ALEX ON THE ISSUES
Notice: This website is maintained as an archive of policy positions from Alex Chase’s 2026 gubernatorial campaign. He is no longer running.
ALEX ON THE ISSUES
HOMELESSNESS & DRUG CRISIS
Oregon’s parks and public spaces were never meant to serve as long-term encampments, and the state’s homelessness and addiction crisis requires clarity, structure, and accountability — not denial or slogans.
One viable path forward is the development of Hope Meadows communities: large-scale, purpose-built neighborhoods designed to address housing instability, addiction, mental health, education, and workforce readiness together, rather than as disconnected services. These would not function as shelters or camps, but as permanent, self-sustaining communities where participation in recovery, education, or service is required in order to remain.
Under this model, a standard Hope Meadows campus could support up to 4,000 residents, with larger metropolitan areas such as Portland and Salem requiring expanded facilities to meet greater demand. Estimated construction costs would average approximately $400 million per site, funded through a diversified mix of federal housing grants, vacancy and large-landlord taxes, clean-energy revenues, gaming revenue, private investment, and modest municipal bonding.
Ongoing operations would be designed to be self-supporting through tiered rents, healthcare partnerships, on-site business activity, and grants — generating an estimated $48–55 million annually per community, with projected net surpluses of $15–20 million. Larger campuses could exceed $100 million in annual revenue once operational.
A core principle of Hope Meadows is that recovery requires structure. Residents would be expected to engage in treatment, education, employment training, or community service — not as punishment, but as a foundation for dignity, stability, and long-term success.
Thoughtfully implemented, this approach could help reclaim public spaces while offering thousands of people a genuine pathway back into stable, productive lives — balancing compassion with responsibility and moving Oregon toward durable solutions rather than recurring crises.
IMMIGRATION
Oregon has long been a place of welcome — a state where people from around the world come to work hard, raise families, and build better lives. That tradition matters, and it deserves to be preserved. Immigrants are an essential part of Oregon’s economy, culture, and shared future.
At the same time, public policy must be grounded in present-day realities. Compassion and responsibility are not opposites — they work best together. Individuals who lack legal status but are working, contributing to their communities, and staying out of trouble should have access to a fair, attainable pathway to legal residency and, ultimately, citizenship.
Public safety, however, must remain paramount. When someone commits a serious violent crime, accountability has to come first. Regardless of immigration status, those convicted of violent offenses should face deportation within a system that prioritizes justice, coordination, and the safety of the public.
Oregon’s sanctuary law was enacted with the goal of building trust between immigrant communities and public institutions — an important and valid objective. But when gaps in coordination allow individuals who commit violent crimes to evade accountability, that trust is weakened for everyone involved.
This is not about fear, division, or scapegoating. It is about fairness, safety, and honesty. Oregon can remain a welcoming state while also being clear-eyed about public safety — honoring its values and protecting everyone who calls this place home.
ADOPTION
Access to one’s own origins is a matter of dignity. Every person deserves the right to understand where they come from — including their birth history, medical background, and family lineage. For too long, many adoptees have been denied this basic knowledge through systems built on secrecy rather than healing.
Opening adoption records — both retroactively and going forward — is a necessary step toward transparency and trust. Providing adoptees with access to their birth records and family histories helps people understand inherited health risks, reconnect with their roots, and find closure on their own terms. When done thoughtfully, this process empowers individuals without disrupting the families who raised them.
Reform in this area is not about blame or exposure. It is about replacing outdated assumptions with compassion and honesty. Protections can and should exist to respect privacy and safety for all parties involved, while still recognizing that truth and personal history ultimately belong to the individual most affected.
By moving away from closed records and toward openness, Oregon can help heal long-standing wounds and set a humane standard for adoption practices nationwide — one grounded in dignity, transparency, and respect for every person’s right to know their own story.
SENIORS
Oregon’s seniors and disabled residents have given decades to this state — raising families, building communities, and carrying Oregon through difficult times. Too many now live on federal benefits that barely cover rent, let alone food, medication, or transportation. That isn’t dignity; it’s neglect.
One policy approach worth serious consideration is a state-funded monthly supplement for Oregonians receiving Social Security Retirement (SSR), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Rather than replacing the federal system, Oregon could add a stable state supplement designed to meaningfully raise monthly incomes and lift seniors and disabled residents out of poverty — allowing people to live with security, not constant fear.
This would not be a handout. It would represent a return on a lifetime of contributions made by people who built Oregon’s schools, roads, healthcare systems, and workplaces. A society is ultimately judged by how it treats those who can no longer work or never had the opportunity to do so.
Oregon has the capacity to lead the nation in treating seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors with respect — not as afterthoughts, but as individuals who deserve stability, safety, and the ability to live with dignity in their own communities.
CHILDCARE
Access to affordable childcare is not a luxury — it is essential infrastructure for working families and a foundational investment in Oregon’s future. Without reliable childcare, parents are forced out of the workforce, education is delayed, and economic opportunity narrows for entire households.
One approach worth piloting is publicly supported childcare in cities with the highest cost and demand — including Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Bend. Under this model, families earning up to $120,000 per year would have access to free or deeply subsidized childcare, reducing financial strain, increasing workforce participation, and ensuring that children have a safe, supportive start regardless of household income.
Funding such a program would require a layered, responsible strategy. This could include a combination of state and federal grants, public-private partnerships with employers to create shared childcare centers, and — if necessary — a voter-approved Childcare for Oregon bond. Over time, long-term state revenue streams, including future infrastructure-based revenues, could be used to stabilize and expand the program.
The economic case for childcare investment is well established. Every dollar invested returns multiple times over through increased workforce participation, improved public health outcomes, stronger educational performance, and long-term economic growth.
Thoughtfully designed, a program like this would signal that Oregon values working parents, supports families, and is willing to invest early to prevent deeper social and economic costs later. It is the kind of practical, family-centered policy that strengthens communities and positions the state for long-term success.
CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY
Public safety depends on both effective law enforcement and systems that actually address the root causes of crime. Supporting police means giving them the resources, staffing, and structure they need to do their jobs well — not forcing them to operate within policies that fail communities on all sides.
Oregon currently spends more than $2 billion on homelessness- and crime-related services, including hundreds of millions allocated to shelters, outreach, and harm-reduction programs. Yet in many areas, homelessness continues to rise, addiction remains unaddressed, and overdose deaths and public disorder persist. Too much of this funding is absorbed by administrative overhead and short-term interventions that do not provide stability, recovery, or accountability.
A more effective approach would redirect existing resources toward structured, state-run solutions that combine secure housing with mandatory substance-use treatment, mental health care, and job training. These are not temporary shelters or unmanaged encampments, but organized communities designed to restore order, support recovery, and help people re-enter society with stability and purpose.
At the same time, public safety requires strong, supported policing. That includes competitive compensation, adequate staffing, expanded mental health crisis response teams, and clear civilian oversight — ensuring accountability while allowing officers to focus on their core responsibility: protecting the public.
Long-term, sustainable funding sources — including future infrastructure-based revenues — could allow these investments to grow without placing additional tax burdens on working Oregonians. With thoughtful reallocation and accountability, Oregon has the capacity to reduce chaos, support law enforcement, and offer real pathways out of addiction and homelessness. Public safety and compassion are not in conflict when policies are designed to achieve both.
ABORTION
I support establishing a clear gestational framework for elective abortions in Oregon, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, severe fetal abnormalities, and when the life or serious health of the mother is at risk. Such an approach seeks to respect a woman’s ability to make deeply personal decisions early in pregnancy while also recognizing society’s interest in protecting developing life as pregnancy progresses.
An eight-week framework is often discussed as a point where compassion and responsibility can intersect — preserving access in the earliest stages and in tragic or medically necessary circumstances, while discouraging elective procedures later in pregnancy absent serious cause. The intention is not punishment or control, but clarity and care — for women facing difficult decisions and for developing life that cannot speak for itself.
Oregon currently has no gestational limits on abortion. It is reasonable to ask whether clear boundaries, paired with robust healthcare access, family support, and contraception, might better reflect shared values around responsibility, compassion, and prevention. Policies in this area should always prioritize maternal health, medical judgment, and informed choice, while also acknowledging ethical questions that many Oregonians take seriously.
A balanced approach makes room for complexity: supporting mothers, expanding access to reproductive healthcare and birth control, strengthening childcare and medical services — and at the same time affirming that, beyond a certain point, the state has a role in protecting developing life except in tragic or medically necessary circumstances.
STATE PARKS
Oregon’s parks are shared public treasures — essential to physical health, community life, and long-term environmental well-being. Everyone deserves access to clean, safe, and well-maintained parks, trails, and green spaces, regardless of where they live or their level of mobility. These spaces are more than recreation; they are natural classrooms, cultural gathering places, and vital supports for mental health.
A strong parks strategy requires sustained investment in infrastructure: expanding and renovating community parks, upgrading restrooms and water facilities, restoring and maintaining trails, and ensuring full ADA accessibility across the state. Well-designed, well-maintained parks strengthen neighborhoods and help preserve Oregon’s natural legacy.
Protecting these spaces also depends on effective on-the-ground stewardship. Expanding the number, visibility, and training of park rangers — with clear authority and modern equipment — can improve safety while preserving the character of public lands. Rangers play a critical role not only in rule enforcement, but as educators, conservation ambassadors, and first responders in emergencies.
Thoughtful investment in ranger programs, youth education, and environmental initiatives helps ensure that parks remain places where families feel safe, wildlife is respected, and natural beauty is protected for future generations. Stewardship is not simply preservation — it is an ongoing commitment to care, access, and responsibility for spaces that belong to everyone.
JOB CORPS
Job Corps plays a critical role in workforce development by providing education, vocational training, and essential life skills to young people — particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. When properly supported, it equips participants with the tools needed to achieve independence, stability, and long-term success.
Expanding and strengthening Oregon’s Job Corps programs should be a core component of any serious workforce strategy. Ensuring full funding, modernized facilities, and expanded training offerings in high-demand fields — including healthcare, renewable energy, construction trades, and information technology — would help more young Oregonians access free, practical pathways into stable careers.
Job Corps is most effective when it is deeply integrated with the broader economy. Stronger partnerships with employers, labor unions, community colleges, and certification programs can create clear pipelines from training to good-paying jobs. Equally important are wraparound supports such as mental health services, mentorship, housing stability, and case management — allowing students to focus on building their futures rather than surviving daily crises.
Job Corps is not charity. It is one of the most cost-effective investments a state can make in its workforce, its economy, and its young people. When we invest early in skills, structure, and opportunity, the return is a stronger labor force and a more resilient Oregon for everyone.
LGBTQ+
As a married gay man, my views on LGBTQ+ equality are not abstract or political — they are lived. I understand firsthand what it means to move through the world openly while still facing marginalization, misunderstanding, and, at times, outright hostility. Those experiences shape how I think about dignity, safety, and equal opportunity.
LGBTQ+ Oregonians deserve the same protections, respect, and chances to thrive as anyone else — not selectively, not symbolically, and not only when it is convenient. Advocacy cannot be seasonal, conditional, or performative; it has to be consistent and meaningful in everyday policy, community life, and public institutions.
Protecting LGBTQ+ people means more than words. It means ensuring safety, opposing discrimination, and affirming that no one should have to fear being themselves in their own state. I believe Oregon is strongest when it lives up to those principles — for LGBTQ+ residents and for every person who calls this place home.
RENT AND ENERGY ASSISTANCE
Too many Oregonians live just one missed paycheck away from eviction or sitting in the dark without power. While large-scale housing and energy reforms are essential, people also need immediate, direct relief when hardship hits — support that keeps families housed, safe, and stable in real time.
One policy worth serious consideration is the use of Direct Rent Payments for low- and middle-income households. Under this approach, eligible residents could receive a monthly housing supplement — up to $250 based on income and rent burden — paid directly toward rent. In exchange, participating landlords would be required to accept the payment, pause rent increases during the assistance period, and meet basic habitability standards. This creates stability for tenants, reliability for landlords, and continuity for neighborhoods — without lengthy delays or excessive bureaucracy.
Alongside housing support, Direct Energy Payments could help households manage electricity, gas, or heating costs during periods of financial strain. These payments — potentially covering up to $350 per month — would prevent families from having to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table.
Funding for programs like these could come from diversified revenue sources that do not burden working Oregonians, including environmental offset fees on major polluters and assessments tied to large-scale automation and workforce displacement. Properly structured, these mechanisms would align responsibility with impact while keeping essential protections in place for households under pressure.
Direct support programs are not about dependency — they are about stabilization. When families remain housed and utilities stay on, the downstream costs of homelessness, emergency healthcare, and social disruption drop dramatically. Thoughtful, targeted relief can serve as a reset — buying people time, preserving dignity, and preventing crises before they spread.
PRODUCER'S LEGACY FUND
A long-term food system depends on the ability of farmers, ranchers, and fishers to pass their work on without being forced into liquidation. One concept worth advancing is a Producer’s Legacy Fund — a dedicated, stable mechanism designed to preserve Oregon’s working lands, fishing operations, and family-based food producers across generations.
Such a fund could be established through state legislation and supported by diversified revenue sources, including a luxury sales tax, a real estate transaction fee on large commercial and out-of-state buyers, and a portion of revenues associated with workforce displacement from large-scale automation. Designed correctly, the Fund would be insulated from annual budget volatility and focused entirely on long-term producer stability.
An initial phase could prioritize estate and inheritance transition relief for family producers. When land, vessels, or core infrastructure are transferred to a family member committed to continuing the operation, the Fund could cover estate tax obligations — preventing forced sales and protecting generational continuity. In parallel, zero-interest, forgivable loans could help heirs buy out siblings or partners, keeping operations unified and productive. Forgiveness would be tied to continued active operation over a defined period, ensuring long-term commitment.
A second phase could establish a Producer Succession Registry, matching retiring or aging producers with younger, Oregon-based farmers, ranchers, and fishers who lack access to land or capital. When voluntary matches occur, the Fund could assist with land-transition costs, licensing, and startup support. Participation would require residency and stewardship commitments, keeping Oregon’s food production and heritage rooted locally.
Administration could occur through a dedicated state-level office operating in partnership with the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, with advisory input from working producers across all regions of the state. The purpose is not expansion for its own sake, but continuity — protecting livelihoods, strengthening local economies, and ensuring Oregon’s food systems remain in Oregon hands.