States, virtually all of them, have a constitutional requirement to operate on a balanced budget.

Managing growth particularly in the Willamette Valley was a priority of Kitzhaber and he was a staunch supporter of Oregon's comprehensive land use system. The couple sought a divorce in 2003 soon after the end of his second term as governor. A legislative proposal that took input from many Oregon residents was introduced in the 2007 Oregon legislative session.

After completing his second term Kitzhaber returned to medicine and campaigned for better public access to health care. John Albert Kitzhaber (born March 5 1947) is the 37th and current Governor of Oregon.