Lars Larson takes Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to task for her tactics designed to get more transportation dollars out of the Oregon State Legislature, which impacts the I-5 Bridge replacement project

Lars Larson
The Northwest Nonsense

Two weeks from now, Oregon holds a special session to do the work lawmakers couldn’t seem to get done in the six month regular session that ended just a few weeks ago.

Think about that for a moment.

And then think about Oregon Governor Tina Kotek using the following sleazy tactic to threaten taxpayers she supposedly serves

Announce you’re laying off hundreds of ODOT workers and that the things people depend on the most … solid roads and plowed snow in winter … will disappear if taxes don’t go up dramatically.

Then delay the layoffs to the end of the special session.

Message received … give us more money or else.  Kotek is like that nightmare contractor who doesn’t get the job done on time … and then demands more money or he’s walking away to leave you with the mess.

In the meantime, check ODOT’s job postings.

Two of them jumped out at me … Project Delivery administrator 3 … a paper pusher and the gig lets you work from home.  Salary, up to a quarter million a year.  Director of External Affairs (whatever that is).  Salary up to 200 grand … both plus benefits, generous vacation and a PERS pension. 

So, ODOT is still hiring for the white collar jobs … even while it pleads poverty to fund the paychecks of blue collar folks who do the jobs we care about most.

Call your state lawmakers and demand they tell Kotek and company to live within their means … and you don’t appreciate the extortion tactics.