Hill, Sorenson talk higher ed. at PSU visit
Democratic candidates Jim Hill and Pete Sorenson made their pitches at Portland State to become Oregon’s next governor yesterday, with both candidates painting a gloomy picture of the incumbent and emphasizing the need to better fund the state’s public universities.
Sorenson and Hill are running against incumbent Governor Ted Kulongoski in the Democratic primary May 16. Kulongoski did not attend the forum.
Both candidates took time to address questions from students in attendance, mostly about higher education in Oregon, despite thousands of demonstrators rallying in the Park Blocks just outside the windows of the Smith Memorial Student Union’s Parkway North.
Hill even made reference to the rally while talking about political involvement in Oregon.
“We should have this kind of enthusiasm out here,” Hill said, gesturing to the boisterous crowd through the window. “Because that’s what it’s going to take.”
In light of the rallies throughout the nation yesterday, Hill and Sorenson were asked about their positions on illegal immigration in Oregon. Both candidates appeared supportive of broader rights for immigrants, and also directed attention to employers who use immigrant labor.
“We cannot be hypocrites, if it we were not hiring immigrants, they wouldn’t be here,” Hill said.
“Every time I hear the term ‘illegal immigrant,’ I’d love to hear the term ‘illegal employer’ along with it,” Sorensen said.
Both Hill and Sorenson described Oregon’s education system as being in dire straits, and were critical of Kulongoski’s leadership in finding funds to keep both K-12 education and the state’s public universities afloat.
“While your tuition has been going up, the large corporations in this state have been paying less and less and less taxes,” Hill said. “You’ve got to sep up and pay your fair share of the tax burden.”
Sorenson expressed a similar position, saying tax credits that benefit only the wealthy are robbing the state of funds for services like education and healthcare. Sorenson also said that Oregonians should be embarrassed at the condition of education in the state, and that he has a plan to invest $1 billion in education if elected.
“We’re the state where our school system is made fun of in Doonesbury,” Sorenson said, referring to the popular comic strip.
Both candidates said they would support expanding the Oregon Opportunity Grant, the state’s only need-based higher education grant.
“I’m in favor of it,” was Sorenson’s pithy reply when asked if he was in favor of expanding the grant, to which Hill replied, “So am I.”
The forum was sponsored by the Associated Student of Portland State University and the College Republicans. Both the Democrat and Republican gubernatorial candidates were invited to speak on campus, said APSU communications director Jessica Lyness, however Kulongoski and all three Republican candidates, Kevin Mannix, Ron Saxton and Jason Atkinson turned down the invitation.
“We made the same attempt at getting all of the candidates here,” Lyness said. “We wanted the Republican candidates there, but they wouldn’t come.”
The student government is hosting another forum with candidates Wednesday, May 3 at 2 p.m. in SMSU 238. Candidates for Multnomah County Commissioner #2 and commission chair candidates Dianne Linn and Ted Wheeler will be in attendance.
