Democrat Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Republican challenger Ron Saxton debated education, health care and family issues during the first 2006 gubernatorial debate Thursday.
Kulongoski said he supports fully funding higher education, including community colleges. Saxton said education is important, but the state needs to look at how it spends its money.
He criticized Kulongoski for trying to raise money by increasing taxes. Kulongoski said the state has added 30,000 children to the Oregon Health Plan since he took office and has added more resources to preschool and reading programs.
Saxton said it was time for a change in Oregon, pointing to a report card by child advocacy group Children First for Oregon, which gave the state a D+ this year. He compared that with the B- Oregon received before Kulongoski was elected.
Saxton also said other issues, such as Oregon’s low rankings nationwide in law enforcement per capita and entrepreneurship, are also affecting what the state can do for its children.
But Kulongoski said he wants to make the tax system more fair, saying Saxton opposes trying to provide more revenue sources for middle-income taxpayers.
Saxton and Kulongoski split on Measure 43, which would require doctors to notify parents when
a child has an abortion unless there is a medical emergency or the doctor has the state’s permission. Saxton said he supported the measure, while Kulongoski said he opposes it.
On the issue of whether the state should cover the emergency room health care for children of illegal
immigrants, Kulongoski said he would not allow the state to turn its back on any children. Saxton said children aren’t the issue when it comes to immigration because the problem is with illegal adult immigration.
Kulongoski and Saxton will next appear at the City Club of Portland on Oct. 13 and on television station KGW
on Oct. 17.
The debate was broadcast on Oregon Public Broadcasting and sponsored by OPB, Children First For Oregon, The Children’s Institute and Stand For Children.