The Governor of Oregon is undoubtedly the most powerful elected official in Oregon. In addition to the bully pulpit and the ability to veto bills, the Oregon Governor commands a great deal of power.

Executive Appointments

Most large and medium-sized state agencies set policy based on a commission. These commissions are all executive branch commissions made by the Governor. This is a tremendous amount of power. Additionally, the Governor appoints agency heads.

Is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife going to concern itself more with providing hunting and fishing opportunities for Oregonians, or are they going to be focused on conservation? Is the Department of Environmental Quality going to be focused on helping industry comply with regulations or are they going to crack down and issue as many fines as possible? Is the Department of Human Services going to be focused on getting people off assistance and on to self-sufficiency or are they going to be recruiting more people into the system?

Line item veto

Unknown to many, the Oregon governor has a line item veto on spending bills. Though it may not be used often, its threat can have a chilling effect on appropriations. Article V, Section 15a of the Oregon Constitution says ,"The Governor shall have power to veto single items in appropriation bills, and any provision in new bills declaring an emergency, without thereby affecting any other provision of such bill."

Call Special Session

Article V, Section 12 authorizes the governor to call special sessions of the legislature. It says, "He may on extraordinary occasions convene the Legislative Assembly by proclamation, and shall state to both houses when assembled, the purpose for which they shall have been convened."

Negotiating with Public Employees

The Governor unilaterally negotiates with government employee unions, including pay, benefits and working conditions. The legislature is left to come up with whatever money is necessary to fund what the governor has promised.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-11-13 11:12:07

Last Update: 2022-11-13 20:29:11