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Îlîe ortlanò (Observer
September 22, 2004
PageA5
CHOOSING A MAYOR
Reinventing Jim Francesconi
continued
city officials in neighborhoods,
incorporating artists into city
planning and launching a “buy
Portland first” campaign to sup
port local businesses, to name a
from Front
leer. He became a leader in the
Portland Organizing Project, and
co-founded the Youth Employ
ment and Empowerment Coalition.
He spent his career as a work-
ers’-compensation lawyer, until
taking office in 1997 on Portland’s
City Commission. During that
time, he racked up a long resume
o f achievem ents in schools,
transportation, parks and the en
vironment, jobs and the economy,
public safety and civil involve
m ent. Some o f his proudest
achievements include starting an
after-school program, extending
school days at 46 elementary and
middle schools, holding Portland
Public Schools and Parks Bureau
accountable through audits, de
veloping learning centers for
Latino, Asian and African-Ameri-
can high-risk youth and securing
$ 175,000 in funding for that pro
gram. and diversifying the Fire
Department.
Jim Francesconi
He recently lost the support of
the Portland Police Bureau, a highly
coveted endorsement, over a mud-
slinging ad against his opponent.
f
I'm proud that every labor office
that's done endorsements has
endorsed me. I passed the living
wage ordinance in the city
regarding health insurance for
any contractors doing business
with the city.
Francesconi owns public de
bates against his opponent. He
demonstrates confidence and flu
ency with city policy and sites
specific achievements and goals
for the city. He has outlined a
plan for his first 100 days in of
fice, which includes boosting di
versity in the Portland Police
Bureau, increasing visibility of
“I'm proud of the great major
ity of police officers and the hard
work they do, but endorsements
w on't stop me from doing what I
think is right,” he said.
Francesconi has earned en
dorsements from prominent local
leaders including State Sen. Mar
garet Carter, former Oregon Gov.
John Kitzhaber, Lolenzo Poe and
Julia Brim-Edwards, co-chairs of
the Portland Public School board,
and the Portland Association of
Teachers, as well as various labor
unions.
“I’m proud that every labor
office that’s done endorsements
has e n d o rse d m e," said
Francesconi. “I passed the liv
ing wage ordinance in the city
regarding health insurance for
any contractors doing business
with the city. My opponent has
done nothing in those areas so
I’ve gotten labor support.”
N efarious and influential
forces such as The Portland
B u sin e ss
A llia n c e
and
Multnomah County Com m is
sioner Lonnie Roberts also call
Francesconi an ally.
But part of Francesconi's
new image, paired with the new
slogan, “One Portland, Our Fu
ture,” highlights testimonials
from everyday folks.
“ You’ re not going to see these
fancy television commercials
anymore; it's a lot different,”
said Francesconi.
One of his testimonials for his
newly invented campaign is from
Doris Dines, a retired African-
American Portland resident, who
said, “A commitment to diversity,
the willingness to stick up for all
people, and a sense of honest
sincerity are all values that define
Jim Francesconi, and those val
ues are the reason I am voting for
him!”
Likehisopponent, Francesconi
says he has no plans for higher
office. If he loses this election, he
will return to a legal career in the
private sector.
“It’s an agreement I have with
my wife and one that is the right
thing to do,” says Francesconi.
“I will have spent eight years
doing what I’m doing and I’m
doing whatever I can to win this
election."
Tom Potter
Prepares to Lead
continued
from Front
downtown Portland, called New
Avenues for Youth, directed a
state agency that trains and cer
tifies public safety officers and
consulted for various firm s
around the U.S.
He was considered for a posi
tion in theClinton administration,
to create a national community
policing model, but says he was
eventually passed over because
of his visible alliance to gay and
lesbian causes.
Potter’s support for his les
bian daughter, Katie, led him to
march in Portland's gay pride
parade. At the time, he was the
first police chief to do so, and he
encouraged other officers to join
him.
He was also the only police
chief ever to hold a place on
Oregon's American Civil Liberty
Union board.
Possibly the most astonishing
aspect of Potter’s campaign run
has been the outpouring of sup
port from notable individuals and
organizations. Potterhas been en
dorsed by the Portland Metro
Chapter of the Green Party, former
presidential candidate Howard
Dean, "Willamette Week" news
paper, gay rights organization
Basic Rights Oregon, Dignity Vil
lage homeless community, former
State Rep. Jo Ann Bowman, now
an activist for minority rights. The
Rainbow Coalition, County Com
missioner Maria Rojode Steffey,
“El Hispanic News,” and the
Multnomah County Democrats,
to name a few.
“How did an old cop get en
dorsements from all those good
progressive folks? I think they see
in me some of those progressive
values. They knew me when I was
chief, they knew I was fair and
worked to increase diversity. These
folks know I walk my talk,” said
Potter.
Although Potter’s public per
sona is that of a friendly straight-
talker, his plans in office are either
closely guarded or undeveloped.
In debates, he clings to Portland’s
need for a vision and his intent to
have their emotional needs taken
care of are more likely to achieve in
school.”
He speaks more as an activist
than an experienced public servant,
though Potter is keyed in to some of
the city’s gaping problems, includ
ing the educational achievement
gap, promoting diversity in the
police force and finding Portlanders
living wage jobs.
“I don’t have all the answers to
that but I’ll work with the business
community to try to develop a bet
ter system and use the employment
division in connecting people to
Very small children in early,
formative years will have the kind
of support systems they need to
succeed. People who have nurturing
loving families, full tummies and
have their emotional needs taken
care of are more likely to achieve
in school.
v
use his “bully pulpit” to advocate
for children with full bellies, and
against the “oxymoron” of “good
government—” non-specific val
ues anyone would be foolish to
stand against.
“One of my uses of the mayor’s
bully pulpit will be to get people to
focus on the front end of problems,
and I consider police the back end,
investing in people’s failures. Very
small children in early, formative
years will have the kind of support
systems Ihyy neetj to succeed," he
said. “People who have nurturing
loving families, full tummies and
jobs, so as a city, we are not taking
on so much in employment and just
giving places people can connect
to figure out what’s out there and
what’s available,” he said.
If Potter is defeated in the general
election, he says the worst thing that
can happen is he’ll return to retire
ment. He saysa “leadership vacuum”
called him out to enter the race.
“I would not have come out of
retirement if I thought the leader
ship Portland needed is out there,”,
said Potter. "I will only stay in this
position until I feel that the next
generation is ready to take over.”
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