Small businesses are the backbone of Oregon communities, but Salem has made it harder and harder for them to survive. After 28 years running @Oddballdotcom in Portland, Seth says he’s never seen it this bad. Break-ins. Theft. Rising insurance costs. More taxes. Less accountability. Too many Oregon business owners are being forced to spend more time dealing with crime, bureaucracy, and rising costs than actually growing their business. That is backwards. As Governor, I will prioritize stronger public safety enforcement, crack down on the drug activity and repeat crime hurting local businesses, veto new business tax increases until the state completes a full spending audit, and work to lower the tax burden on Oregon families and small businesses. Oregon should be a place where entrepreneurs can build something, hire people, and feel safe doing it again. We need leadership that starts standing with the businesses holding our communities together. – at Portland, OR