An extraordinary legacy: Tom McCall at 100

Kari Chisholm

Today would have been Governor Tom McCall's 100th birthday. He passed away 30 years ago, but in the intervening years, it's just become even more apparent just how much of an impact he had on this state.

It wasn't just the policies he passed, it was that McCall helped establish the very idea of Oregon that we've all internalized.

Even those in Oregon and across the coutry who've never even heard of Tom McCall think of Oregon as a place that values the physical landscape, treasures its quirky people, and isn't afraid to challenge conventional wisdom.

Whether it's the twin commitment to protect farm and forest land - and the development of robust and dense urban communities; or the recycling ethos created by the bottle bill; the beach bill; or even the celebration of wackiness that extends from Vortex to Portlandia -- Tom McCall's influence is still profound.

Thank you, Governor McCall.

By Kari Chisholm March 22, 2013 Posted in Video.