Republican candidate Chris Dudley talks with Grant County residents during a visit to John Day.

JOHN DAY – Gubernatorial candidate Chris Dudley made a stop in John Day April 3 to share his ideas for improving the state of Oregon if elected.

Dudley says he’s become increasingly concerned and frustrated in the direction the state is headed.

“I don’t think Oregon is living up to its potential,” he said. “Not even close.”

Dudley is one of nine Republicans seeking to succeed Ted Kulongoski in the state’s top elected post; the others who filed for the GOP the primary include Allen Alley, Clark Colvin, William Ames Curtright, Bob Forthan, Darren Karr, John Lim, Bill Sizemore and Rex Watkins. Democrats on the ballot include Bill Bradbury, John Kitzhaber and Roger Obrist.

Dudley said the state is a national leader in unemployment, underemployment, hunger homelessness and is ranked 43rd for schools and 47th in job creation.

“It’s not a pretty sight,” he noted.

Dudley, 44, who has a degree in economics and political science from Yale University, may be better known for his 16-year career as an NBA player. He played six seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, starting in 1993.

Retiring from basketball in 2003, the 6-11 Dudley became a certified financial planner.

He worked with M Financial as a senior vice president and is now a partner with Filigree Advisors.

He and his wife Chris Love, who is a fifth-generation Oregonian, live in Lake Oswego with three children ages 11, 10 and 8.

Dudley told the audience at the John Day Outpost Restaurant that he’s frustrated with answers coming from Salem.

Salem says the “biggest problem is that we have a tax deficit,” he said. “We don’t need more taxes, we need more tax payers.”

He blamed the jobs deficit on a leadership deficit.

“The answers have been more taxes, more spending, more regulations and more partisan fighting,” he said. “We have not had strong answers, and we have not worked together and done what’s best for Oregon.”

He added that the governor’s job is to protect and promote businesses in the state, as well as attract businesses to Oregon.

Hal Smith of John Day was in the audience and asked Dudley if he sees himself supporting a sales tax if there were property tax offsets for residents of the state.

Dudley said he thinks Oregon needs to tackle the spending side first.

“We need to rein in spending and restore some of that trust,” he said. “There’s a feeling right now, and rightfully so, that government spends every dime they have, and it’s not always spent wisely.”

He said that if the sales tax route was taken, it would have to be revenue neutral, bringing down other taxes.

Elaine Smith of Prairie City asked the candidate how he plans to go about implementing his ideas.

Dudley noted that if elected he would use veto power, the power of the pulpit and appointments to various boards and commissions.

Ken Holliday of John Day mentioned a list of regulatory problems he’s facing as a businessman and a rancher, including grazing restrictions, the state’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy and Idaho Power’s plans to possibly build a power line through the county.

“Besides having unemployment and all these other issues, the climate out here is so negative,” Holliday said.

Dudley said balanced representation is important where these issues are concerned.

He noted that fishermen, loggers and ranchers all face a lot of the same types of regulations.

“I’m a believer when it comes to natural resources in the saying that the responsible farmer is one who leaves the land in better condition to his heirs than he inherited it,” Dudley said. “So we have the responsibility to take care of our land, but that doesn’t mean you don’t work it. You do work it, you manage, take care of it, and I think we have to find a balance there. That’s something that’s been missing.”