The Oregon general elections last November were widely covered in the news due to their importance. Now, enough time has passed that we may begin to see some change in our state since January, when new officials were inaugurated. Tina Kotek, recently elected governor of Oregon, has just finished her first 100 days in office on April 19, 2023. Let’s look back at what she has accomplished in this short time.

On Kotek’s first day in office, she declared a state of emergency in Oregon due to widespread homelessness. Her goal was to increase funding towards solving the issue, especially in Oregon’s largest city, Portland – which is unfortunately known for its long-lasting struggle with homelessness. There are roughly 18,000 people suffering homelessness in Oregon, despite a population of 4.24 million; that’s about 1 in 235 Oregonians.

Still on Kotek’s first day in office, she signed two more executive orders for a total of three: the first declaring homelessness state of emergency, the second increasing housing construction, and the third prioritizing helping the homelessness crisis with state agencies and organizations. An executive order is a directive issued by the head of state, such as the governor of Oregon, unilaterally. 

Kotek’s main accomplishments and struggles stem from financial issues. Problem solving inherently costs the state money. Unfortunately, the state is seemingly unable to fulfill all of the packages and other aid programs they would like to make. COVID-19 aid was very expensive for the state, and non-reserves money is running low. However, Kotek is trying to pull money out of state reserves in order to be able to fund these aid packages.

Kotek also has far-reaching plans after her first 100 days. According to her website, she is placing priority on a myriad of issues in Oregon. Abortion is continually a nationwide issue, and Kotek says she will ensure Oregon stays a safe harbor for abortion seekers. 

Additionally, as summer comes closer and closer, Kotek wants to prevent wildfires, or at least lower their severity compared to previous years. She is prioritizing “modernizing Oregon’s firefighting services,” “pushing for federal assistance,” and “creating fire-adapted communities.” Kotek has many different goals, but hopefully in the near future she will continue to accomplish more.

Kotek has certainly made the most of her first 100 days in office. She does not appear to be a politician who will simply let time pass by while she stays bipartisan in order to get re-elected. True change is certainly something the state of Oregon could use right now. According to Kotek on Twitter, “I am honored and humbled to serve Oregon. I promise to be a Governor for all of Oregon. And I’m ready to get to work and move Oregon forward.”