Speaking of meeting the contenders, five of these candidates were on stage last night at PCC Cascade, answering questions largely related to racial disparities in income, education, home ownership, and incarceration. KOIN anchor Ken Boddie moderated, with Sam Adams, Sho Dozono, Craig Gier, Beryl McNair and Christopher Rich participating.

Dozono’s answers largely revolved around his view that “I believe our city government is gridlocked, frankly broken.” Adams, meanwhile, stuck to his theory: “Portland is a great city, but we need to be humble in the knowledge that Portland isn’t great for everyone.” He had one of my favorite lines of the night, when noting that the next mayor will oversee the adoption of the Portland Plan: It’s “a 25 year plan. Not a vision, not a wish list.”

Gier was a crowd favorite, with his self-effacing wit (“I’m young enough that I haven’t been corrupted yet”). McNair had good points to make on home ownership and leveling the playing field for everyone, but she was the least polished of the candidates—often referring to her notes and tripping up. Rich proved himself as the most Libertarian of the candidates so far, saying as mayor, he’d give people a hand up instead of a hand out, and espousing values like an opposition to the day laborer center, and to “drugging our children into complacency.”

I may post audio later, but to be honest, it wasn’t a very exciting forum. There was very little back and forth between the candidates, and on most of the issues, candidates had the same things to say.

Anyways, onto this week’s question!

The last candidate who turned in more than 1,000 signatures has been certified for public financing. What are your thoughts on the program? Why did you or didn’t you participate? Also, would you vote to put the program to a public vote in 2010?

Jim Lee’s up first, but I’m putting everyone after the cut. And, for the second week in a row, Sho Dozono has opted not to answer. Funny, that.

Jim Lee
Position sought: Mayor
Website: blogmayor.com
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Public financing of our elections is a great idea, but candidates and prospective candidates must learn to use it properly. I was dismayed to see a prosperous business person and an anointed political staffer invoke the program less than a month before the deadline. Legislative intent was to bring less than well connected and less than wealthy citizens into the electoral arena, not to pave another another fund-raising avenue for the rich insider and the political operative.

As a theorist in the physical sciences I look for anomalies--unusual numbers, for example. Sho Dozono collected signatures and $5s at the rate of 200 per day, Jim Middaugh at 100 per day. For comparison, Charles Lewis’s rate was 5 per day over six months, and Amanda Fritz’s rate was 15 per day over ten weeks. To a physicist these are “order-of-magnitude” anomalies, and merit investigation. How did D&M do it?

I communicated my concern to Council, then attended a meeting of the Citizen Campaign Commission. Dozono’s treasurer remarked that the extraordinary enthusiasm for his candidacy caused the great rate of collection; I replied that there is no place on the signature form to register the emotional state of contributors. Also I attended a signature event for Middaugh; everyone seemed hyped; I managed to escape with my $5 still in my wallet.

Everyone who files for office deserves to be trusted, at least initially. But Middaugh and Dozono were, between them, angling for $350,000 of citizens’ money. Neither gave me a chance to cut the cards, to be sure they were not playing the Boyles-Golovan game from the previous campaign.

Four candidates asked me for $5; I checked each carefully; then I gave to three. From what I have learned since, two others conducted themselves with probity, so I would have signed their forms too, had they asked.

I did not participate in Voter Owned Elections because it is not my style, nor did I have the network necessary to succeed. Yes, I would put the program to a public vote in 2010, but with changes to keep the likes of Dozono and Middaugh out of the action.

Neither the Council nor the Auditor addressed my concerns about those two. The final recourse is for voters to reject Middaugh and Dozono for lack of transparency in acquisition of taxpayers’ money.

Craig Gier
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/craiggierformayor
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

My thoughts on this program are as follows, there is no reason what so ever to fund the campaigns of politicans. It doesn't matter where the money comes from. People are gonna form opinions of you no matter what you do. The money could be spent on lots of other things, like all day kindergarten, mental health care for people in this city, fixing the roads and so on. I didn't participate because this is a screwed up program that sammy and his buddies forced in and that sho is stealing from. Yes I would put it to a vote like everything should be. Also I would like people to research this subject alot, it is a ripoff. It should be called Voter Billed Elections.

Thank you for your time.

Christopher Rich
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/chrisrich4mayor
Financial status: $0 in contributions, $0 currently in the bank

I do not believe in the public financing program, nor am I participating in it. The public is already paying the cost for poor leadership. Why should they pay to also fund the campaigns of those that are most likely going to tax them more and not work in their best interest? It doesn't make sense.

If a candidate doesn't have the wherewithal to promote and manage their campaign without hand-out's, how can they expected to generate revenue sources without taxing the citizens of Portland even further?

I feel the citzens should be able to keep this money for themselves to do with as they please. At the very least, it should be going to schools in need.

I would support putting this issue in front of the voters in 2010.

Thanks!
Christopher Rich
myspace.com/chrisrich4mayor

Sam Adams
Position sought: Mayor
Website: samforpdx.com
Financial status: $136,581.40 in contributions, $60,180.05 currently in the bank

I still support the program, although I must acknowledge recent events have shaken my confidence in how it is being fleshed out and implemented.

As a city commissioner I voted to establish the Voter-Owned Elections system. In so doing, we continued the great Oregon tradition of innovation to improve our local democracy. The program needs continued refinement and improved performance before it goes to voters in 2010, which, as mayor, I will make sure happens.

In the current mayor’s race, a quarter of the candidates have concluded they must file formal complaints challenging the city auditor’s certification of one of the candidates simply to fight for fair treatment. An impartial judge will hear those complaints soon.

As an observer, however, it’s my view that if a candidate can receive a contribution valued at more than double the legal limit just before completing formal candidate paperwork without penalty, the system is deeply flawed. There is no escaping the common-sense conclusion that such actions are intended to game the system.

The specific facts in this case confirm this reality in dramatic fashion: one of the city’s long-time corporate lobbyists made a one of the largest corporate contributions in the City’s history to a mayoral campaign while the candidate just days later pledged rhetorically to remain free of corporate influence.

When I voted to establish the Voter Owned Elections program, it was certainly my expectation that all candidates deserved equal treatment. As a candidate I chose not to participate because I wanted to avoid the appearance of voting to help myself. If the system is to be saved, it must ensure voters that their candidates will be treated fairly. It still holds promise, as is reflected by the exciting range of political newcomers in the race to replace me as city commissioner, as they seem to be following both the letter and spirit of the program.

Kyle Burris
Position sought: Mayor
Website: site not up yet
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

I'll be honest; I'm not sure where I stand on the public financing issue. All the feel-good bi-products we've seen so far are clashing with my libertarianistic sensibilities, and it's leaving me with a sort of loathsome apathy that I don't know what the hell to do with. It's a complicated question of ends vs. means, and I'm really not up for debating myself this week.

I'll tell you this though; I definitely support putting the program on the ballot. It's the people's money, and they should always have the final say in how it's spent.

Jeff Taylor
Position sought: Mayor
Website: portland123.com
Financial status: -$31,420.95 currently in the bank, the balance of a loan to himself

Did not respond by deadline.

Sho Dozono
Position sought: Mayor
Website: shoformayor.com
Financial status: $200,000 in public funding, $26,522.77 currently in the bank (final check from the city hasn't been deposited)

Did not respond by deadline.

Beryl McNair
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/301848721
Financial status: $220.00 in contributions, $220.00 currently in the bank

Did not respond by deadline.

Patricia Stuart
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/votepatriciastuart
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Did not respond by deadline.

Steven Entwisle
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/votepatriciastuart
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Just joined the race last week.

Bob Leonard Forthan
Position sought: Mayor
Website: rfortha.wordpress.com
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Just joined the race last week.

David Ackerman
Position sought: Mayor
Website: none
Financial status: Intends to raise less than $300

Just joined the race last week.