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street roots
Oct. 12, 2012
Lots of choices, lots of opportunities
e have mayoral and council
candidate interviews in this edition
of the newspaper. We asked
candidates questions on the issues of civil
rights and the future
of Portland. In the
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The bar is set pretty high
for future office holders
s a non-profit newspaper, Street Roots can’t endorse
candidates. What we can say, however, is how those
candidates, if elected, should govern our great city.
Street Roots has been around the block now for more
than a decade. In that time, the organization has been
active in helping contribute to and challenge a number of
important policies related to poverty and social justice.
We understand the many voices, lobbying efforts and
insider politics that will influence and guide individuals
who maintain our city government. We understand what
it’s like to be used for political gains and completely
ignored when speaking
critically of laws or office
We need an atmosphere holders. We also understand
that allows for people
that what candidates’
to be critical of the
promise on the campaign
work government does
will not always be achievable
while also working side once in office.
by side to tackle the
It’s easy to say if elected
problems we
that one will curb
collectively face as a
homelessness and uphold
community.
people’s civil rights. It’s
another thing to become a
real housing champion and to not engage in horse-trading
the rights of people experiencing homelessness and
poverty away for a divergent strategy with powerful
interest groups.
The rates of unemployment and incarceration for the
minority communities are staggering. Yet we still have
gentrification and displacement and a growing
concentration of wealth and disparity in our city.
Nonetheless, Portland remains a great city. It doesn’t
take one long to venture out from the liberal and
progressive environment that we’ve created in Portland to
realize that we are special. From the cycling movement to
technology and the arts, to food production to creating
new and innovative ways of doing business, we are an
example of how a city can get it right.
We are optimists at Street Roots. We believe in the
power of the human spirit and creativity. We also believe
in the positive influence of government and the
importance it plays in all of our lives. We need government
and government needs the people in order to be
successful. We need an atmosphere that allows for people
to be critical of the work government does while also
working side by side to tackle the problems we collectively
face as a community.
We’re looking to our leaders to lead by example, to rise
above the noise and to work toward a Portland that is a
thriving and diverse community. A city that allows for all
social-economic classes to live in peace with one another,
and not accept the status quo. It’s easy to say, or write,
but it’s another thing all together to actually accomplish.
We commend and thank the outgoing office holders that
continue to serve our city. While we have not always
agreed with every policy and at times strongly disagreed,
we have found a way to work together as a city to do great
things. Do we wish they had done more, of course we do.
We wouldn’t be Street Roots unless we expected more of
ourselves, and our elected officials. And whoever is
elected in November to lead Portland, the community is
expecting the same of you.
A
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax:503-227-3117
www.streetroots.org
www.streetroots.wordpress.com
DIRECTOR'S
DESK
newsPaPer we w*11 be
asking candidates
questions specifically
B y Israel Bayer
Israel Bayer is the
executive director o f
Street Roots. You can
reach him at
israel@streetroots. org
about housing and
homelessness.
■■■■ m h h m h b m b b
Please join Street
Roots for a candidate
forum on housing and
homelessness next Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 6
p.m. at Portland Community College, 2305
SE 82nd and Division. The forum is
co-sponsored by JO IN , Oregon Opportunity
Network, 211info and the Community
You’ll also find in this edition our
endorsements for state and local measures.
Street Roots vendors, staff and volunteers
sat down for a lively two-hour lunch
discussion to determine our positions.
On the back page you’ll see that we are
being even more outspoken about Measure
79. The measure would create a
constitutional ban on the real estate transfer
tax. The National Association of Realtors
has dumped hundreds of thousands of
dollars into this measure with the hopes of
buying your vote. Street Roots says no way.
We believe that creating such a measure is
confusing and unnecessary, and ultimately
wrong for Oregon. Please Vote no on
Measure 79.
Lastly, we encourage people to simply
vote this election cycle. The future of our
city, state and country are in our collective
Vendor says thank you and farewell for a trip home
Vendor Joey Ponzio is on his way
back East to restore his life after
experiencing homelessness the past
year. This was a note he left Street
Roots.
WHAT DO
YOU THINK?
Send letters to the
editor to the Street
Roots office, 211
NW Davis St.,
Portland, OR 97209,
or e-mailed to
streetrootsnews®
gmail.com.
Volunteer AmeriCorps Member
kara@streetroots.org
Grant Writer Sarah Cloud
Development Assistant Cynthia Kiehl
Reporters Jake Thomas, Alex Zielinski, Robert
Britt, Sue Zaiokar
Photographers Leah Nash, Ken Hawkins, Kristina
W right
Stay connected with us online
through Facebook and Twitter
To my friends at Street Roots:
I will miss you all, and I’d like to
thank Street Roots for the
transformation of my life.
When there was no employment,
Street Roots was there for me. At
first, when I started working, I was
embarrassed to let people know me,
see me selling papers. But then I
realized there was nothing to be
em barrassed about. In fact, I started
taking pride in what I was doing and
what Street Roots was doing for me.
Street Roots was restoring me,
getting me back into the work force.
And, with employment at Street Roots, I started feeling
good about myself. I was making money and providing for
myself again. I was proud of what I was doing and no longer
ashamed.
In fact, I met some really good people while working for
Street Roots: both customers and fellow employees. There
are too many to start naming.
Street Roots for me was shelter when I had none;
employment when there was none; even a friend when there
was no one. I don’t know what I would have done if Street
Roots wasn’t here or there!
Thanks to all of Street Roots. I will truly miss you all.
J b
BBUB1L3
Street Roots Rose City Resource
Street Roots publishes the Rose City Resource, a
comprehensive booklet of services for people
experiencing homelessness and poverty.
To inquire about getting an order of the Rose City
Resource for distribution, please write to
pdxrosecityresource@gmail.com. Resources are also
available online at www.rosecityresource.org.
Vendor orientations are at 1 p.m. every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at the Street Roots office