My 19,2002
L'M ;t I avi 4-1 m e w s
Injured?
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O lympia G ames
Gay politician runs for Washington House seat
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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repealed by a 2-1 margin in November,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. Moeller reached at turtelta@e-z net.
V
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