StatesmanJournalminiquestionnairefor2016PrimaryElection

Thankyouforrespondingtothisquestionnaire.
Whythismatters:TheStatesmanJournalEditorialBoardwillusethisquestionnaireindeciding
whetherandwhomtoendorsefortheMay17GeneralElection.Reporters,whooperate
separatelyfromtheEditorialBoard,mayusetheseanswersinwritingstories.Youranswersmay
bepublishedonStatesmanJournal.comand/orintheprintnewspaper.
Wealsoaskthatyourespondtoeveryquestion,insteadofsimplyattachingcampaignmaterials,
resumes,etc.Ifyouwish,youarewelcometosenduslistsofsupporters,aresume,etc.,in
additiontothisquestionnaire.
PleasereturnthefinishedquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardasanemailoranattachedWord
documenttoSalemed@StatesmanJournal.com.(Handwritten,pdf,WordPerfectorfaxresponses
dontwork.)
Important:PleasereturnthequestionnairebytheendofthedayApril14.
Questions?ContactEditorialPageEditorDickHughes,5033996727,dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com,or
EditorialAssistantNancyHarrington,5033996864,nharring@StatesmanJournal.com.

Yournameaslistedontheballot:
KateBrown
Age:55
(IfyouragewillchangebeforeMay31,pleaseindicateyourbirthday.Wewanttoensureweuse
accurateagesinpreandpostelectioneditorialsandnewscoverage.)
City/townofresidence:
Salem
Politicalparty,ifthisisapartisanoffice:
DemocraticParty
Positionyouareseeking(nameofposition,districtnumber,etc.):
Governor
Areyoucurrentlyafulltimeresidentwithintheboundariesofthespecificarea(ward,district,
county,etc.)thatyouseektorepresent?

IamafulltimeresidentofOregon
Numberofcurrent,consecutiveyearslivingwithinthedistrictyouseektorepresent:
IvelivedinOregonfor34years.
Family(nameofspouse/partner,numberandagesofchildrenifathomeornumberofgrown
children):MyhusbandisDanLittleandIhave2grownstepchildren.
Youreducation(highschool,trade,college,postbaccalaureate;indicateanydegreesyou
earned):UniversityofColorado,B.A.;NorthwesternSchoolofLawatLewisandClark
College,J.D.
Ifemployed,currentoccupation,employerandjobduties:
GovernorofOregon

Previousemployersandwhen:
ChildAdvocateandFamilyLawAttorney
PortlandStateUniversityInstructor
Militaryserviceandwhen:
NA
Volunteer/civic/religiousserviceandwhen:
IwasavolunteerescortandadvocateforwomenusingtheclinicalservicesatthePortland
FeministWomensCenter;servedontheSpiritMountainCommunityTrustFundfor16years.
Pleaselistallpublicofficestowhichyouvebeenelected,andwhen:
OregonHouseofRepresentatives,199196;OregonStateSenate,19972008(includingserving
asSenateDemocraticleaderfrom19982004andSenateMajorityLeaderfrom2004until2008);
OregonSecretaryofState,20092015;OregonGovernor,Feb2015topresent(Iassumedthe
Governorsofficeupontheresignationofmypredecessor,notthroughelection).

Pleaselistanyunsuccessfulcandidaciesforpublicoffice,andwhen:
NA
Otherpriorpoliticalandgovernmentexperience:
GovernorofOregon,Feb2015topresent
IfyouarerunningforapositionthatinvolvesagoverningboardinOregonsuchascity
council,countyboardofcommissioners,LegislatureorStateLandBoardhowmanymeetings
ofthatboardhaveyouattendedinpersonduring2015and2016?Howmanyhaveyouwatched
onlineoronTV,ifapplicable?
IserveontheStateLandBoardandattendedbothofthemeetingsthathavebeenheldsofarin
2016.In2015,Iattended3ofthe5meetingsheldwhileIwasGovernortravel,includinga
trademissiontoAsia,madeitimpossibleformetoattendtheother2.
Howthepubliccanreachyourcampaign(rememberthatthisinformationwillbemadepublic):
Mailaddress:P.O.Box42307,Portland,Oregon97242
Emailaddress:info@katebrownfororegon.com
WebsiteURL:www.katebrownfororegon.com
Phone:9713341246
Facebook:facebook.com/katebrownforor
Othersocialmedia:
Pleaselimityourresponsetoeachofthefollowingquestionstoabout75words.
1. Toanoutsider,howwouldyoudescribetheregionyouwishtorepresent
geographically,economically,politicallyandsocially?

Geographically,Oregonisaspecialplace,richinnaturalbeauty.Anationalnewsarticlerecently
declaredthatoureconomyisthebestinthenation,butwehavemoreworktodotoensurethat
ruralareasshareinthatrecoverywiththeurbanareas.Politically,ouruniqueOregon
independentspiritisreflectedinourgrowingnumberofnonaffiliatedvotersand,socially,we
areadiversepeople,butwealwayscometogetherasoneintimesofcrisis.
2. Whatarethepositivesandnegativesofthisregion(ward,district,countyorstate)that
youwishtorepresent?
Thepositivesaremany:astunningnaturalenvironmentwithabountyofnaturalresources;a
populationofpeoplethatareindependent,engagedandentrepreneurial;andaneconomythatis
growingagain.Wedofacesomechallengesthough:arevenuesystemthatdoesnotprovide
adequateorstablefundingforeducationorothervitalservices;ahighschoolgraduationratethat
isunacceptablylow;andaneedtoexpandoureconomicrecoverysothatallOregonianscan
thrive.
3. Whatspecificskillsandexperiencesdoyoubringtotheposition,especiallyonesthat
wouldhelpturnthosenegativesintopositives?
Ihavealonghistoryofbringingpeopletogethertoforgesolutionstotoughproblems,asIhave
donemostrecentlywiththepassageoftheminimumwageincrease,andearlierincreating
Oregonsonlinecampaignreportingsystem.Ihaveworkedhardandstayedfocusedonwhatis
reallyimportanttoOregonfamilies,movingtheStateforward,inspiteofanunprecedented
numberofchallengesincluding:amassshooting;theoccupationinHarneyCounty;andan
historicdroughtandwildfireseason.
4. Whatseparatesyoufromyouropponent(s)?Bespecific.
IamproudthatIkeptasteadyhandonthewheel,notonlykeepingourStatestable,butmoving
itforward,whilefacingallofthechallengesImentionedabove.Injustalittleoverayearin
office,Ihavearecordofaccomplishmentthatstretchesfromanhistoricinvestmentineducation
toseeingOregononceagainleadinthenationinenvironmentalandeconomicpoliciesthat
benefitworkingpeople.Ibelievethatmyrecordandmyexperiencehaveearnedmeashotat
beingelectedtothisoffice.
5. Pleaselistfivespecificaccomplishmentsthatyouhaveachievedinpoliticsorcivic
affairs:
(1)LedthepassageofoneofthecountrysfirstFamilyandMedicalLeavelawsasaState
legislator.(2)WroteOregonsMotorVoterLawasSecretaryofState,oversawitspassageand
signeditintolawasGovernor.(3)Createdanonlinedatabasetomakecampaigncontributions
completelytransparentandaccessibletoallOregoniansthemostsignificantcampaignfinance
reforminourStateinageneration.(4)ForgedacoalitiontoraiseOregonsminimumwageso
thatnooneworkingfulltimeinthisStatehastoliveinpoverty(5)Signedthelawmaking
OregonthefirstStateinthenationtocompletelyeliminatecoalpower.
6.HowmuchwillyourPrimaryElectioncampaigncost?(bespecific)

MycampaignisnotspendingmoneytocampaigninthePrimaryElectionandisfocusedon
generatingandsavingthenecessaryresourcesfortheGeneralElectioncampaign.
7.Haveyoueverbeenconvictedofacrime,beendisciplinedbyaprofessionallicensing
board/organizationorhadanethicsviolationfiledagainstyou?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
No

8.Haveyoueverfiledforbankruptcy,beendelinquentonyourtaxesorothermajoraccounts,or
beensuedpersonallyorprofessionally?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
Iwassuedin2012inrelationtoaminortrafficaccidentthesuitwassettledoutofcourt.A
1992suit,relatedtoafamilylawcasethatIservedasanattorneyin,wasalsosettled.

9.Whatarethethreemostimportantissuesyouwouldaddressifelected,andhow?(75words
foreachissue)
A. Education:WemustraiseOregonsdismalgraduationrateandensurethatourStatehasan
educationsystemthatsupportsALLofourstudentsfromcradletocareer.Wehavemadea
startbyincreasingKthru12educationfundingby$7.4billionandbymakingcommunity
collegemoreaffordable,butthereisstillmuchmoreworktodo.IhavehiredaCabinet
leveleducationinnovationofficerwhowillworkdirectlywithmeinaccomplishingour
goals.
B. EconomicOpportunityforAllOregonians:WeneedaneconomywhereeveryOregonian
hasaccesstoagoodjobwithrealbenefits.Iwillcontinuetohelpsmallbusinesses
cutthroughredtape,withprogramsliketheOfficeofSmallBusinessAdvocatethatI
createdandrecentlyexpanded,sotheycangrowandcreatejobs.Andwhileraisingthe
minimumwageandpassingpaidsickleavelegislationisagoodstart,hardworking
OregoniansdeservemoreweshouldmoveforwardonequalpayandpaidFamilyand
MedicalLeave.
C.ClimateChange/Resiliency:Protectingourenvironmentisalsoaneconomicissue.Weve
takenabigfirstwitheliminatingcoalpower,butthereismuchmoretodointhefaceofclimate
changeandweneedtoexploreandweighouroptionscarefully.Wealsohavetobeprepared
fortheconsequencesofachangingclimatebytakingstepstocombatthingslikedroughtsand
forestfires,aswellasensuringthatourschoolsandcommunitiesarepreparedforearthquakes.
10.Whatdoyouseeasotherimportantissues?
Governmenttransparencyandaccountabilityhasalwaysbeenahighpriorityformeit
shouldntbeeasiertotrackaFedExpackagethantofindoutwhatishappeninginyourState
government.FromtighteningethicslawstocreatingaPublicRecordsAdvocatesothat
informationismoreeasilyaccessible,IamcommittedtogivingOregoniansthekindofefficient,

transparentandaccountablegovernmentthattheydeserve.Transportationisalsoavery
importantissuetomeandIplantomoveforwardwithatransportationpackagein2017.We
mustrepairourcrumblinginfrastructure,investinsaferroadsforOregonians,andmakesureour
businessescangettheirgoodstomarket.
11.Whatonlineand/orprintpublicationsdoyouregularlyreadtokeepabreastofissuesinthe
districtyouseektorepresent?
Governingmagazines;AnumberofOregonsdailyandweeklynewspapersincludingThe
OregonianandTheStatesmanJournal.IalsoreadtheNewYorkTimesregularly.
12.Anyskeletonsinyourclosetorotherpotentiallyembarrassinginformationthatyoushould
disclosebeforeitcomesupinthecampaign?Anything(includinghealthissues)thatwould
affectyourabilitytoserveyourfullterm?Anychangesinyourlifesituationthatare
contemplatedorexpectedbeforetheelectionorbeforeyouwouldtakeoffice?
No
Thankyou.PleasereturnthisquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardasanattachedWorddocumentto
Salemed@StatesmanJournal.combyApril14,2016.