On Friday, Gov. Tina Kotek vetoed state funds for two Salem projects focused on transportation and career education.
The vetoes mean Cherriots will not receive $250,000 to study the feasibility of a streetcar between west Salem and downtown.
The Willamette Career Academy, serving regional high school students on Northeast Lancaster Drive, will lose out on $1 million of state money that would have helped more students secure work experience while charging less to participating school districts.
Kotek announced the planned vetoes last week, and also included bills that sought to create a task force to study establishing a state public bank, funds for a state criminal justice commission and an Oregon Health and Science University study.
Rep. Tom Andersen, a Salem Democrat known for biking to the Capitol, introduced the original bill that asked for $250,000 to develop a streetcar feasibility study for Salem. The bill was later worked into the budget, but Kotek vetoed the funding. Kotek’s office wrote that the Governor did not see it as a top priority of the state.
Supporters of the bill said a street car would ease traffic jams for west Salem commuters, limit climate impact and spur economic development on the route. Supporters of the original bill included Salem Health, Travel Salem and local legislators Sen. Deb Patterson, D-Salem, state Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth and state Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem.
Following the veto announcement, Andersen said in a statement that he was disappointed in Kotek’s decision.
“The streetcar concept was initiated by a grassroots community in Salem envisioning their city thriving — with stronger infrastructure, greater road safety, increased connectivity to support small businesses and our economy, creating greater downtown housing density, as well as fostering less dependency on single occupancy vehicles. A feasibility study exploring an electric rail in Salem is an important step in that vision,” he said.
Willamette Career Academy had planned to use the $1 million legislators allocated for more internship and apprenticeship programs for students, and to hire teachers.
The academy is run by the WIllamette Education Service District and offers programs in cosmetology, diesel technology, construction, health science and other in-demand careers. High school students from participating school districts around Salem attend classes there, and school districts pay a fee for each student attending.
Kotek objected to the funds being allocated to the state Department of Administrative Services rather than an education service district.
Michael Clark, spokesman for Willamette ESD, said the funds went through the state agency because that’s how prior legislative money to build the career academy was allocated. The career academy opened in the fall of 2021 with about 200 students.
“Workforce development in Oregon is still a critical and unmet need, one to which the Willamette Education Service District is proud to contribute resources and innovative strategies,” Clark said in an email. “Three of the programs housed at WCA address critical workforce shortages identified by our state: health care, manufacturing, and information technology.”
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241. Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-704-0355.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
