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GOVERNOR TO SIGN BILL DECLARING MARCH 22 “TOM MCCALL DAY IN OREGON.”
A bill declaring March 22 to be Tom McCall Day in Oregon will be signed by Gov. Kate Brown on Wednesday, April 29 at 1 p.m. in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the State Capitol Building in Salem. The public is encouraged to attend. Afterward, Bill Hall will be signing his book McCallandia in the Capitol gift shop from 2-4 PM.
Senate bill 333 encourages all Oregonians to recognize McCall, who served as the state’s chief executive from 1967 to 1975, as one of the state’s greatest leaders and to carry his legacy forward. It also urges all school districts in Oregon to use a curriculum, “Tom McCall: A Better Oregon” developed by the Oregon Historical Society and available on its website.
Tad McCall, the late governor’s son, plans to travel from his home in Virginia to attend the ceremony.
Tad McCall said: “As Tom's son, I give deep thanks to Senator Johnson, Representative Gomberg, the Oregon Legislature, and Governor Brown for designating March 22 as Tom McCall day.
“Dedicating March 22 as Tom McCall day creates an enduring tribute to his love for Oregon and his accomplishments for the people of Oregon. Dedicating this one day reminds us that we can work each day to carry out the Tom McCall legacy. We can carry out this legacy by protecting Oregon's beauty, treating all Oregonians with respect and dignity, and by working to build Oregon's prosperity on a sustainable foundation that ensures the magic that is Oregon endures for all generations.”
The bill was introduced at the request of the Tom McCall Legacy Project, a non-profit citizens group formed after the 2013 activities around the centennial of McCall’s birth. Lisa Nowak, founder of the Legacy Project, said: "I grew up in an Oregon shaped by Tom McCall's influence. Sadly, many people no longer recognize the name of our most innovative and inspirational governor. The goal of the Tom McCall Legacy Project is to educate newcomers and young people about the amazing man who not only made our state what it is today, but also influenced the environmental movement throughout the country.”
McCall’s administration was noted for numerous environmental achievements, including the Beach Bill, the Bottle Bill, the statewide land use planning system, the cleanup of the Willamette River and establishment of the Willamette greenway, the first state funding for bike paths and trails and innovative energy conservation measures. He co-founded SOLVE, Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism, and the land use watchdog group 1000 Friends of Oregon.
In addition to his record of accomplishment, McCall, a journalist-turned-politician, was known for his candor and his ability to turn a colorful phrase. In 1971, he encouraged those living outside of Oregon to come and visit, “but for heaven’s sake, don’t move here to live.”
McCall worked for newspapers, radio and television stations in Portland before his election as Secretary of State in 1964. He won the governorship two years later. He returned to television after leaving office and made an unsuccessful attempt to return as governor in 1978. He died in 1983 at age 69.
A bill declaring March 22 to be Tom McCall Day in Oregon will be signed by Gov. Kate Brown on Wednesday, April 29 at 1 p.m. in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office in the State Capitol Building in Salem. The public is encouraged to attend. Afterward, Bill Hall will be signing his book McCallandia in the Capitol gift shop from 2-4 PM.
Senate bill 333 encourages all Oregonians to recognize McCall, who served as the state’s chief executive from 1967 to 1975, as one of the state’s greatest leaders and to carry his legacy forward. It also urges all school districts in Oregon to use a curriculum, “Tom McCall: A Better Oregon” developed by the Oregon Historical Society and available on its website.
Tad McCall, the late governor’s son, plans to travel from his home in Virginia to attend the ceremony.
Tad McCall said: “As Tom's son, I give deep thanks to Senator Johnson, Representative Gomberg, the Oregon Legislature, and Governor Brown for designating March 22 as Tom McCall day.
“Dedicating March 22 as Tom McCall day creates an enduring tribute to his love for Oregon and his accomplishments for the people of Oregon. Dedicating this one day reminds us that we can work each day to carry out the Tom McCall legacy. We can carry out this legacy by protecting Oregon's beauty, treating all Oregonians with respect and dignity, and by working to build Oregon's prosperity on a sustainable foundation that ensures the magic that is Oregon endures for all generations.”
The bill was introduced at the request of the Tom McCall Legacy Project, a non-profit citizens group formed after the 2013 activities around the centennial of McCall’s birth. Lisa Nowak, founder of the Legacy Project, said: "I grew up in an Oregon shaped by Tom McCall's influence. Sadly, many people no longer recognize the name of our most innovative and inspirational governor. The goal of the Tom McCall Legacy Project is to educate newcomers and young people about the amazing man who not only made our state what it is today, but also influenced the environmental movement throughout the country.”
McCall’s administration was noted for numerous environmental achievements, including the Beach Bill, the Bottle Bill, the statewide land use planning system, the cleanup of the Willamette River and establishment of the Willamette greenway, the first state funding for bike paths and trails and innovative energy conservation measures. He co-founded SOLVE, Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism, and the land use watchdog group 1000 Friends of Oregon.
In addition to his record of accomplishment, McCall, a journalist-turned-politician, was known for his candor and his ability to turn a colorful phrase. In 1971, he encouraged those living outside of Oregon to come and visit, “but for heaven’s sake, don’t move here to live.”
McCall worked for newspapers, radio and television stations in Portland before his election as Secretary of State in 1964. He won the governorship two years later. He returned to television after leaving office and made an unsuccessful attempt to return as governor in 1978. He died in 1983 at age 69.
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