In January, Oregon Republican legislators walked up the marble steps of the State Capitol with one goal in mind: to bring new opportunity and hope to our state. With Ted Kulongoski and Democrats in full control of the Governor’s office and both Legislative chambers for the first time in 14 years, Republicans set themselves to listen and collaborate to bring long term security for Oregon families and small businesses. As we near the one hundredth day of Oregon’s 74th Legislative session, let us look at the ‘could have beens’ and the actual accomplishments of Oregon’s new leaders.

Republicans came to Salem hoping to provide real reform for Oregon schools, directing more money to classrooms early in session and making schools accountable for the way they spend taxpayer money.

The Chalkboard Project gave the Legislature a rare opportunity after conducting more than 100,000 conversations with moms, dads, children and taxpayers across the state about what education in Oregon should look like.

Chalkboard Project’s nearly three years of vetting bi-partisan enhancements to Oregon’s K-12 system produced ready-made concepts for Legislative adoption. Despite broad support from Oregonians of all perspectives, the Chalkboard proposals have languished in committee. This legislative session is more than half over and the most obvious, common sense reforms appear dead.

The first 100 days of session have brought little in the way of reform for Oregon schools. In fact, the biggest school related change is a new bureaucracy to provide an insurance service local school boards were already supplying with success and efficiency. This costs the state $5 million that could have gone to local classrooms.

Another obvious opportunity in the first 100 days of session was making Oregon neighborhoods more secure by funding 147 more state police officers. A bill dedicating enough funding to put state troopers on the road 24 hours a day, seven days a week is still in committee, ignored by Governor Kulongoski and Democrat legislative leadership.

Solutions to skyrocketing health care costs are faring no better. While a proposal that would allow uninsured families and small businesses to take a tax credit for health insurance purchases gathers dust, a Senate committee meets weekly to pontificate about the creation of the "Oregon Health Trust Board."

Rather than taking bold steps to fix a problem, Governor Kulongoski and Democrat legislative leadership want to spend the next year and a half studying the problem and looking at a plan for universal, government funded healthcare.

We had the opportunity to give the uninsured affordable access to private insurance, but all Salem can do is study the problem and create new bureaucracy.

The first three months of the 74th legislative session could have been a chance to bolster Oregon businesses and provide more expendable income to Oregon’s working class families.

Instead, the first 100 days brought more than 100 proposals to increase taxes and fees. This, in spite of the fact that Salem has a record amount of revenue, 20 percent more then last budget cycle.

First it was a permanent repeal of the business kicker to the tune of $350 million, then it was "just" a one time suspension of article 9 section 14 of the Oregon Constitution costing employers $290 million. Governor Kulongoski and Democrat leadership want to take $150 million more from businesses in the form of a corporate minimum tax. Beer, wine, cigarettes, auto insurance, homes, medicine and beverage containers round out the list of suggested tax increases. Rather then just looking for another pocketbook to dig into, Salem should be prioritizing important services and fulfilling our role as ‘waste hawks,’ as Republicans have demanded.

The first 100 days of a newly elected administration has long been a standard benchmark by which to judge leadership. It is a test of vision and resolve. Oregon’s new leaders have squandered this opportunity through single-party control and petty, partisan politics.

When we walk down the marble steps at the end of session to tell Oregonians what we accomplished on their behalf, I hope the report is one of opportunity, vision and expectancy for great things to come, not, as is indicated by the current direction of Governor Kulongoski and the Democrat leadership, one of missed opportunities, growth of government, and higher taxes.

State Senate Republican leader Ted Ferrioli,

R-John Day, represents Oregon State Senate District 30.