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TIM CURRAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
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| Jeff Bissonnette, right, candidate for Portland City Council, holds one of many town hall meetings this election season. This one was held at Parkrose High School Community Center and focused on clean energy as an economic foundation for Portland’s future. From left, Parkrose School Board member Guy Crawford asks solar developer Jon Miller questions about how solar energy could be incorporated into Parkrose school and administration buildings to cut costs. Fellow board member James Woods listens. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
Frequently mid-Multnomah County seems to get the cold shoulder from political candidates. But this election cycle has brought more than its usual share of attention from a wide range of office seekers — incumbents, retreads, neophytes and the perennial candidate types.
We’ve had state representative candidates go door to door in our Mid-county neighborhoods. We’ve seen, or heard, about county commission and mayoral candidate debates. We’ve watched city commission candidates join our business associations, hold town hall meetings and also canvas our neighborhoods. We’ve seen all candidates’ signs springing up in lawns. We’ve watched as Jeff Merkley, our House District 47 representative and Oregon House speaker vies to become the new junior senator from Oregon.
And we’ve seen former President Bill Clinton — stumping for wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton — follow Portland mayoral candidate Sho Dozono’s lead by visiting a vital part of the Mid-county caring community, the Loaves & Fishes center in the East Portland Community Center.
This spring feels different from past election seasons, though. “Authentic,” “genuine,” and “important” are words that spring to mind when thinking about this election cycle. We’ll see, won’t we?
Speaking of town halls, Jeff Bissonnette, one of five candidates for City Council position #1, held an important town hall meeting in Parkrose recently. With rising fuel and energy costs the town hall subject, clean energy as an economic foundation for Portland’s future, was right on the money, so to speak.
Bissonnette brought with him leaders from Oregon’s clean energy industry, among them solar developer Jon Miller as well as Suzanne Leta Lou, a regional policy analyst on renewable energy sources.
“I believe our city council should do more to get out of City Hall and into Portland’s neighborhoods,” Bissonnette said. “As part of my campaign, as I walk through neighborhoods, I am inviting people in Parkrose to come to these town hall forums and speak up about their concerns. Portlanders shouldn’t have to make a pilgrimage downtown to have input into city issues.” Bissonnette said he’d continue these town hall forums once elected.
By the time you’re reading this, you should have received your primary ballot in the mail. We encourage you to fill it out and to hope, like we do, for a brighter future.
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