April 21.2010
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Page 9
Long Time Advocate Runs for Office
Markgraf
promotes jobs,
new 1-5 bridge
Tom M arkgraf has a long po­
litical w ork history spanning
mental health services, transit-
oriented public works projects
including various MAX lines and
the streetcar, and a stint as an
adviser to Congressm an Earl
Blumenauer, D-Portland. Now
M arkgraf, w hose fam ily has
been living in north and north­
east Portland since the 1920s
wants a seat on the Multnomah
County Commission.
Why are you running?
projects going. You get the
Sellwood Bridge going. You get
the Columbia River Crossing
going, which is a disaster. If you
can get it going you can get
27,000jobs, and those are family
wage jobs.
How is the Columbia River
Crossing a disaster?
Tom Markgraf
mental health. I was the board
chair o f Mental Health Services
West, which was the largest
health care provider in the state
as the provider for the mentally
ill in Multnomah County. I was
Earl Blumenauer's transporta­
tion advisor, and I have a history
o f getting federal money for lo­
cal projects, and getting local
projects ready for federal money.
I'm running because right now
in the county and the region there
is a big need for more jobs. I've
got a lifetime o f history working
to create jobs and I have a lot of
e x p e rie n c e w ith issu es the
county deals with. I'm the only
How do you intend to create
one running who has ever led an jobs?
organization that has dealt with
By g ettin g in fra stru c tu re
Well the existing bridge is a
disaster. It's spewing pollution.
You have cars stopped and trucks
stopped beginning at two o'clock
every afternoon. I live four blocks
from the freeway, and I wash
my house every year, and it’s a
yellow house and it becomes
indigo ink; it's filthy. The deal
with the bridge is it's got to be
replaced. It was designed in
1907. It was designed for horses.
My grandfather used to drive
the streetcar across that bridge.
I don't think that people real­
ize that 40 percent of the building
trades are unemployed and don't
expect any work in the next few
years. That's devastating, and if
the elected leadership in this
community doesn't get its act you see a big gap in understand­
together, they really are going to ing what's happening. You see
miss its opportunity to get money dysfunction with the police; you
from the federal government.
see that we're housing mentally
Do you think the environ­ ill people in jails, which is maybe
mental justice impacts o f the the most expensive place to house
bridge have been adequately them rather than hous ing them in
addressed?
places with mental health pro­
I think the analysis that has fessionals. T hat’s the humane
been done has been huge. I think way to deal with mentally ill and
they've looked at a lot o f those it's the cheapest. We need to
issues. What amazes me is that train police officers.
it's been a six year process, and
North and northeast Port­
it seems like for the first three land has changed a lot. Do
years you didn't have the com ­ you see the county as having
munity paying attention while the any role in mitigating or eas­
project was beating the drum ing that change?
saying ‘look at this,’ and then all
When you say “ease” what
o f a sudden you have interest do you mean? My family has
groups, who haven't done any of been in this neighborhood since
the analysis or even read the 1920. People are getting priced
analysis ju m p in g on, and that’s out. This is a concern that people
scary.
have.
What do you want to do with
A big problem is moving county
mental health services pro­ services to where people need
vided by the county?
them. Rockwood is an area that
If you look at mental health really needs county help and at-
and you look at what's going on
continued
on page 17
at the county and in the region
YES. SHE’S TALKING TO YOU.
Because a lot can happen in 25 years. Portland will
be different and today’s children w ill be all grown
up. Many of us love what Portland has to offer,
especially its natural beauty and quality of life. But
today we face some real challenges that impact
our day-to-day lives. How we respond to them will
affect the children and grandchildren of tomorrow.
That’s why your ideas for the Portland Plan are
essential to make this a thriving and sustainable
city for everyone.
Through community input in Phase One of the
Portland Plan and visionPDX, we heard that
education, jobs, equity, public health and
sustainability are im portant to the people
of this city. Now it's time to take the next step.
The Phase Two community workshops w ill focus
on setting direction - identifying our goals and
choosing targets that will help us meet them.
We want your input, so come to a workshop or take
an online survey at www.pdxplan.com . There’s
talking about it. And then there’s actually doing
something about it.
PORTLAND PLAN PHASE II WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
SOUTHEAST
April 26,2010.6:30-9:00pm
Central Catholic High School
2401 SE Stark Street
NORTHEAST
April 29.2010, 6:30-9 00pm
Beaumont Middle School
4043 NE Fremont Street
NORTH
May 1,2010.lO am -l2:30pm
University Park Community Center
9009 N Foss Avenue*
CENTRAL CITY
May 10, 2010,6:30-9:00pm
University of Oregon ¡n Portland
/0 NW Couch Street
EAST
May 15,2010,10am—12:30pm
David Douglas High School
1001 SE 135th Avenue*
WEST
May 18,2010,6:30-9:00pni
Jackson Middle School
10625 SW35th Avenue
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