It has to be a tie between Mary Volm and Tom Hughes. Mary will be a fresh face on the city council, yet she also knows where the bones are buried. Hopefully she, Fish and Fritz can form a coalition to stifle the SamRand twins and get this city moving in the right direction. Unfortunately I think too much politics are going to get in the way and the council will most likely be deadlocked. That is ok too; as doing nothing is better than the direction we are headed. The vacuum in leadership will I believe spurn some referendums particularly in cutting water and sewer rates.

Hughes is a much needed leader for metro as he has some real ideas and skills regarding economic development and hopefully can make a big difference.

The Portland City Counil race where there is an opportunity to get rid of Saltzman is, in my book, the most significant and impactful contest. Volm is the candidate with the potential to make some change. Cornett is the same old stuff in a different package.

The Metro race where Hughes is not 1000 Idiots of Oregon.

And the other PDX Council race, where Fish is uselesss and should go, The problem is that with that race here are no other viable alternatives.

So, how many of you have signed up for the race that Fritz is so obviously planning in 2012 for Mayor of Portland?

In my opinion, any change to the Portland City Council is good.

But the most important single race is the Metro race because we can't afford some one-issue eco-nut running the region. Hughes is a good a moderate Democrat, and far from a conservative, without being a left-wing wacko.

When Metro council and the Portland city council sound exactly the same, the rest of the region is losing out, and planning schemes that remain unproven at best in the "big city" are foisted upon suburbs where they REALLY won't work.

Mary Volm
Tom Hughes
Jason Barbour
+Ross Wrede for multiple assignments

Metro Prez (same choice as you Jack).

I live in Aloha on Kinnaman between 198th and 209th, so I don't get a vote on the PDX and Mult Co races.

I backed Andy Duyck for WACO commissioner as his opponent sounds like Rex Burkholder.

Prob no on 68 & 69 is important too.

PS I had Jack Landau for a course I took at Wilmette Law School spring semester 3L (2001) I found him to be very human, approachable and smart.

To me, It's keeping Saltzman in office. Mary Volm is running simply because of personal vendetta and she has no business being on the council.

Tom Hughes. Most people in the Metro area have no idea the power that the Metro Government has in their daily lives. The ultra left fringe (and I could be considered a member of this group on certain issues) have taken advantage of people's ignorance about Metro to run a near monopoly in this body. Hughes is a chance to put an end to this.

After the events of the past week in Portland I think it's less imperative that Dan go. I have already cast my vote for Mary and I don't regret this but now I won't be upset if Dan wins. I believe we will begin to see a shift away from Randy as de facto mayor and a reduction in Sam's strangle hold on the council.

“To me, It's keeping Saltzman in office. Mary Volm is running simply because of personal vendetta and she has no business being on the council.”

I am sorry but you are delusional. Saltzman is an idiot and needs to go. I stopped him once in the street downtown Portland and asked him what he thought of all the empty store fronts and what the city council could do about it. He said that he voted for the sit lie ordinance but the judges threw it out. The guy is a trust fund baby and doesn’t have a clue about the hardships of the citizens of Portland. He just does what feels good and doesn’t involve a lot of work or effort on his part. Talk about despicable.

Mary Volm

and whichever candidate I held my nose for and voted to replace the Fishster

Ben,

I'm already Ben.
You're going to have to add an initial or use something different.

My write-in vote for Jack Bogdanski for Multnomah County Sheriff!

And no, I'm not kidding.

Last week, I took Mary up on her offer to have coffee with anyone, anytime. While I didn't agree with everything she had to say, she earned my vote. As well as the vote of the friend I brought along.

Here's what I wrote to friends who did and didn't attend a voting party I had the other night....

...Many who couldn’t make it asked me for direction on voting, and here are some thoughts.

One, get your ballot in now :) that’s if you plan to mail it – I’d suggest today or tomorrow, but otherwise, you’re going to have to bring it to an elections collection place by foot/car/bike, etc.

Let’s see – the visit by Bob Stacey who’s running for Metro Council President was exciting. I think either he or Rex Burkholder will make a fine Metro Council President, and suspect one or the other will win. They will probably split the vote and one will be in a race in the general against Tom Hughes in the general (that’s my prediction). I’m voting for Stacey. He’s skeptical about the Columbia Crossing bridge, and so am I. (personally, I’d like to see a tunnel option...)

City Council Race – Salzman vs. Cornett vs. Volm (vs. About 5 more folks who are a variety pack but none running as hard as these three). Everyone I know who is a progressive in this town is backing Cornett. I am going on their recommendation, though I have not been as wowed by Cornett as I’d like to be.

City Council Race – Fish & Friends. It was suggested that I’d make a great write-in for this race

Metro Council race for position #2 (previously Jeff Cogan’s seat). Well, this is really a great race. So many incredible people running – personally, I wish more of them had run for City Council!!! That said, all of the candidates in this race are pretty good. There will be a 1st and second place and then it will be duked out in the general. I like Karol Collymore – for a lot of reasons. A woman of color. Has been living in the office that she’d be running (on Cogan’s staff for the last couple of years). Knows her stuff and has a long political career ahead of her. Tom MacGraf has also impressed me as has Paul Van Orden (noise officer for the City of Portland for the past 14 years). I suspect 2 of these 3 will make it into the general, but really, what an incredible field.

Governor: I’m voting for Bill Bradbury. I think Kitzhaber will win the Dem primary and eventually the general, but Bradbury is way more progressive and has my heart.

That’s my thinking about this election.

And back to point #1 – get that ballot in – that’s the main thing.

Hugs and democrazy,

Albert Kaufman

Sign-up for my monthly e-letter, The Eleven

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My write-in vote for Jack Bogdanski for Multnomah County Sheriff!
NO NO NO NO! He's gonna be the write in candidate for mayor!
{and no, I'm not kidding}

Rats, Al. We need to coordinate this better in november.

Totally a dead heat.

Mary Volm, Tom Hughes. Tom Hughes, Mary Volm.

Need 'em both. Yesterday.

Wheeler election party is where it's at .. however where are Volm and Hughes party sites?

Mary party info:

http://maryvolmforportland.com/component/eventlist/details/43

Tom party info (need help here ... can't figure out where to ride.... MAX or Streetcar or bicycle):

http://www.votetomhughes.com/home.php

Again, being a reasonable person with a deep concern for this city, I cannot understand the logic of anyone voting for Jesse Cornett. The guy has ZERO political contacts, ZERO political experience and no knowledge of the skills needed to run a city bureaucracy. Mary Volm has all of the above and more. Does Adams want her as a Commissioner? Obviously not but Mary has class, tact and a deep concern for Portland. Something that is desperately needed on the Portland City council. There is no other choice. Dan Saltzman has run his course. He won't function any longer given his relationship with Adams which will result in a polarized council. Mary Volm is the one.

When I surf the Washington Post's web site, I'm hit by ads for Jesse Cornett. My tax money going into the pocket of distant newspapers? (and probably consultants?) Time to put a few strings on the public financing of campaigns.

Tom Hughes for Metro. Metro should have representation from outside of Portland's sphere.

Mary Volm for City Council. Against the stealing of $30 Million from basic service funds for the Milwaukie Lightrail. Maybe the guts to insist on fiscal common sense and possibly combining with Fritz to ask the tough questions then act.

No on 68 and 69. It has just become public knowledge from the PDC that OSHU, PSU, and two biotech trade groups plan to use the 68/69 bills to allow them to sell Oregon taxpayer backed bonds to pay for a large chunk of a $200 Million Collaborative Biotech Building in SoWhat. The proposed building would pay little TIF dollars back to the taxpayers except if there are a few commercial coffee shops and private businesses in the building.

Allen Alley for Governor. Much improved in being knowledgeable and concise about his positions. Relative new to politics-an attribute. Common sense, business approach. Analytical and consensus builder. Has the background knowledge and guts to propose the delay or ending of Milwaukie Lightrail to save over $250 Million in state lottery funds and over $120 Million in urban renewal funds to apply to the state's budget deficit-a common sense parcel solution.

Mary Kremer for State Senate-19th. Common sense again. Knowledgeable on business, education, job creation. Not a career politician-new.

And I'm a demo. Go figure. We need change, common sense, life experiences and not career politicians or those who have no or little job experience outside of a government paycheck.

I agree with John Benton: Volm and Hughes.

But I just moved to Tigard: voting with my feet. Whenever I'm driving on Hwy. 99, and wonder if I'll make the next signal, I just think of the smirk on Sam's face when he got Dozono disqualified for VOE funds. And then I think about the I-tax I won't be paying next time around. And how much lower my property and business taxes are in Tigard. Can the last self-employed professional leaving downtown for the burbs please turn off the lights?

NOT voting for ANY incumbent.

On the eastside metro race vote for Jeff Reynolds. He is appears to be the only candidate that is running against Metro's social engineering culture.

He favors buses over trains and more local control on land use.