Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Government marketing: selling what you are already buying

Oregon freshman Rep. Mike McLane challenges $2 million carpooling campaign and veteran lobbyist
With gas pushing $4 a gallon, does the state of Oregon really need to spend $2 million on a marketing campaign aimed at getting people to drive less?

House freshman Mike McLane doesn't think so. New to the budget-writing committee, the Republican from Powell Butte was struck by the state's ongoing investment in the "Drive Less. Save More." campaign launched in the Portland Metro region in 2006.

With his questions, McLane, 46, is learning just how hard it is to kill a government program once it gains traction. And by picking on "Drive Less. Save More." McLane has taken on one of the Capitol's most powerful lobbyists whose company holds the five-year, $7.5 million contract for the campaign and whose clients contributed hundreds of thousands to state lawmakers' elections last year.

First, I would argue that the state has no business spending money on this marketing campaign regardless of gas prices.

But I guess when the Bike Less Save More campaign has important tweets to send out like "
Got an errand close by? Try walking it! When planning your route, try to use paths that have the most sidewalks so you won't end up walking in the street" we can see how important this really is. I never knew that I could walk to a close destination until government told me so.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

drive more to warm up the planet to save it for our children

was a Democrat, Grew up said...

Speaking of our tax dollars...the Queen Senator of California, forever Botox frozen faced...now wants you and me to cough up another $1 Billion p/yr. for the next 5 years...get this...to reimbuse CA. for the over 20,000 Illegal Aliens in their Prisons costing that far left open border Democrat state...that much every year just for Prison costs (because illegals are such good people really) and here in Oregon we waste at least another $75 Million p/year on this scum that should not be here.

SAVE our State - E-Verify and proof to Vote/get Benefits mandatory for all!

Anonymous said...

Even with these high gas prices I still see expensive to own and drive SUV's with Spanish speaking only drivers putting $80 in the tank.

How can these poor immigrants afford to drive these terrorist supporting monsters?

Anonymous said...

What with Pinocchio Pelosi advocating for the illegals in California, it naturally follows that one has to wonder how many illegal aliens she and her husband have working in their vineyards and winery.

Also, it would be good to know what their wine is labeled so that we can boycott it.

Scottiebill

Kaelri said...

I know I've said this before, but pejorative nicknames like "Pinocchio Pelosi" make it impossible for anyone with more than a partisan interest to take your point of view seriously. We just stop reading there.

MAX Redline said...

Frankly, I don't want any of my money spent on things like this. It isn't as though car-pooling is a novel concept in dire need of extensive - and expensive - marketing.

We need more people like McLane in office and far fewer Mitch "State Dirt" Greenlick types.

The Lib Anon said...

Doesn't happen often, but it happens: I agree with Miglavs on this one.