 

The gas pump owners have a contract with the gasoline providers one year out. They should not raise or gouge the consumers because of the world politics. They should be forced by the governor's administration to honor the yearlong contract they had in place, and not raise the gas prices due to greed. Doing this causes food and other supplies to rise, pushing people into poverty in many areas.

Christine Drazan:

Our state’s tax burden and regulatory environment has led to one of the highest costs-of-living in the country. (Oregon ranks 7th among the 50 states for cost of living, according to the Missouri Economic Reserach and Information Center)

We must recognize that the policies coming out of Salem have a direct impact on Oregon families’ wallets. I will veto new tax increases and commit to reviewing existing regulations. Those found to be unnecessary will be repealed or revised.

Controlling rising health care costs is a complex issue — but one that is important to a lot of Oregon families and must be addressed. The cost of prescription drugs is clearly part of the problem, but I believe the system as a whole needs to be reformed. We must continue to work to ensure strong health outcomes for Oregonians without shifting costs or breaking the bank.

R Leon Noble:

Curtailment of taxes and government spending. Government is waste. The people know how to spend their money better.