In this hard-hitting episode of Oregon D.O.G.E., Senators Mike McLane and Daniel Bonham pull no punches in revealing the “ugly” fallout of the 2025 session. With Oregon’s budget exploding from $34 billion in 2001 to $140 billion today, lawmakers say the system is bloated, unsustainable, and riddled with misplaced priorities.
Key Takeaways
Tax Hikes by Another Name
Democrats claim they didn’t raise taxes, but Oregonians are facing skyrocketing “fees” on everything from gas to vehicle registrations. The result? Higher costs of living while programs like DEI remain untouched.
DEI Over Plow Drivers
When ODOT faced budget pressure, the governor chose to lay off road crews rather than touch the department’s $28 million DEI program—leaving rural Oregonians without snowplows while bureaucracy thrived.
$15 Million for Illegal Immigrant Legal Aid
At the same time Lakeview schools and communities were denied $350,000 to fix a geothermal well, the legislature appropriated $15M for free legal services for those who crossed into the U.S. illegally.
The Fake “Cuts Budget”
Democrats called the new $140B budget a “cuts budget.” In reality, it grew by $16 billion from the last cycle. As McLane put it:
Don’t pee on my back and tell me it’s raining.
Businesses and Jobs Fleeing Oregon
From Hampton Lumber and Dutch Bros to Intel and Nike, employers are leaving in droves, citing hostile regulations, climate mandates, and anti-business labor policies. Oregon now ranks 48th in business friendliness.
Union Giveaways
Senate Bill 916 grants unemployment benefits to striking public-sector workers—making Oregon the only state in the nation to do so. Meanwhile, House Bill 3789 targets the Freedom Foundation, trying to silence groups that remind workers of their right to opt out of unions.
Conclusion
With tax fatigue at record highs, jobs fleeing, and unconstitutional budget imbalances ignored, Oregon is heading into what Bonham calls a “doom loop.” Without reform, taxpayers will pay more while receiving less.