Quick Hits: All politics is local edition.
Kari Chisholm
There's a bunch of news in metro-area local races:
- Tom Brian, the former GOP legislator, has announced that he won't be running for re-election as Washington County chair. He's not calling it a retirement, but he's also not running for anything else. He also says he plans to "clean the garage."
- The Oregon League of Conservation Voters has endorsed Bob Stacey for Metro President. Stacey's opponents are Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder and former Hillsboro mayor Tom Hughes - who've each been endorsed by OLCV twice before.
- Speaking of Metro President, WW's Nigel Jaquiss writes an interesting piece about the "odd dynamic" in the race:
Burkholder, perhaps best known for founding the Bicycle Transportation Alliance in 1990, now finds himself in an unusual situation in the Metro race, which rarely attracts more than two credible candidates.
Burkholder faces stiff competition in the May 18 contest for the nonpartisan $114,000-a-year post from the left in Bob Stacey, former executive director of 1000 Friends of Oregon, and from the right in former Hillsboro Mayor Tom Hughes.
Minor historical clarification: In 2002, the Metro President primary race featured David Bragdon, Rod Monroe, and Kate Shiele. Bragdon and Monroe were sitting councilors, and the run-off featured Bragdon and Shiele. In 2006, Bragdon ran unopposed. 2010 is only the third Metro President race in history - so "rarely attracts more than two credible candidates" isn't exactly correct.
- WW's Beth Slovic wonders: will any of the candidates running for Portland City Council qualify for the clean money public financing system? There's a little more than two weeks left before the deadline for collecting 1000 five-dollar contributions.
The candidates challenging Dan Saltzman: Spencer Burton, Jesse Cornett, Ed Garren, Jason Renaud, Rudy Soto, and Mary Volm.
So far, no one is running against Nick Fish.Nick Fish has drawn one opponent that is seeking public financing, Sylvia Evans, as well as two that are not - Walt Nichols and Jason Barbour.
Discuss.
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connect with blueoregon
3:28 p.m.
Jan 14, '10
I sure hope that OLCV has a very strong reason to endorse Stacey over Burkholder. Seems to me that there should have been a joint endorsement. Both are strong conservationists.
4:10 p.m.
Jan 14, '10
Just updated the post to accurately reflect the candidates running against Nick Fish. That's what I get for operating from memory.
Jan 14, '10
here's a hint...
http://www.bobstacey.com/node/23
http://wweek.com/editorial/3610/13569/
Jan 14, '10
here's a hint...
http://www.bobstacey.com/node/23
http://wweek.com/editorial/3610/13569/
Jan 14, '10
To those who are informed: Of those candidates trying to challenge Saltzman and qualify for public money, who is the leftmost credible candidate and what issues makes one say so?
Once again, I mourn the absence of The One True B!x
Jan 14, '10
For those of us outside the Metro area, what is it about the other candidates which brings the binary description of "from the right" and "from the left"?
Given the connection of 1000 Friends to the McCall days (not exactly "leftist" in terms many people use), why is his challenge "from the left"?
What exactly did Hughes do to connect him to a "from the right" label?
Could it be those are 20th century labels used by someone to intellectually lazy to be more descriptive?
What if registered independents/NAV etc. look at the 3 candidates and vote on who makes the most sense to them, who is talking about nitty gritty local issues (an issue in the Salem mayors race) and who actually answered their questions?
Are those criteria really ideological?
Jan 14, '10
"What exactly did Hughes do to connect him to a "from the right" label?"
Beats me. Possible reasons Hughes is called a "from the right" candidate:
Just brainstorming. :)
Jan 15, '10
Tom Hughes from the right, you kidding me? Next, you'll try and tell us Chuck Riley is challenging Bruce Starr from outer space. And you'd be "right".
5:38 a.m.
Jan 15, '10
I notice that Ed Garren is running for something again. Ed is a nice man who is totally unqualified on every level for any sort of government position or even any leadership position. The best thing he could do for Oregon is to return to West Hollywood, whence he came.
Jan 15, '10
After reading Carla's piece about the candidates in the Metro race (from a few days ago), Kari's descriptors seem pretty accurate to me.
8:33 a.m.
Jan 15, '10
Not my descriptors. That's a quote from WW.
Jan 15, '10
Love your comment, JHL.
Kari, just another reason to be skeptical of WW reporting. They have gone downhill from what they once were.
11:16 a.m.
Jan 15, '10
John - as someone who has worked at OLCV and other groups who make endorsements, I'd argue dual endorsements aren't all that helpful (though sometimes they're unavoidable and the best choice). Leadership means willingness to make hard choices and to find and highlight differences where they exist.
In this case, it seems there are substantial differences between the candidates, even though they all have their hearts in the right place.
Burkholder has been a strong supporter of building a MegaBridge - a huge new bridge that would lead to Clark County sprawl (in its current, 12-lane-capacity design, as well as previously). Environmental groups across the region (and others) have fought the MegaBridge, concerned about climate change, water impacts, and localized air pollution. As the largest project in the region's history, likely somewhere in the $3500 to $4200 million price tag, that alone creates significant reasons to make a single endorsement.
There are other issues where Burkholder has voted against the environmental community as a Metro Councilor.
If you read the press release, you'll find that OLCV compliments all three candidates, and acknowledges their important work. But in my mind, and apparently OLCV's, one stands above the others on conservation - and that's Bob Stacey.
11:23 a.m.
Jan 15, '10
Sorry, just found the on-line versions of the Metro Council OLCV Scorecards from 2005 and 2006. They haven't done one since 2006.
Burkholder got a 55% in 2005, and an 80% in 2006. Of course, as with all Scorecards, they have to be taken with a grain of salt. But look at the actual issues and votes to learn more.
2005 Scorecard
2006 Scorecard
As a disclaimer, I once worked for Bob Stacey at 1000 Friends of Oregon. And I worked at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. And I perform each year in the Coalition for a Livable Future's Laugh for Livability with both Bob and Rex.
Jan 15, '10
The OLCV made the correct call by backing Stacey. It's clear that Burkholder has sold out to the corporate interests pushing the Columbia River Crossing. Oregon doesn't need a Big New Bridge that will only encourage more CO2 belching vehicles driving through our city. The economy of the Portland metro area is no longer tied to heavy transportation, manufacturing or big corporations. It's built on a creative class and government employment that provides the services and family wage jobs that sustain our economy. Burkholder has betrayed his roots-- it's hard to believe this guy founded the BTA.
It's time for the allies in the conversation & sustainability communities to make an example of Burkholder-- just like the public employee unions did with Greg McPherson.
1:25 p.m.
Jan 15, '10
The economy of the Portland metro area is no longer tied to heavy transportation, manufacturing or big corporations. It's built on a creative class and government employment that provides the services and family wage jobs that sustain our economy.
Not speaking for or against any particular candidate but it's truly terrifying that you believe that an economy can survive on a combination of government payroll and a "creative class" (however defined) that creates wonderful things that are then presumably manufactured elsewhere.
Dude. If there ain't an actual product, in the end there won't be any actual....er...capital. If there's no capital, there will also be nothing to tax to pay those gummint employees.
So far the Feds reserve the right to just print more money to themselves and prohibit the states from doing the same.
You can follow the logic out from there.
Jan 15, '10
Pat, you have been taken in by spoof/spam. Note the deliberate misspelling of "conservation" as "conversation" and the reference to "public employee unions" etc.
Looks like something that a lurker would post. The issues with the CRC are much more subtle, and that is why I support OLCV (with money) so that they can do the in-depth analysis to help me make an informed decision.
Jan 17, '10
Joe Hill quite sensibly asked: "To those who are informed: Of those candidates trying to challenge Saltzman and qualify for public money, who is the leftmost credible candidate and what issues makes one say so?"
Joe,
If you'd like, you can hear from them at an event being sponsored by the Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association this Tuesday. We have invited all the filed candidates for both council seats. If you like what you hear from them, and they're a Voter-Owned Elections candidate, you'll have an opportunity to give them your $5 prior to the deadline on January 29th.
-John Mulvey
Foster-Powell Candidate Forum Tuesday January 19th 5 to 7pm Coffee Lovers, 4144 SE 60th (just north of Foster Rd.)
If you'd like a chance to hear from City Council candidates in an informal setting and grab a beer or a coffee at one of Foster's local businesses, please plan on attending.
Jan 18, '10
For the local edition I think it is strange that there was no mention of the House District 37 where Will Rasmussen is working hard in the most likely red to blue district in the state. We should be focusing our attention on what we can do locally, and supporting our House Representatives that will be dealing with the upcoming budget.
1:50 a.m.
Jan 19, '10
For the local edition I think it is strange that there was no mention of the House District 37 where Will Rasmussen is working hard in the most likely red to blue district in the state.
Well, House races are state races, of course, not local.
Not to worry, we'll be covering the Lege races plenty. Did I miss a story about Will? Good guy, btw.