KOIN 6 News contacted candidates who are planning to run for Oregon governor in 2022, asking them to respond to these three questions:

  • Why are you running for governor? 
  • In your opinion, what are the top three issues Oregon is facing right now? 
  • What is something you believe is going right in Oregon and how would you like to continue to build on it?

John Sweeney is running as a Democrat. Here are his responses:

Why are you running for governor? 

I am running for Governor to;

Improve our education system.

Clean up the air.

Stop the shootings.

In your opinion, what are the top three issues Oregon is facing right now? 

My main focus will be on the grades K through 12.

We must inspire our students to graduate from high school.

Because many of those students who do not graduate from high school.

In many cases they end up  as [Redacted].

And, stuck at the bottom of the economic ladder.

Physical exams, when I was on the Multnomah ESD (Education Service District). They said that for many students.

The school nurses were their only health care they had.

The 3rd grade (8 & 9 year olds) to catch those who need eye glasses &/or hearing aids.

The 7th grade (12 & 13 year olds) this is when they become teenagers. A very TUFF TIME of LIFE..

This is when they need to be informed that almost everyone makes it through.  And,that their parents were teenagers and have seven years of experience.  Talk to them. 

The  11th grade (16 & 17 year olds) one more check to help them.

Special education courses for 7th graders, about 9 weeks each;

What do you want to do in life?  cover the education & training needed to do when you get there.

Civics, how the government works.  And, maybe you can run for office and shape the future. 

Money management, this is a good time in life to learn about money.  Saving and investment.

Law related education, what and how the laws have changed.  And,what to do later in life.

Cleaner air.  Right now there are plans and things moving along that will take time and money to do.

But, there are things we can do now.  Most governments at all levels have gasoline powered cars and trucks that are newer than 2010 and have Flex-fuel engines.  And, I know that the state has many of them.  Which means the state and others can shift to E-85 Gas(85% alcohol).a much cleaner fuel to start cleaning up the air sooner.  In fact  our citizens can type into their computers; Buying E-85Gas in Oregon (or any state) and find where to buy E-85 Gas.  And start cleaning the air with their next tank of gas.  We and our citizens can do the same for their diesel powered cars and trucks for locations of Bio-Diesel for cleaner air .  

Shootings; streets and schools.

Street shooting, these are shoot and scoot affairs in poor areas.  If this cannot be stopped by the locals then we will need to bring in the state police &/or the Oregon National Guard to  end these shootings.

School shootings are in most cases the result of BULLYING.  Most of this bullying is done through popular media.  Many times someone decides to pick on someone and starts out and gains speed with others joining in.  We need to start a Turn in the Bully network.  To expose them through shaming them and even prosecuting them and even jailing them.

What is something you believe is going right in Oregon and how would you like to continue to build on it?

The OregonSaves (through Oregon PERS) a retirement plan.  It is intended for those who do not have a retirement plan.  This involves investing 5% of their income from work into the plan.  But, there are people with retirement plans who also pay into it.  There is little cost to employers and it is doing real, money wise.

Editor’s Note: KOIN 6 News asked Sweeney for a source for the information he stated saying, “Most governments at all levels have gasoline powered cars and trucks that are newer than 2010 and have Flex-fuel engines. And I know that the state has many of them.” Sweeney said he knows this first hand from his experience working at Portland Parks & Recreation for 32 years.

KOIN also asked Sweeney to provide a source for his statement that street shootings are “shoot and scoot affairs in poor areas.” He said this is an opinion he’s formed after his previous experience as the president of the Oregon State Shooting Association.

KOIN asked Sweeney what source he’d like to cite for his statement saying, “School shootings are in most cases the result of BULLYING. Most of this bullying is done through popular media.” He did not reply to KOIN’s request and did not provide a source.

KOIN determined a phrase Sweeney used in his response was not appropriate to publish. We gave Sweeney the opportunity to change the words he used, but he did not want to make changes.

KOIN 6 News made minor adjustments to spelling, capitalization and punctuation in the responses the gubernatorial candidates submitted.