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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 8, 2006 Saxton says Oregon can compete on world stage By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune MEDFORD — Branding himself as the business-friendly candidate who’d get state government going as a no-nonsense CEO, funding education and police with better revenues from a healthier economy, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Ron Saxton spoke in Medford Tuesday as part of his weeklong campaign launch. Saxton, touting himself as the only candidate who’s not a career politician, said he’s running for the post for one reason: to help Oregonians succeed in a world market and "unleash the entrepreneurial spirit." Saxton, a Portland attorney who came in third in the 2002 gubernatorial primary, pointed to crowded schools, closing plants and ineffective meth strategies as symptoms of a "broken system" of "wheeling and dealing and schemers" in the "political culture that doesn’t understand our needs." He made his statements Tuesday at the Red Lion Hotel in downtown Medford before departing for a similar rally in Pendleton. He pledged to cut state bureaucracy by 10 percent, eliminating "underperforming" agencies and farming out such tasks such as the state motor pool and auto-emissions testing to the private sector. He lauded the charter-school movement for offering more choice, as well as competition to public schools. Then — to the applause of some 50 supporters — Saxton said he’d give more money to classrooms, less to administration and require "civility" as part of the curriculum. Advertisement His calls for enforcement of Measure 37 (which loosens land-use restrictions) and tougher penalties on sex predators, drug dealers and those committing property crimes drew hearty applause. Saxton, who has collected more than $1 million for his campaign coffers with large donations from timber, corporate and real estate interests, called himself a "common-sense conservative" who aims to cut capital gains taxes, "reform harsh regulatory laws" (the "hassle tax") and "embrace and promote business." He quoted from Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address as governor, that "much of what troubles us has been brought about by politicians," adding, "I’m not part of the current broken system." Under a pro-business state government, "successful businesses pay taxes and employ more people, allowing us to pay for education, law enforcement and transportation needs," he said. "Oregon is a small-business state because the government gets in the way (of them getting larger)." Saxton said he’s the only candidate for governor who has a solution for reforming the costly Public Employees Retirement System — renegotiating contracts so they’re in line with the private sector. He claimed retirement plans for Washington teachers cost a fraction of what Oregon spends. Saxton offered no plans for social services and the environment, but said he’d bar driver licenses and benefits for illegal aliens, fix the $200 million "hole in the budget" for the the Department of Human Services, build new roads and allow dredging of the Columbia River. "I’ll make sure fish don’t always come ahead of people," said Saxton. He likened himself to the gold pioneer atop Oregon’s Capitol building, noting he had "come, not with coffee cup in hand ready to retire, but with ax in hand ready to go to work." Saxton drew himself as a business person, school board member and cherry orchard owner, a "manager and reformer, with the skills to be creative, not someone coming from decades in the Legislature, passing numerous bills." Listeners, such as Christine Walker of Phoenix, said Saxton may be a conservative but is progressive in such basic values as work, education and the right to succeed. Tom Becker of Medford called Saxton a moderate conservative, adding he likes the candidate’s ideas on schools and social services, "expecting people to take responsibility for their own actions." Mike Heverly of Medford said Saxton has a "great attitude" on solutions for Measure 37 and PERS. In an interview, Saxton commented on what separates him from Republican opponents Jason Atkinson and Kevin Mannix. "They put years in working in government as the reason why they’d be good governors. I’ve put in my years in business, education, charities and as a civic leader. The governor is an executive job and you need to bring in citizens from the outside to do it." On Iraq, Saxton said, "He (George Bush) is the president and I support him. It’s a federal issue and I’m not going to comment on federal issues." State Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, introduced Saxton as the only Republican who can win, "the most fiscally conservative candidate (for governor) running," and "the only one who hasn’t spent his life in politics." Saxton officially started his campaign Monday in Portland, and will speak in Bend and Eugene today. He will wrap up his rallies in Albany, his hometown, and Salem on Thursday. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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