This Week in the Mercury
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
News / Politics Steve Novick, Jeff Cogen For County Chair
Posted by Matt Davis on Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 9:51 AM
With the filing deadline at 5pm, the race to replace Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler is on. Steve Novick's fanpage is off and running, while County Commissioner Jeff Cogen is also in the running, according to Big Jimmy Pitkin at WW—who seems to have suddenly decided he's a reporter over the last couple of days.
Update, 10:04 Retired state senator Margaret Carter is also running for chair. Now, why would Novick run for this impossible job? "Because it's an extremely important impossible job," he says. "The county plays a critical role in public safety, in health care, and of course it has a delightful sideline in libraries. We have one of the strongest library systems in the country, and I was involved in the library levy when I was working for Chair Linn."
Novick says his rival, Jeff Cogen, would be "great" for the job. "We're both extremely well qualified," he says. "Jeff is great, I simply think I'd be greater. Partly because the county is so inter-woven with the state and federal governments, I think it would be valuable to have someone with good relationships at that level. A lot of people know Jeff and like Jeff, but I think that I have a somewhat higher profile."
Novick, fresh from his triumph with Measures 66 and 67, says he plans to prioritize getting more money for the county's basic services.
"If the property tax measures hadn't passed in the 1990s, we'd have an additional $5billion every two years," he says. "We need to explain that to people. 66 and 67 were great, but at some point, we've got to do better."
How?
"We've got one of the lowest beer and wine taxes in the country, and the legislature has shied away from raising that. I plan to work hard with our legislature next session to change that so that we have some money for basic services," he says. "I've developed a pretty good relationship with our legislators in the 66 and 67 campaign, and I think their level of boldness will be strengthened as a result of that."
"If we don't get another round of Federal stimulus money next year, then the state and the county will be sunk," Novick continues. "We need to make our congressional delegation as acutely aware of that as possible, and find creative ways to help them make the case in congress and to the president that we need help."
What about improving revenue streams in the longer term?
"One thing that a lot of folks have talked about is property tax reform that—the effect of Measure 47 was that people who live in different neighborhoods pay wildly different tax rates, even if the market value of their homes are the same," says Novick. "That is something that we need to find some way to address, and it might take a constitutional amendment, an initiative, but I think we can make a case in terms of tax fairness."
Novick also suggested emulating places like Grand Junction, Colorado, which has worked with local health insurers to find efficiencies for health care costs for government employees. "I would be delighted to work with Mayor Adams on that," he says.
Update, 12:12: "I care deeply about Multnomah County and I've been working there for three years. I'm up to speed on the challenges that the county faces, I feel like I've been part of the effort to turn things around," says Cogen.
Does he have the state, and federal connections Novick has mentioned to turn things around? "I actually have brought more funding to the county, with the vehicle rental tax that bought in $6million last year. There's no question that the county's budget is under-funded and we need to come up with more funding sources. I think I have a track record of doing that and I think I'm well positioned to keep doing it."
He's had to withdraw from reelection for commissioner and gone all in for the seat. That's ballsy. "Sometimes you've got to take risks if you want to make things happen," he says.
But he was about to have a cushy run for commission. "I woke up this morning thinking I might wind up running unopposed for County Commissioner," he said. "And now I'm in a very tough and challenging race for County Chair."
2
Cogen might not seem like as good a candidate generally, but if his motives are better (and his detailed knowledge of the county certainly is), he'd do a better job of it.
3
4
I've no doubt he's a strong candidate for 'generic politico job'. But is he the best candidate for this particular one? If he can't convince us that given the choice he would choose this job over the other ones I mentioned above, he's not the right man for the job.
5
"This morning I filed as a candidate for Multnomah County Commissioner, Position 2.
County government is where many of the issues closest to my heart are discussed: health and human services, public education, and public safety.
As a Multnomah County Commissioner, I intend to be a full time representative of the people working for a better and more prosperous community.
Running for county commissioner was not what I had planned to do when I woke up this morning. But this rare opportunity has become available and my experience of over twenty years working with local government, non-profits and the religious community would benefit the work of Multnomah County.
I know the issues and know the people.
My assumption is that a number of candidates will file by the 5 pm deadline today and that they will all be good people who are qualified to serve in public office. Multnomah County has an abundance of talent and I look forward to having a conversation with voters that honors Multnomah County’s long history of thoughtful debate.
During a time of deep economic turmoil and a lack of solid leadership in some parts of the county this campaign should be about how we build a future worthy of our children.
I hope you will join me in this effort."
6
Also recommending a constitutional amendment for taxes may not be the best idea either... This might really divide his vote.
It might make sense to save amending the constitution until he is in office and run on a more basic platform like getting more money for schools and roads. I am guessing that is what he is talking about with the stimulus.
I like the question about improving revenue streams in the longer term, I haven't seen a county in Oregon able to answer that question yet.
Maybe focusing on job development, and not just the temporary positions, good jobs that last.
8
Um, because he's never had a real job? This guy will be taking a flying fuck at every open position from school board on up for the rest of his life.
I like that his whole discussion is about how he wants to raise taxes. At least he's honest. The lesson of those property tax measures he mentioned is that Oregonians bite back hard when you get greedy with taxes. But I guess some need to learn that lesson again.
Wheeler is a loss. But Jeff Cogan is a good candidate who has been serving on the county council already. He has been responsive to me on a couple of issues.
9
His polite comments about his rival are a start, let's have more campaigns (or at least primaries) like that!
10
"Um, because he's never had a real job?"
I wasn't aware that Federal Attorney wasn't a real job. Would you please provide specifics as to how being a Federal Attorney isn't a real job or are you just speaking of the law profession in general as not being a real job?
11
Novick's stellar work at US Department of Justice is not in dispute.
Your commenting without first gathering facts causes us all to think that you have no interest in discussing truth, but in distorting it.
Marni
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