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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 19, 2002)
My 19,2002 L'M ;t I avi 4-1 m e w s Injured? ...Call me O lympia G ames Gay politician runs for Washington House seat Proudly serving our community since 1989 in personal injury claims including: by Jack Turteltaub ancouver City Councilor Jim Moeller doesn’t really care what people think anymore— about his sex ual orientation. In spite of being vilified last year by right-wing homophobes for his role in passing a city Hum an Rights Commis sion ordinance that went on to be repealed by a 2-1 margin in November, the Democrat recently decided to run for Seat 2, District 49 in the state Legis lature. Shrugging off past criticism, Moeller laughs philosophically, “Unless a candidate or official commits a crime, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” T he seat he is seeking has been held for more than 20 years by Democrats and for the past 12 by Val Ogden. W hen the tall, bespectacled city coun cilor heard the 79-year-old woman was not seeking re-election, he hardly gave it a thought. *■ But when Ogden endorsed a com plete unknown to replace her, people started talking to Moeller. He weighed If elected, Jim Moeller would join three other openly what it would mean to his political goals gay W ashington state legislators and his personal life to join the state doesn’t want families reduced to making a Legislature. choice between “heating or eating.” There was just one problem. Unlike Oregon, He notes another fascinating statistic: 50 per W ashington’s Legislature meets each year, a 106- cent of the kids in Vancouver’s public schools are day session in budget years and a 60-day session in eligible for free lunches. He also talks about off-budget years. Moeller knew that would mean a lot of time away from home, even if Olympia is changing the infrastructure, improving trans portation to attract the types of industry that will only a two-hour drive north on Interstate 5. bring family wages to an area that has offered Putting his priorities in order, he consulted largely blue-collar and rural jobs in the past. the most important person in his life: his partner, “We need a good regional airport here before Clark Crawford. He was supportive but warned, all the good land is gone,” he says. This means “Don’t expect me to ring any doorbells.” going after money from the Legislature and Moeller put his political skills to work, changing the way the Port of Vancouver thinks promising Crawford that during sessions he about its operations. would spend weekends at home. He describes his Moeller is keenly aware of many working partner as “the private yin to my public yang.” couples who earn too much to qualify for Now more than halfway through his second Medicare, Medicaid or Washington State Basic term as Vancouver’s only openly gay politician, H ealth but don’t have the types of jobs that pro Moeller is running for the Legislature because he wants to do more for Clark County, his life vide good benefits, including decent health cov erage. He wants to work on expanding medical long home and the place he has helped improve coverage under W ashington Basic Health so significantly. Looking out the windows of a busy down more people can take advantage of the plan and get the care they need. town cafe, he notes with obvious pride how Recognizing that even if he wins the primary much Vancouver has changed in a short time. Sept. 17 he will have a strong, well-funded Roads are tom up, and several cranes rise above Republican opponent who will try to use his sex the growing skyline. “W hen I came on the ual orientation against him in the general election council, downtown was dead, dead, dead." Nov. 5, Moeller seems calm and unperturbed. He’s Supporting measures to reinvigorate the dying city center, Moeller has been instrumen been there before, of course— last year. During the repeal campaign Moeller always tal in the changes that can be seen today. He focused on the positive. “A number of people points out the various construction projects— saw me as a leader, someone not willing to get multi-use properties that will bring condos, businesses and retail outlets to the core of Port vicious and ugly” in response to personal attacks, including the charge that he was imple land’s close-hut-so-distant neighbor to the menting a “homosexual agenda.” north. He m entions nearby Esther Short Park, W hatever the outcom e of his election an area that used to be frequented by the hom e effort, one gets the feeling Moeller will contin less and drug dealers hut now borders buildings ue to he a strong voice for the average citizen sprouting on its western side. in his beloved city and district as well as an Moeller sees economics and health care as enviable role model for the sexual minorities the two major issues in this election, citing the current recession and high unemployment along community. j n with exploding medical costs. He throws out a fascinating statistic: 60,000 working Vancou JlM MOELLER may be reached at verites cross the bridge into Portland each day to elect .jim . moeller@usa. net. earn their bread and butter. T hat means citizens of Clark County get a J a c k T urteltaub is a Portland coach, psychologist and free-lance writer. He may be double whammy: paying Oregon state income tax plus W ashington state sales tax. 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