Bend Source Weekly Endorses Tina Kotek, Citing Her Record on Prioritizing “Oregon’s Biggest Challenge — Homelessness and Housing”

Editorial Board warns both Drazan and Johnson would push Oregon in an “alarming direction” 

The Bend Source Weekly editorial board announced they’re endorsing Tina Kotek for governor, citing Kotek’s record of taking on the housing and homelessness problems in Oregon, writing: “Our faith is on the one who’s prioritized what we believe is Oregon’s biggest challenge—homelessness and housing—and put her legislative career where her mouth is.”

The Bend Source Weekly continued:

“Kotek was instrumental in funding the statewide homeless Navigation Centers that give people a place to find resources to get them out of homelessness. She also helped to launch Project Turnkey, which converted old motels into shelters around the state. Due to the Martin v. Boise ruling, without adequate numbers of shelter beds, cities have little to no leverage in clearing camps or getting people off the streets, where homelessness is currently most visible. Motel-shelters brought instant, lower-cost shelter-bed capacity.”

“…These are just a few examples of her commitment to improving the lives of the most vulnerable in Oregon—and far from the ‘status quo’ that certain politicos would have you believe is what is at stake in this election.”

The endorsement also slams both Christine Drazan and Betsy Johnson for their potential to push Oregon in an “alarming direction.”

On Drazan, the editorial board criticized Drazan for leading a legislative walkout that led to a “a great deal of other legislation not getting passed and the needs of Oregonians left unaddressed.”