About Debbie Bucher...
I am a native Oregonian, and most of my adult career was spent in a field known as Corporate Relocation. Helping corporations successfully relocate their transferee’s into the Portland area. In the 80’s and 90’s the tech industry was booming and Oregon was growing massively. As I counseled with these transferee’s over the phone to find out about the needs of their family, housing, schools etc. I took much pride in “selling” Oregon and particularly the Portland area to these families. A vast majority of them were moving up from California and worried about all the rain! I bragged on our schools, the beauty and safety of our City, our affordable housing and our great access to all kinds of recreation within a 100 mile radius – From the mountains to the ocean! I was SOLD on my state and loved selling it to others!
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Now retired, I’m embarrassed of what my wonderful, beautiful state has become. I remember when Portland was voted the friendliest City, most livable City and our State received so much recognition as a great place to live. Now I see homelessness at critical levels, violence in the streets, Antifa and other groups regularly on TV. Portland is in the national news far too often, and it’s not good news. Our schools now rank 47th out of 50 states for High School graduation! Are you kidding me??? The drugs, needles, crime, filth, and theft increase break’s my heart. Portland used to be so safe, so beautiful. What happened?
Oregon was always known as a “RED” state. For over 100 years, the residents of Oregon voted in Republican Governors’ 75% of the time. In 1987 the residents elected Democratic Governor Neil Goldschmidt, and it’s been “BLUE” ever since. The massive growth we’ve experienced over the past 30 years, brought with it an infiltration of liberal beliefs that I believe has damaged our state greatly. And now we see the long term, negative effects of these policies. As I see California self-destructing right before our eyes, I wonder if it’s too late for Oregon to turn around and make Oregon a great place to live again!