June 09, 2003
(Updated) Glancing At the Prospective Field of Mayoral Candidates
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
In what might be considered a sort of continuation of a May column on possible mayoral candidates by Steve Duin (which I mentioned previously), today's Oregonian takes an expanded look at the potential field.
On Mayor Vera Katz:
At age 69, Katz' is in good health after a bout with cancer, and her plate bulges with efforts to lure a major league baseball team and talks about city acquisition of Portland General Electric, to name but two items. She still turns on the police scanner at home and leaves City Hall each day with piles of paperwork, but most expect her to decide against running again after deferring lame-duck status as long as possible.
On Commissioner Jim Francesconi:
He says he plans to be a different style of leader -- one who can build coalitions for good jobs, neighborhoods and schools at a fragile time in the city's history. Being a declared candidate gives him an opportunity to talk with people, he says, but the disadvantage is it becomes "easier to misinterpret my motives."
On Congressman Earl Blumenauer:
Blumenauer could bring, at last count, $292,656 from his congressional fund-raising committee; a political resume that includes the county, city and Congress; and a strong support network to a second mayoral bid.
On Commissioner Erik Sten:
Waiting on a mayor's race also would put more distance between Sten and the water-billing debacle that plagued him during his oversight of the Water Bureau. He downplays that as a consideration, saying the fiasco will be an issue whenever he runs.
Of course, there's nothing offered about the only other declared candidate (scroll down), James Smothers. Or, for that matter, Thomas Lauderdale of Pink Martini.
Update
KGW (who broke the story on Francesconi's official "announcement") jumps in again, although there's nothing especially new in this "will she or won't she" story about Mayor Katz, which briefly touches on the other potential candidates as well.
Comments (3)
Emma on 12 Jun 2003
Vera's not running. For two reasons--the one the O cites, and because she doesn't want to end her political career on a down note. Even if she were an uncontroversial, popular mayor, four terms is a lot to ask. She's not, and Portland's ready for a change. She's just holding off the inevitable until as late as possible.
(Which, God bless her, she should. There's a certain absurdity that midway through a term you have to start campaigning again. It's crazy to pin "lame duck" on someone whose two years from leaving the job. Hell, I've had cars that didn't last that long.)
JACK PEEK on 12 Jun 2003
Yes........you can only do so much damage then you need to get the hell out!
Recallvera.com is running because we cannot take another day of civil and ultra liberal dollar's wasted screw ups.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO...WE NEED NEW BLOOD! Not recycled blood which by any standard is dangerous.
Watch for fresh faces to come forward soon.
Emma on 13 Jun 2003
I didn't exactly say athat, did I, Jack? I agree that we need new ideas in City Hall. And by new ideas, I mean progressive, innovative solutions of the kind Oregonians are famous for.
Conservative no-taxers have had a run at the rest of the state, and look what it's done. Portland became one of the most liveable cities on the planet because its citizens were involved in planning strong, progressive solutions. The last thing we need is more of that "no big government" idiocy. Which is, after all, just a way of abrogating responsibility for civic planning.