February 14, 2004

Council Candidate Chases Vandal, And Other Campaign Tidbits

Everything's from the City Council races this time around, starting with the response we finally received from Alicia Salaz, one of the two candidates facing off against Commissioner Randy Leonard for his seat on the Council, after the Commissioner officially filed for the race:

Fighting for schools seems like a noble goal but in the context of recent years I don't think it has been the best idea for the city. The city government is responsible for providing many services, public school not included, and I think it could be doing a better job of providing those services for which it is actually responsible before raising and diverting funds to other areas.

Although I lack political experience and the ability to mount a large campaign, I intend to remain a candidate in this election and be as viable an option to voters as possible. It is important that citizens have options in their local elections, the more diverse the better, and as I've said before, I am hoping that my candidacy will encourage civic participation amongst younger voters.

Turning now to yesterday's "City Matters" column in The Oregonian, we find that Commissioner Erik Sten's brother, a teacher whose students voted for mayoral candidate James Posey in a mock election, is receiving visits from Council candidates Sam Adams and Nick Fish as well. The column also reports that an Adams' camp poll shows tight race.

Meanwhile, hot on the heels of Leonard opponent Jim Whittenburg spending a night in jail after riding the MAX without a fare, the campaign of Jason Newell -- one of Adams' and Fish's four other opponents for the Council seat being vacated by Commissioner Jim Francesconi -- today reports that Newell helped apprehend a neighborhood vandal last night.

"About 4:00 AM Jason and his wife, Cheryl, woke to the sound of crashing windows," says the Newell camp's press release. "After watching a young high school boy walk down a row of cars smashing their windows and popping their tires, Jason quickly called 911 to inform police, and then quickly grabbed his cell phone and ran for the door."

According to the release, Newell (who called it "community policing") and another neighbor gave chase until police arrived and took the boy into custody (he was later charged and then released into his parents' custody).

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