Ledford
BILLY RAY LEDFORD, 80
Birthplace: Asher, Ark.
Marital status: Married
Spouse: Interior designer, retired
Children: Five adult children, all attended public schools
Residence neighborhood: Coburg Bottom Loop Road, 34 years
Online: Facebook: br.ledford
Party registration: Republican
Education: Bachelor of Science degree in general science, Class of 1968 University of Oregon; diploma in 1959 from Kennewick, Washington High School
Occupations: Pharmaceutical sales, millwright, choker setter
Current employer: Retired
Public sector experience: None
Private sector experience: Pharmaceutical sales, 35 years with Merck and Co. Inc., millwright, nuclear plants, titan missiles, hydroelectric dams, food processing plants, lumber and plywood mills, aluminum plants, and choker setters
Elected office held: None
Previous unsuccessful runs for office: None
There are three areas of Oregon government overreach which did or may affect many citizens of District 12. These examples caused undue stress and burden to many senior citizens and businesses in the District.
The Corporate Activity Tax was passed in 2019. CAT taxes businesses on receipts, not profits. A direct result of this bill was the shutting down of 56 Bi-Mart pharmacies, and manufacturing in Oregon has declined twice as much as the national average. The Oregon legislature knows they made gross mistakes in the bill and want to make amendments; however, the damage has already been done.
The Democrat-sponsored House Bill (HB4002B) passed in 2022 dictates to farmers that they have to pay their workers time and a half for working over 40 hours per week. Farmers in District 12 consider this bill as one of the most devastating bills for Oregon agriculture amid costs that are increasing exponentially.
Another bill, (HB3115) passed in 2021 mandates regulation of public property with respect to persons experiencing homelessness. Cities in District 12 are expected to pay for this mandate with local taxpayer money without help from the state.
Every citizen in District 12 should be concerned about Oregon’s Judicial System and how judges are appointed to office. Article VII of Oregon’s Constitution clearly states that judges of the supreme court and other judges shall be elected by the legal voters of the state of their respective districts for a term of six years. Unfortunately, when a judge leaves before their term is up, the governor appoints a judge to fill that vacancy. They are on the ballot unopposed in the next election. We must change this pattern, as the judicial system is overloaded with liberal judges that have been appointed by Democrat governors for the last 20 years.
Read the Q&A with all candidates here.
