PDX Mayoral Race

[rucky]

Torn between Busse, Potter or Francesconi?

My union's endorsing Francesconi, but I really really like Potter. Busse's kind of a curiousity, but I'm not too sure how seriously to take him.

[ChompySnack]

1. Potter reminds me of Bud Clark

He was the coolest mayor Portland ever had. He didn't make the most popular moves all the time, but he was *way* bettern than Vera Katz!!

[rucky]

3. Whoop! Whoop!

Bud Clark is a legend.

[0rganism]

2. Francesconi's a well-known development whore

Fuck him, and the bazillion dollars he rode in on. Why the hell a union would endorse him... well, maybe you're in the construction biz?

I'm kind of split on this. Potter seems okay, but "ex-police chief" kind of disturbs me, given the problems we've had with wacko cops over the last few years. Wish I could hear more from the rest of the field, especially Posey. Newspaper coverage from the Oregonian is, as usual, abyssmal.

[rucky]

4. He was a great police chief

he started community policing & he always marched in the Pride parade. Not yer typical police chief... and now changing our cop culture is the #1 priority, IMO. No doubt Potter would do that - and bring back the community policing.

Don't know anything about Posey

our union endorsement is prolly about jobs.

[0rganism]

5. I agree about Potter's job as chief -- much has changed since then

> changing our cop culture is the #1 priority, IMO. No doubt Potter would do that

See, that's where I have my doubts. If he wins, there's going to be a lot more on Potter's plate than police misconduct, and even in those dealings I have to wonder how fairly he'd address them. It'd suck to find out he's somehow beholden to the FOP.

John Posey is a black business owner (deli, IIRC) in N. Portland. Quite progressive, but even less coverage than Busse.

Since it seems to be coming down to Francesconi and Potter, I'll probably vote for Potter -- but I have some misgivings. If, as another PDXer mentioned, he's like Bud, we'll probably do okay with him.

[mouse7]

6. Anyone but Francesconi.

A corporate whore of Babylonian proportions. A supporter of recent police tactics against protesters in Portland, too.

[stevedeshazer]

7. I like Potter

Maybe it's because I met him once (quite by accident) and found him to be a pleasant guy, but I thought he was the best police chief here in a long time. He's culturally sensitive at a time when the PPB really needs some direction because of the controversial police shootings here. I think he'd be a breath of fresh air.

Francesconi has accomplished nothing as a city commissioner that I can name; he's also very transparently the presumptive choice of the moneyed folk downtown. Two-thirds of Portlanders, myself included, live on the east side of the Willamette. All the focus of development, with a few exceptions, has been downtown over the last few years. Francesconi is tight with that group.

I'm willing to consider Busse and Posey still, but I lean Potter today.

[TriMetFan]

8. I plan on voting for Potter.

He is a good and honest man. I was lucky to have served as a reserve police officer under him. It was always easy to talk to him. I have nothing but respect for the man.

[TakebackAmerica]

9. I met Potter at Walgreens.

He was wearing a big Potter for Mayor button. Stupid me asked him why I supported Potter, he laughed and said "well, I 'm pretty sure I'm can vote for myself." He was a really nice guy.

[SuffragetteSal]

10. Pardon me for asking...

but on that panel they all seemed like Democrats to me...is this true? I thought they were all did great with the questions. I watched the entire thing and in the end I felt very hopeful.

I am referring to the candidate debates for mayor seen on television Thursday night.

[0rganism]

11. A republican would have a very difficult time governing Portland

It's not that they couldn't win -- heck, with 3 or 4 liberals splitting the left vote and a ton of ad money, a republican could have a decent chance of getting in. The question is, would they want to do so? We have a solid GLBT population, an abnormally large anarcho-bicyclist contingent, some reasonably tough unions, numerous competing educational interests, and a penchant for exercising 1st ammendment rights en masse. You gotta be flexible to handle this city, an area of deficiency for most conservatives.

Jim Francesconi is about as close to a rightwinger as we could have for a mayor without some major ill-will erupting. He's an obvious tool of the development lobby, but certainly not out of the mainstream for a Democrat on the national spectrum.

One of the first things the new mayor is going to have to confront is a police force widely considered to be out-of-control and noticably racist. It's going to take a velvet touch and a knack for negotiations to resolve this one. Either Potter or Posey would have an edge over the others, IMHO.

[depakid]

12. Wish I could vote in this one-

Even though I live in Aloha, I spend most of my time in Portland- so I almost feel cheated. Moreover, I definitely agree with the assessment of Francesconi as a development whore, though how much worse or different than Vera he'll be is anyone's guess. Were I to have a vote, it would be for Potter, because this police shooting, tazing and spraying with impunity has got stop before it becomes too ingrained in the culture- and I think Potter probably gets that as well as anyone and has the best background to deal with it.

Vera's become a disappointment over the years, especially when one hearken's back to Bud Clark "the people's mayor" with his bike, his candor & especially the Mayor's Ball! His shoestring campaign against that piece of trash Frank Invancie was an Oregon classic. One of the most uplifting political events in my life, to be sure.

Unfortunately, it looks like Francesconi going to walk away with this one- though with Portland's commission-bureau form of government, at least his power to sell us out to the moneyed interests is somewhat limited, compared with most cities.