Governor still has not signed her signature bill while urging Oregonians to think before signing a petition to determine whether Oregonians agree with her
**This is the real Tina Kotek—**a back-room partisan operator more focused on tactical advantage than on the well-being of the Oregonians she was elected to serve. Her refusal to sign her own signature bill, while publicly framing it as essential to basic services, reveals a sleazy willingness to game the system. It’s not governance—it’s maneuvering.
Having witnessed grown men turn into quivering puddles of seepage after leaving Kotek’s office (even when they had nothing to lose by standing up to her) Kotek’s reptilian cold bloodedness is not a surprise. She makes Janet Reno look like your favorite aunt.
The fact is, every single Republican knew that she not only held all the cards in this case, but that she would exploit them ruthlessly. But once again, the minority party chose to climb into the boxing ring handcuffed, having tacitly agreed that there would be no kicks thrown. The Republicans continue to choose, as “leadership”, posers like Drazan, who not only got humiliated by Kotek in that absurd “redistricting” debacle, but who never missed a chance to help enact leftist policy. Recall, Drazan voted twice to put tampons in kindergarten BOYS rooms (then falsely denied it), voted to protect a Kotek staffer who was arrested at an antifa riot and led the charge to oust the House’s most conservative member, Mike Nearman, a disgraceful effort joined by every single other Republican except Nearman himself.
Now they are faced with a looming deadline to complete a very expensive effort to reverse a bill the overwhelming majority of Oregonians oppose because, once again, they insist on playing by the rules of the people whose only goal is to dope slap them. We are now faced with the spectacle of a minority party with exactly one person willing to stand up fearlessly to the power brokers; Dwayne Yunker. The rest of the caucus keeps providing the quorum needed to pass this kind of legislation while the state continues to spiral into an unlivable hell hole. And for what exactly? To safeguard their jobs. Jobs where they have exactly no power to do anything but issue indignant press releases and promise to “fight for you” if you will only “chip in” $25.00
“… led the charge to oust the House’s most conservative member, Mike Nearman, a disgraceful effort joined by every single other Republican except Nearman himself.“
When every single member of your own party votes to oust you, the problem is probably you.
Maybe. But to be clear, Nearman was not ousted by his party. He was ousted by his caucus. The very same caucus that voted in lockstep with Drazan to force menstrual products into the bathrooms of 5 year old boys. So I have somewhat less faith in their decisions than you do.
Is anyone really surprised? The tax hike was a forgone conclusion, as every future tax hike will be. Socialists eventually run out of other people's money, but never soon enough.
Boy, our Governor is one tough matriarch (she/her), elevating the tax burden in order to chase out the last of the evil capitalist families who would otherwise stay and be made to pay this Democrat giveaway tax, while, simultaneously, monumentally adding to her collective, matriarchal war chest in order to further lower school standards, codify racism, increase abortion, reduce agriculture, eliminate dispatchable energy, reduce population, and keep Antifa on the roadways, among other policy benefits that derive from Governor she/her’s continual building of the matriarchal war chest. No Kings, indeed.
You wrote, "A quirk in Oregon law set the repeal deadline based on the day the legislature adjourned its 2025 special session, but prohibits signature collection until Kotek signs the bill." It is not a quirk in Oregon "law". Unfortunately, it is Article IV, Section 1(3)(b) of the Oregon Constitution:
"(b) A referendum on an Act or part thereof may be ordered by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to four percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the petition. A referendum petition shall be filed not more than 90 days after the end of the session at which the Act is passed."
So the deadline for filing the referendum petition (signed by sufficient voters) of 90 days after the end of the legislative session is set by the Oregon Constitution. The starting date for a referendum petition has to wait until the bill actually becomes law, which means after the Governor has signed it or it has become law without her signature 30 days after the end of the legislative session for any bill passed by the Legislature within the last 5 days of its session (also in the Oregon Constitution). You cannot start a referendum petition on something that is not an Act, which means something that is not yet approved by the Governor by her signature or default by her 30-day delay after the end of the session.
I have family in eastern Oregon who are being told by their employers that *even with* the "urgently necessary" transportation bill, I-84 is the only state road that has priority at being plowed this winter in their area--all smaller state roads/highways in the area are not guaranteed to be plowed. Thus, people needing to commute to work from smaller outlying areas may not be able to get to work at all.
I'd love to see the reporters of Oregon Roundup look into this rumor and see if it's based in truth. Seems like maybe all those new administrators who had a job created for them (I assume they can't actually start or get paid until the bill is actually signed) because of HB 3991 should start snowplow operator training now so they're ready for snow season.
**This is the real Tina Kotek—**a back-room partisan operator more focused on tactical advantage than on the well-being of the Oregonians she was elected to serve. Her refusal to sign her own signature bill, while publicly framing it as essential to basic services, reveals a sleazy willingness to game the system. It’s not governance—it’s maneuvering.
No Queens Kotax
Instead of raising taxes, how about lowering expenses? Cut every agency budget by 20 per cent, and let each unit decide where to achieve savings.
What a concept.
how could we make this happen? anyone able to start a referendum?
Yes!
That “quirk” needs to be fixed. The signature gathering period should be tied to when the legislation is signed, not when the session ends.
Democratic (big D) governance, without small d democracy.
Visit https://notaxor.com/ for information and updates on the 3991 referendum.
Having witnessed grown men turn into quivering puddles of seepage after leaving Kotek’s office (even when they had nothing to lose by standing up to her) Kotek’s reptilian cold bloodedness is not a surprise. She makes Janet Reno look like your favorite aunt.
The fact is, every single Republican knew that she not only held all the cards in this case, but that she would exploit them ruthlessly. But once again, the minority party chose to climb into the boxing ring handcuffed, having tacitly agreed that there would be no kicks thrown. The Republicans continue to choose, as “leadership”, posers like Drazan, who not only got humiliated by Kotek in that absurd “redistricting” debacle, but who never missed a chance to help enact leftist policy. Recall, Drazan voted twice to put tampons in kindergarten BOYS rooms (then falsely denied it), voted to protect a Kotek staffer who was arrested at an antifa riot and led the charge to oust the House’s most conservative member, Mike Nearman, a disgraceful effort joined by every single other Republican except Nearman himself.
Now they are faced with a looming deadline to complete a very expensive effort to reverse a bill the overwhelming majority of Oregonians oppose because, once again, they insist on playing by the rules of the people whose only goal is to dope slap them. We are now faced with the spectacle of a minority party with exactly one person willing to stand up fearlessly to the power brokers; Dwayne Yunker. The rest of the caucus keeps providing the quorum needed to pass this kind of legislation while the state continues to spiral into an unlivable hell hole. And for what exactly? To safeguard their jobs. Jobs where they have exactly no power to do anything but issue indignant press releases and promise to “fight for you” if you will only “chip in” $25.00
“… led the charge to oust the House’s most conservative member, Mike Nearman, a disgraceful effort joined by every single other Republican except Nearman himself.“
When every single member of your own party votes to oust you, the problem is probably you.
Maybe. But to be clear, Nearman was not ousted by his party. He was ousted by his caucus. The very same caucus that voted in lockstep with Drazan to force menstrual products into the bathrooms of 5 year old boys. So I have somewhat less faith in their decisions than you do.
Picking the wrong hill to die on is why Oregon Republicans keep losing on the right ones to die on.
Is anyone really surprised? The tax hike was a forgone conclusion, as every future tax hike will be. Socialists eventually run out of other people's money, but never soon enough.
One way to have avoided “procedural games” would have been to vote “no”.
Where do I sign?????
Boy, our Governor is one tough matriarch (she/her), elevating the tax burden in order to chase out the last of the evil capitalist families who would otherwise stay and be made to pay this Democrat giveaway tax, while, simultaneously, monumentally adding to her collective, matriarchal war chest in order to further lower school standards, codify racism, increase abortion, reduce agriculture, eliminate dispatchable energy, reduce population, and keep Antifa on the roadways, among other policy benefits that derive from Governor she/her’s continual building of the matriarchal war chest. No Kings, indeed.
Yep all those WEF bullet points. Check them all off Oregon.
You wrote, "A quirk in Oregon law set the repeal deadline based on the day the legislature adjourned its 2025 special session, but prohibits signature collection until Kotek signs the bill." It is not a quirk in Oregon "law". Unfortunately, it is Article IV, Section 1(3)(b) of the Oregon Constitution:
"(b) A referendum on an Act or part thereof may be ordered by a petition signed by a number of qualified voters equal to four percent of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for Governor at the election at which a Governor was elected for a term of four years next preceding the filing of the petition. A referendum petition shall be filed not more than 90 days after the end of the session at which the Act is passed."
So the deadline for filing the referendum petition (signed by sufficient voters) of 90 days after the end of the legislative session is set by the Oregon Constitution. The starting date for a referendum petition has to wait until the bill actually becomes law, which means after the Governor has signed it or it has become law without her signature 30 days after the end of the legislative session for any bill passed by the Legislature within the last 5 days of its session (also in the Oregon Constitution). You cannot start a referendum petition on something that is not an Act, which means something that is not yet approved by the Governor by her signature or default by her 30-day delay after the end of the session.
So the problem is in the Oregon Constitution.
You mean like cheating the electorate with vote by mail, every election?
quirk, indeed.
… “ take away our basic ability as Oregonians” …
No kidding.
Epic gaslighting here by Her Majesty the Guv.
I have family in eastern Oregon who are being told by their employers that *even with* the "urgently necessary" transportation bill, I-84 is the only state road that has priority at being plowed this winter in their area--all smaller state roads/highways in the area are not guaranteed to be plowed. Thus, people needing to commute to work from smaller outlying areas may not be able to get to work at all.
I'd love to see the reporters of Oregon Roundup look into this rumor and see if it's based in truth. Seems like maybe all those new administrators who had a job created for them (I assume they can't actually start or get paid until the bill is actually signed) because of HB 3991 should start snowplow operator training now so they're ready for snow season.
Feeling fairly helpless in all this rhetoric…