Drazan Looks To Promote Rural Oregon, Oregon Ag

Christine Drazan, Republican candidate for Oregon Governor says if elected, she’ll work to give rural portions of the state a voice in Salem.  The Klamath Falls native said Oregon is an ag dependent state, but the business climate makes it difficult on producers of any size.  She also says the state has a huge rural/urban divide, not just geographically, but mentally and politically.

So, how would she address that divide?

Drazan said it will happen in two steps.  First respect rural Oregon values and needs, ensuring the state does not use a “one-size-fits-all" mentality when creating policy.  But the other side of that coin is ensuring opportunity.

“Anything I can do to expand opportunity into the rural parts of the state I want to do that.  Whether or not that's supporting infrastructure needs, or being flexible when it comes to application of our rules and certainly when it come to investments in those communities to ensure that they have good roads, strong schools, access to healthcare, and a business climate that it recognizes the differences between operating a business in Portland and existing and living in the rural parts of the state and what that takes.”

Another issue for the state is the future of the Snake River dams.  Drazan said breaching the dams is a ridiculous notion.

“We look around to how we built up the Pacific Northwest and it was dependent on the dams.  And to take them out is to expose people within our region to higher energy prices, instability across the grid, and in fact more environmental degradation with the impacts of what's required for batteries and what's required to actually sustain solar and wind; which right now doesn't even have the technology to make that realistic.”

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com