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320 Chapter 16 Bob Straub—Living in Tom’s Long Shadow, 1975-78 Robert “Bob” Straub took the oath of office on January 13, 1975, as Oregon’s 31st governor and the first Democrat in 16 years. This marked the end of a Republican era dominated by two of Oregon’s most successful 20th-century politicians: Mark O. Hatfield and Tom Lawson McCall. At age 54, Straub had been a fixture in state government for the previous decade. As state treasurer, he’d worked closely with Governor McCall. They were allies on environmental protection and the preservation of Oregon’s coastal beaches. As governor, McCall was a staunch supporter of the Willamette River Greenway Plan—an idea first proposed by Straub. Both men advocated statewide land-use planning (and its administrative arm, the Land Conservation and Development Commission, or LCDC). As Oregon’s new governor, Bob Straub inherited the job of implementing the statewide planning goals being developed by LCDC. For the backers of land-use planning (notably the group 1000 Friends of Oregon), having Straub in the governor’s chair was crucial, since the land-use laws were new and under attack by various groups throughout the state. One reason voters chose Bob Straub was because they believed he would continue the environmental work of Tom McCall. Many Oregonians thought of Bob Straub and Tom McCall, both ardent environmentalists, as two peas in a pod. But though often linked philosophically , they were very different personalities. Garrulous Tom McCall hated being alone. He was an extrovert who relished being the center of attention and had a flair for the dramatic. Energetic and charismatic, he often appeared to be larger than life. He was a man impossible to ignore. Bob Straub was a friendly man who preferred the company of close friends and his large family (Straub and wife, Pat, had six children). Where McCall wore his emotions on his sleeve, Bob Straub was more deliberate, cautious, and reserved. Straub preferred to work behind the scenes and he didn’t crave celebrity status. “Bob Straub was a doer, not a talker” said Victor Atiyeh.1 bob straub—living in tom’s long shadow, 1975-78 321 As public speakers, the two men were worlds apart. McCall’s distinctive “Boston” pronunciation and colorful phraseology typically kept his listeners engaged. Straub wasn’t flamboyant and spoke in a monotone voice; he came across as well informed, sincere, and concerned. McCall was sometimes stung by criticism and as easily upset by it, but Straub took it in stride. A self-effacing man, Bob Straub went about his work quietly. A Democratic Legislature Governor Straub was eager to get to work. The Oregon House welcomed 20 new members, the Senate nine. Eight women served in the House and three in the Senate. Phil Lang, a veteran Portland Democrat, was elected speaker of the House by his 38-member caucus. Jason Boe was reelected Senate president. The 58th Legislative Assembly was unusual for the large number of lawmakers who were related to one another. Three senators were named Roberts: Frank, Betty, and Mary Wendy. Frank was Betty’s former husband; Betty had been Mary Wendy’s stepmother, and Mary Wendy was Frank’s daughter. Frank and Mary Wendy Roberts were the legislature’s first father-daughter team. There were two Langs (Phil in the House and brother Loyal in the Senate), and two Fadeleys (Nancie was a representative; her husband, Ed, was a senator). In his inaugural address, Governor Straub focused most of his remarks on the sad state of Oregon’s economy. Oregon, like the rest of the nation, was mired in the worst economic recession since the 1930s. State unemployment climbed to near 10% and inflation near 12%. Oregon’s timber towns, places like Coos Bay, Roseburg, Oakridge, and Springfield where the economies were based on the timber/wood products industry, were hit especially hard as climbing national interest rates caused a drop in home construction, and cut into lumber sales. The high price of imported oil was one cause of the nation’s economic distress. Gasoline prices had remained high for the previous 18 months, which ratcheted up business costs. Along with the sick Oregon economy, Governor Straub and the legislature faced frustrated, disgusted, and angry Oregonians soured by the residue of President Richard Nixon’s resignation and the Watergate scandal. And there was more. For the past decade, Oregonians had grown increasingly unhappy with rising local property taxes. One result of this...

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