14 justout OCTOBER b. 200/
I Looked At 63 Houses To Find
The Right One. I Won't Be Doing
The Same For My Mortgage.
Sam Adams announces bid for mayor
by Julie Sabatier
A
iter months of rumors about a possible
publicly funded Voter-Owned Elections program
campaign, openly gay Portland City
because of a possible conflict of interest, since he was
finally
involved in developing the campaign finance initia­
confirmed Sept. 28 that he will run for
tive. His mayoral campaign will mirror the modest
mayor in 2008.
spending of a publicly financed operation, capping
Commissioner
Sam
Adams
“I’m running because although Portland is a great
city, we need to be humble in the knowledge that it’s
the budget at $200,000 for cash expenditures and
prohibiting contributions larger than $500.
not a great city for all Portlanders and that our qual­
Although Adams says he is committed to
ity of life will not be sustained if we don’t tackle some
running a grassroots campaign, his contribution cap
tough issues,” Adams told an audience of hundreds
is slightly more generous than that of Mayor Tom
Oct. 3 at Roots Brewery in Southeast Portland.
Potter, who did not accept any amount larger than
Among the tough issues the Newport native
$100 from donors in 2004.
hopes to take on are the elevated dropout rate of
Adams’ campaign got off to a somewhat rocky
area high school students and the poverty-level
start, with questions surfacing about a possible
wages of a growing number of local workers (21
conflict of interest for four of his City Hall staffers
percent, according to Adams). He says he is also
who attended a political campaign seminar even
concerned about readying Portland and the
before he had made his official announcement. It is
surrounding region for the influx of people who
against state law for public employees to work on
continue to move here.
political campaigns while on the clock for tax-
DAVIS
Don’t get me wrong. It was worth the search to find the ideal
home. But personally wading through all those mortgage
options? Not in the cards. I’m ready for someone else to do
the legwork, the shopping, the comparisons. I want someone
who knows all the choices, and the best rates and terms. So
all I have to know is their phone number.
northwest
Ready to Run
Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams announced his candidacy for mayor Oct. 3 to a packed-in
crowd that scoffed at Roots Brewery's maximum capacity.
LET US FIND YOUR
BEST MORTGAGE,GET A
$250 IKEA GIFT CARD
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•rthout notice
Adams, 44, is no stranger to the political realm.
payer dollars. According to Adams, the employees
He began his career as a college intern for U.S.
used vacation time to attend the Sept. 28 seminar
First Independent works with more than 30 mortgage
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore. He also worked in the
in Vancouver, Wash., and he paid their $150 regis­
lending partners-so you don’t have to. Ready for us
Oregon Legislature under Democratic Majority
tration fees out of his own pocket.
Leader Carl Hosticka. Portlanders elected him to
The campaign will be led by Jennifer Yocom,
the City Council in 2004, after he served for 11
who ran Commissioner Erik Sten’s successful re­
360.699.4368 today, and help furnish that new
years as chief of staff to Mayor Vera Katz. Beginning
election effort in 2006. Adams’ city staff may
house with a $250 gift card from IKEA.
at age 29, Adams was the youngest mayoral chief of
volunteer in their off time, according to his poli­
staff in the city’s history. He is also Stumptown’s
cy analyst, Shoshanah Oppenheim.
to do the work finding your best mortgage? Call us at
first openly gay city commissioner.
If Adams ¡selected, Portland would become the
many potential candidates might have been waiting
largest city in the nation to be led by an openly gay
until Adams made his mayoral campaign official to
mayor. Providence, R.I., became the first state
announce their own plans for the open seat. A vir­
capital and the largest U.S. city to elect an openly
tually unknown retired physicist named James B. Lee
gay mayor in 2002, when David Cicilline was vot­
was the first to officially announce his plans to run
ed into office. Dallas, Texas, came close to making
for the top office in 2008, filing early Sept. 13.
history in June when longtime City Commissioner
EJ Oakley lost a close runoff race for mayor.
First Independent
Ready When You Are.’
ti)
firstindy.com
Adams’ announcement also means Portlanders
can expect to hear from candidates for his seat on
"I think Portlanders care more about your
the City Council. Transportation activist Chris
values and your vision and your experience than
Smith was the first to throw his name in the ring,
they do about sexual orientation,” said Adams,
although his will likely be joined by many more
before the May 2008 primary. ©
“so I’m hopeful that it won’t be an issue in the
Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender
Although it’s still early in the campaign season,
campaign, although it is part of who I am. That’s
pretty obvious.”
Adams says he does not intend to use the city’s
For more information about S am
U'U'U1. samforpdx. com.
A dams visit