Governor Tina Kotek visits Linn County
Salem, OR — On Thursday, Governor Tina Kotek visited Linn County to mark the 34th stop of her One Oregon Listening Tour, traveling to meet with Oregonians in Albany, Tangent, Shedd, Sweet Home and Lebanon.
“I saw many examples during my time in Linn County of incredible community spirit,” Governor Kotek said. “When it comes to housing, economic development, support for our veterans, and other essential issues, the folks here roll up their sleeves and work together to tackle big problems. I came away really encouraged about the positive direction of local partnerships.”
After starting her day with breakfast in Albany at BakerzDozen, a local Black-owned bakery, Governor Kotek met with local leaders at City Hall to discuss the need to build more housing and the barriers preventing faster housing production. Governor Kotek has established a goal of building 36,000 new homes per year, and her top priority for the upcoming 2024 legislative session will be housing production.
After visiting the Albany Historic Carousel & Museum with Mayor Alex Johnson II, she drove to Tangent to greet city leaders at their historic City Hall. The City of Tangent is celebrating its 50th birthday, and Governor Kotek added a signed note and official Governor’s pen to the time capsule the city created, which will be opened in 2073 when Tangent turns 100 years old.
Following a lunch meeting in Tangent, Governor Kotek traveled to Shedd to tour Pugh Seed Farm. The farm grows grass seed, white radish seed, white clover, turnip seed, wheat, meadowfoam, and hazelnuts. Linn County is known as “The Grass Seed Capital of the World.”
The Governor next visited Sweet Home to tour The Family Assistance and Resource Center, the first low-barrier shelter in East Linn County and the only low-barrier shelter operating in Linn County. This was followed by a roundtable discussion at the facility with shelter operators and local leaders, focusing on the need for increased access to shelter services for youth and families experiencing homelessness, as well as the growing community support for the shelter.
Governor Kotek then traveled to Lebanon to visit the Edward C. Allworth Veterans' Home, which opened in 2014 as the state’s second veterans’ home. The home offers space for 154 residents needing long-term care. Following a tour of the facility, she discussed ways to enhance services for veterans including behavioral health in long-term care settings.
The day concluded with a dinner conversation in Lebanon with local leaders.
