PORTLAND- Nearly three weeks after the release of the last Chris Dudley advertisement attacking John Kitzhaber’s record as governor, the Kitzhaber campaign released their own ad on Thursday bringing into question Dudley’s experience for the job.

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SALEM- As anticipated earlier this month, State Economist Tom Potiowsky released his most recent revenue forecast today showing the state to have $1.269 billion less than what was expected at the end of the Legislative session in 2009.

Because of the allotment reductions made by the governor following the last revenue forecast, the total $1.269 billion shortfall translates into just a $377.5 million gap needing to be filled, said Senior Economist Josh Harwood.

PORTLAND- Concerns are rising that cuts in childcare subsidies will end up forcing more people to depend on state money for living expenses rather than save the state money.

Currently the Employment Related Day Care program covers 11,000 people in the state of Oregon, providing child care subsidies to low income individuals so that the parents can continue to work.

PORTLAND- The newest ad from the Dudley campaign continues with its trend of playing off Kitzhaber’s comment about Oregon being ungovernable.

The thirty second television spot ends with Dudley saying, “Oregon isn’t ungovernable, we just need new ideas.”

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PORTLAND- Local labor, environmental, and business leaders have announced their support for the latest Columbia River Crossing proposal adopted by the Project Sponsors Council on Monday.

The announcement came from leaders of the Oregon Business Association, the Oregon AFL-CIO, and Jon Issacs of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters.

PORTLAND- The John Kitzhaber campaign announced Thursday that Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire will be hosting a fundraiser next Thursday for the Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

The campaign is calling the event a “unique opportunity to meet two western governors that share the same core Democratic values, whose states face similar obstacles and opportunities.”

PORTLAND- In a move expected by most local political experts, the Service Employee International Union made public their endorsement of former Democratic Governor John Kitzhaber on Thursday.

SEIU represents over 50,000 employees, primarily in state and local government but also in some private sector industries like nursing homes, hospitals, and property services.

PORTLAND- Democrat veteran John Kitzhaber released his latest campaign ad featuring himself saying this year’s gubernatorial races is “not about being a Democrat or a Republican, or an Independent,” but about being an Oregonian.

He goes on to say that is main job as governor is to create jobs.

“If we can’t put Oregon back to work we can’t make investment in our kids for the future,” says Kitzhaber.

He finishes by saying that he’s not asking for a vote but instead asking for help.

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PORTLAND- Chris Dudley, Republican candidate for governor and former center for the Portland Trail Blazers, released a new television advertisement on Tuesday. The video, shown below, makes no mention of the candidate’s Democratic opponent, John Kitzhaber. Instead, the ad focuses on Dudley’s time serving with the NBA Players Union.

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SALEM- Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s final approval over agency budget cuts has reverted Oregon’s General Fund spending to approximately 2007 levels. Oregon’s General Fund budget accounts for about 22 percent of the entire Oregon state budget.

Despite cuts to the General Fund, the state’s total budget has increased by over $11 billion since the last biennium.