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december 9, 2011
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politics
The Year In Politics
The first in a three-part series with Portland’s
mayoral candidates
As Portland’s 2012 mayoral race heats up,
Just Out asked the three main candidates to
introduce themselves to the LGBTQ community.
First up is Charlie Hales, 55, a Portland
citizen for more than 30 years and
electee to the Portland City Council in
1992. After nearly a decade, he left public
office to promote streetcars throughout the
nation and was the first to announce his
candidacy in the mayoral election.
Visit justout.com for the transcript in its
entirety, and pick up the January 2012 issue
for our interview with Jefferson Smith. Indepth
endorsement interviews will follow
February’s introduction to Eileen Brady.
Just Out: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Charlie Hales: After graduating from the
University of Virginia more than 30 years
ago, I moved to Portland because I had
heard about a beautiful, friendly city in the
far-off Northwest.
Portland is a place where one person can
make a difference. I quickly joined the Hayhurst
Neighborhood Association. From
there I was elected to three terms as a Portland
City Commissioner, helping to steer
Portland’s growth successfully by building
partnerships, trust and a common vision for
all Portlanders.
As a city commissioner, I took on difficult
and sometimes controversial tasks like fighting
for a new training program in the Portland
Fire Bureau, ensuring that underrepresented
communities had the same opportunities as
any other potential firefighter. I worked to
create a more livable Portland and thousands
of family wage jobs through projects like the
Portland Streetcar and the revitalization of
the Pearl District and North Portland.
And as a senior vice president with HDR
Engineering, I took Portland’s best ideas for
neighborhood livability and introduced
them to the rest of the country. At the same
time I was able to see what good things cities
throughout the nation have done so that
I could bring them back to Portland.
I am a regular volunteer with Friends of
Trees and the Portland Parks Foundation, a
father, and the husband of a remarkable
partner whom I had the privilege to marry
—a privilege and a right I hope to see extended
to all committed couples within my
term as mayor.
JO: How would you define the role?
CH: Unlike in other cities, the mayor in
Portland is a team player. As a former city
commissioner, I understand this form of
By Alex Bryce
www.justout.com
“We are very lucky to live in a city
with community values of equality,
respect and diversity. The city needs
to do a better job of reflecting those
values.”
-CharlIe hales
government—it’s had a lot to do with how
Portland became the incredible city it is.
However our city works best when we elect
the right kinds of people to the council, including
the mayor.
Ours is a government of coalition in
which all members must work towards consensus.
It is up to the mayor, as first among
equals, to set the tone that will allow for the
city council to productively work together.
The mayor is also the city’s chief advocate,
and can use the public nature of this position
to bring awareness to issues ranging
from AIDS testing to the need for improved
public services in East Portland. … So, the
mayor has to be both visionary and a consensus-builder,
and has to have the leadership
and experience to make it happen.
JO: What key skills will you bring to
the role?
CH: Leadership and experience. I am the
only candidate who has both public and
private experience. I worked as a Portland
City Commissioner for nearly 10 years,
building our first streetcar, improving our
parks, and supporting the arts and public
education, so I know how to succeed in our
unique style of governance.
I have also managed a business for nearly
10 years, and worked in other successful cities.
From Phoenix to Minneapolis, I’ve
studied what works and doesn’t work, and
am ready to bring those lessons back to
Portland to move us forward.
JO: What will be your priorities if you
become mayor?
CH: My first priority will be to help our
economy grow and create opportunity for all
Portlanders. While the mayor of Portland
can’t steer the national economy, there are
real actions that Portland’s leader can take
that make a difference here. I will create incentives
for good corporate citizenship, will
jumpstart start-ups and expanding businesses
by infusing needed access to capital,
and help realign our education system to
support the next economy. …
As mayor, I will take back all city bureaus
on my first day and will not assign them to