Salem, OR – Oregon Governor Tina Kotek delivered a State of the State address on Monday, marking the midpoint of her four-year term and urging state lawmakers to take bold action on some of the state’s most pressing issues. With a packed House chamber of lawmakers, state justices, and dignitaries, Kotek outlined her administration’s priorities, focusing on housing and homelessness, behavioral health, and education.
In her address, Kotek acknowledged the ongoing challenges in addressing these issues but stressed that progress was being made, albeit at a slower pace than desired. “We are making progress, despite entrenched challenges, but that progress is fragile and requires all of us to be persistent and not get distracted,” Kotek said.
The governor’s remarks on housing were particularly pointed. While her administration has approved billions of dollars in funding for housing and homelessness since she took office in 2023, she admitted that the state has yet to make significant strides in reducing homelessness or accelerating the pace of new housing construction. Kotek’s original goal of adding 36,000 housing units per year remains far out of reach. “I am impatient about the pace of progress, and some days just plain angry that we’re in this predicament at all and that we can’t move faster to get more housing built,” she said. She called on lawmakers to think creatively and act decisively in addressing the housing crisis.
On the issue of behavioral health, Kotek highlighted the growing strain on the Oregon State Hospital, which is struggling to admit individuals in severe mental health crises due to the overwhelming demand for beds. Many of the hospital’s beds are occupied by individuals charged with crimes and deemed unfit to stand trial. Kotek reiterated her proposed budget, which includes funding to create hundreds of new treatment beds, and emphasized the importance of linking individuals in homeless shelters to mental health services. She also took a controversial stance, supporting the lowering of the legal threshold for civil commitment for those experiencing severe mental illness. “Why is it okay that we watch very ill people harm themselves because we are unwilling or unable to get them the health care they so desperately need?” Kotek questioned.
In education, Kotek addressed the concerning state of student performance, noting that recent test scores show Oregon students lagging in key areas such as English, math, and science. She proposed a $600 million funding boost for K-12 schools but made it clear that this increase would be tied to accountability. “This is not a blank check,” Kotek stated, adding that districts would be required to demonstrate measurable outcomes and transparency in how they use the funds. “When a district’s numbers show failure for their students, there will be help and attention — not voluntarily requested, but required,” she warned.
While the governor focused much of her speech on these top priorities, she also briefly touched on other important issues, including wildfire preparedness and transportation. Kotek reiterated her call for lawmakers to set aside $150 million to prepare for the next wildfire season, and she advocated for at least $130 million every two years to prevent and combat fires, following a record year in which nearly two million acres were burned.
The governor’s speech also addressed transportation funding and the state’s ongoing public defense and foster care challenges, though these issues were not discussed in as much detail.
Kotek closed her address with a call for bipartisan cooperation. “The choices we make as leaders will have a ripple effect on generations to come,” she said. “Let’s rise above the maze of politics and see the path forward.”
The address marked the unofficial start of Oregon’s 2025 legislative session, which is set to run through June. Lawmakers were also sworn into office on Monday, with the Senate selecting Rob Wagner as president and the House re-electing Julie Fahey as speaker.
However, Kotek’s speech was met with strong criticism from Republican lawmakers. House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, who ran against Kotek for governor in 2022, described the address as “uninspiring” and accused the governor of “doubling down on the status quo and the failed policies of the past.” Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham also criticized Kotek’s handling of the housing crisis, calling her efforts a failure. “Republicans are coming to Salem to fight,” Bonham declared, signaling a contentious legislative session ahead.
With both parties preparing for a heated debate over the state’s future, the coming months in Oregon’s legislature promise to be marked by significant challenges and conflicting visions for the state’s path forward.
