The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: A

Scott, Jay, and I saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey today. There's not much to say about this movie. It's as high-quality and well done as any of the prior The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. In fact, I would say it's even better as the story is far less complicated without the confusing multiple storylines and far less Middle Earth jargon.

That said, my only complaint is the same as the LOTR trilogy: How can a three-hour movie with dozens of characters have only one woman? Well, okay there were some female extras doing domestic chores in the background - 'cuz someone's got to do the laundry. If a similar movie was made with a 99% female cast it would be derided as a chick flick, but I have yet to hear anyone call The Hobbit a guy movie. I know, I know, the filmmakers were probably staying true to J. R. R. Tolkien's chauvinist writings and yet the same filmmakers have taken many other liberties such as stretching a book out to three feature movies...

Anyways, my main motivation for the seeing the movie was to see the nine-minute sneak peek at Star Trek Into Darkness. Wow!

Lincoln: A

Scott and I saw Lincoln a few weekends ago. I looked forward to seeing this movie ever since I heard a movie about about Lincoln was being made. (I have to admit to some embarrassment when I momentarily mistook this summer's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter for the Steven Spielberg movie.)

Lincoln should be subtitled "Politicking The 13th Amendment" although I understand the studio's reason not marketing the movie's emphasis on the legislative process. I do appreciate that the movie didn't rely on any non-linear or flashback gimmick like so many biopics. Instead, the movie assumed the audience already knew the basics about Lincoln's life and revealed more about the obscure details his life as president.

Before seeing Lincoln, my impression was that he fought for the 13th amendment for more pragmatic reasons rather than being an ardent abolitionist. I was a little concerned that Spielberg was glossing over Lincoln's complicated racial politics in the opening scene. The film opens with two African-American soldiers paying tribute to the president as he sits on an elevated covered platform -- much like people today walk-up the Lincoln Monument today. I did wonder how plausible the scene was that African-Americans would be allowed to address the president; however, it doesn't seem impossible either. I'm not a historian and have to rely upon historians such as Doris Kearns Goodwin whose Lincoln biography the movie was inspired from.

Overall, the movie was great. Well-paced with great performances that made the legislative process seem exciting. My only concern is whether or not the movie whitewashed Lincoln's view on race. My understanding is that Lincoln probably didn't believe in racial equality or civil rights as we understand these values today. However, there's no denying that he made considerable sacrifices to pass the 13th amendment which undermines doubts that Lincoln only opposed slavery to reign-in the South.

Skyfall: B

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Scott, ma, and I saw Skyfall several weekends ago. This year is the 50th anniversary of the Bond franchise, so Skyfall was filled with tributes to the first Bond movies which culminated into the final scenes. Daniel Craig's James Bond is so well-established now it's easy to forget that this is only his third Bond movie. Javier Bardem's flirty, campy villain was fun to watch and left me wanting a few more scenes.

Admittedly, the Bond genre has always had a bit of fantasy and, like any movie, audiences are willing to let unbelievable technobabble and coincidences slide for a good story. So, I'm willing to overlook that Bardem's Bond villain can hack into a government spy agency's network and control a building's security system. However, I was a little irked that Bond seemed to act too slow to save innocent bystanders' lives.

Regardless, the movie was great. My only complaint is that in honoring the franchise, the sequel didn't bring much new to the franchise. I appreciate that Daniel Craig did reveal more of Bond's vulnerability (i.e. age) and the story revealed a bit more about Bond's back story.

The Cabin in the Woods: B

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Scott didn't quite drag me to The Cabin in the Woods a couple of weekends ago. I was a little more willing to see this horror movie because Joss Whedon was involved, so I figured it would not be a typical horror movie and have a little more wit. Like most movie genres, the horror movie formula is so overdone that even the parodies are formulaic. Cabin in the Woods isn't quite a parody, but it still seemed to drag a bit going through the usual horror movie set-up.

Overall, I liked the movie. Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under) and Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) were great playing their usual characters. It had a good pace and a quick ending.

2012 General Elections Results

We were so relieved Obama won re-election Tuesday night. Although I figured the race was in Obama's favor, I worried throughout the evening that this election would turn into a prolonged mess like 2000. When the east coast results finally started to trickle in, I nervously watched Virginia as the experts had predicted Romney had to win it. However, I became frustrated as no one called Virginia.

At 8:00 PM, I flipped between the local TV channels for the local results and the national coverage for the presidential results. Finally, at around 8:15 PM, I was surprised the decisive result came not from Virginia, but Ohio. Although Facebook did crash during the announcement, this year's re-election was much more anti-climactic than 2008's euphoria.

I was a little frustrated that the local results were so hard to find. There seemed to be a technical problem publishing the Oregon results as KGW's website and broadcast scroll showed "0%" or "12345" results. I also had problems finding updated Washington state results regarding the same-sex marriage referendum.

This seemingly long election cycle is thankfully over and now the analysis has been begun. It was entertaining seeing Oregon GOP leader Allen Alley optimistically predicting his party's statewide victory and then a short time later standing in an abandoned ballroom muttering that he just didn't understand how they lost again. Like the national GOP, it seems he really is out of touch with the new realty that Oregon voters.

Don't take away my donkey membership, but I admit that I like Allen Alley and secretly feared he would have been a far better candidate for governor in 2010 than the political-novice celebrity his party desperately chose. I believe democracies require competitive opposition parties and fear that any party can overreach without serious challenge. It would be great if the Oregon GOP sincerely reinvented itself, embraced gay marriage as a genuine family value, accepted reproduction as a personal health matter, and actually discussed what they want state government to do instead of merely reducing taxes and cutting services.

RACE	ME	RESULTS
US PRESIDENT	OBAMA	OBAMA RE-ELECTED 303 E.V. (60.6M) ROMNEY 235 E.V. (57.8M)
		OBAMA 60.6M ROMNEY 57.8M
US REP 3RD	BLUME- NEAUR	BLUMENEAUR RE-ELECTED 220K GREEN 60K
OR SEC OF STATE	BROWN	BROWN RE-ELECTED 783K BUEHLER 679K
OR TREASURER	WHEELER	WHEELER RE-ELECTED 866K COX 571K
OR ATTY GEN	ROSEN- BLUM	ROSENBLUM ELECTED 831K BUCHAL 598K
OR SEN 21ST	ROSEN- BAUM	ROSENBAUM RE-ELECTED 47K
OR REP 42ND	BAILEY	BAILEY RE-ELECTED 21K
OR BOLI	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN RE-ELECTED 620K STARR 562K
OR SUPREME POS 3	COOK	BALDWIN 581K COOK 556K
OR APPEALS POS 6	VOLPERT	EGAN 638K VOLPERT 444K
PORTLAND MAYOR	HALES	HALES ELECTED 127K SMITH 61K
PORTLAND COMMISH POS 1	FRITZ	FRITZ RE-ELECTED 91K NOLAN 65K
EMSWCD DIR 1	TILL	TILL 38K CALDWELL 27K SWEENEY 22K BAUER 18K
RACE	ME	RESULTS
OR #77 DISASTER PREP	YES	YES 870K NO 624K
OR #78 CONSTITUTION LANGUAGE	YES	YES 1,067K NO 418K
OR #79 TRANSFER TAX BAN	NO	YES 902K NO 612K
OR #80 LEGALIZE MARIJUANA	YES	NO 860K YES 725K
OR #81 GILNET BAN	NO	NO 988K YES 515K
OR #82 CASINO	NO	NO 1,122K YES 445K
OR #83 WOOD VILLAGE CASINO	NO	NO 1,105K YES 458K
OR #84 LARGE ESTATE TAX BAN	NO	NO 830K YES 718K
OR #85 CORP KICKER TO K-12	YES	YES 911K NO 627K
MULTCO #26-143 LIBRARY DIST	YES	YES 137K NO 86K
PTLD #26-145 PENSION REFORM	YES	YES 125K NO 42K
PTLD #26-146 ARTS TAX	NO	YES 111K NO 75K
PTLD #26-144 $482B SCHOOL BOND	YES	YES 103K NO 55K

2012 General Election

It's that time again where I openly ponder my ballot.

RACE	ME	WILLA- METTE WEEK	PORTLAND MERCURY	THE OREGONIAN	OUR OREGON	BASIC RIGHTS OR	PLANNED PARENT- HOOD
US PRESIDENT	OBAMA	OBAMA	OBAMA	(ROMNEY)			OBAMA
US REP 3RD	BLUME- NEAUR	BLUME- NEAUR	BLUME- NEAUR	BLUME- NEAUR			BLUME- NEAUR
OR SEC OF STATE	BROWN	BUEHLER	BROWN	BUEHLER	BROWN	BROWN	BROWN
OR TREASURER	WHEELER	WHEELER	WHEELER	WHEELER		WHEELER	WHEELER
OR ATTY GEN	ROSEN- BLUM		ROSEN- BLUM	ROSEN- BLUM		ROSEN- BLUM
OR SEN 21ST	ROSEN- BAUM	ROSEN- BAUM		ROSEN- BAUM		ROSEN- BAUM	ROSEN- BAUM
OR REP 42ND	BAILEY					BAILEY	BAILEY
OR BOLI	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN	AVAKIAN
OR SUPREME POS 3	COOK	BALDWIN		COOK	BALDWIN
OR APPEALS POS 6	VOLPERT	VOLPERT		VOLPERT
PORTLAND MAYOR	HALES	HALES	HALES	HALES		HALES SMITH
PORTLAND COMMISH POS 1	FRITZ	FRITZ	FRITZ	FRITZ		FRITZ NOLAN	NOLAN
EMSWCD DIR 1	TILL
RACE	ME	WILLA- METTE WEEK	PORTLAND MERCURY	THE OREGONIAN	OUR OREGON	ECUME- NICAL MINISTRIES	LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
OR #77 DISASTER PREP	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES		YES
OR #78 CONSTITUTION LANGUAGE	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES		YES
OR #79 TRANSFER TAX BAN	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
OR #80 LEGALIZE MARIJUANA	YES	YES	YES	NO		NO
OR #81 GILNET BAN	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
OR #82 CASINO	NO	NO	NO	NO		NO
OR #83 WOOD VILLAGE CASINO	NO	NO	NO	NO		NO
OR #84 LARGE ESTATE TAX BAN	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO	NO
OR #85 CORP KICKER TO K-12	YES	YES	YES	NO	YES	YES	YES
MULTCO #26-143 LIBRARY DIST	YES	YES	YES	NO			YES
PTLD #26-145 PENSION REFORM	YES	YES	YES	YES
PTLD #26-146 ARTS TAX	NO	NO	YES	NO
PTLD #26-144 $482B SCHOOL BOND	YES	YES	YES	YES			YES

NATIONAL
US PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
[X]	DEMOCRAT Barack Obama PRESIDENT Joe Biden VICE PRESIDENT
[_]	PACIFIC GREEN Jill Stein PRESIDENT Cheri Honkala VICE PRESIDENT
[_]	PROGRESSIVE Ross C (Rocky) Anderson PRESIDENT Luis J Rodriguez VICE PRESIDENT
[_]	LIBERTARIAN Gary Johnson PRESIDENT James P Gray VICE PRESIDENT
[_]	REPUBLICAN Mitt Romney PRESIDENT Paul Ryan VICE PRESIDENT
[_]	CONSTITUTION Will Christensen PRESIDENT Kenneth L Gibbs VICE PRESIDENT

US REPRESENTATIVE, 3RD DISTRICT
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Earl Blumenauer DEMOCRAT	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, PLANNED PARENTHOOD
[_]	Woodrow Broadnax PACIFIC GREEN / PROGRESSIVE
[_]	Michael Cline LIBERTARIAN
[_]	Ronald Green REPUBLICAN
Obviously, there is little reason not to support our long-time congressman Earl Blumenauer.
STATE OF OREGON
OR SECRETARY OF STATE
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Seth Woolley PACIFIC GREEN
[_]	Robert Wolfe PROGRESSIVE
[_]	Bruce Alexander Knight LIBERTARIAN
[X]	Kate Brown DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES	THE PORTLAND MERCURY, OUR OREGON, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND, PLANNED PARENTHOOD
[_]	Knute Buehler REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN, JACK BOGDANSKI
"Kate Brown is a fairly unexciting career politico, who's made some high-profile stumbles and now faces the awful prospect of becoming the rare Democrat who actually manages to blow a race for statewide office... ....But [Buehler]'s also made some troubling comments about voter fraud and ID requirements, repeating the same dark tone as his GOP peers across the country." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY Buehler is this election's token Republican endorsement some newspapers have anointed to maintain some appearance of being bipartisan. While incumbent Kate Brown may have made some mistakes, I'm not convinced Buehler is a better choice. Buehler has never previously held elected office which is especially concerning considering the Secretary of State is first in line of succession to the Governor. And while Buehler claims to be bipartisan, he hasn't made any effort to differentiate himself from typical Republican rhetoric.
OR STATE TREASURER
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Ted Wheeler DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, JACK BOGDANSKI
[_]	Cameron Whitten PROGRESSIVE
[_]	John F. Mahler LIBERTARIAN
[_]	Michael Paul Marsh LIBERTARIAN
[_]	Tom Cox REPUBLICAN
"Ted Wheeler! He's a stand-up guy! Hopefully he'll do what he says he will and punch the bloated state retirement system into some sort of manageable order! As for challenger Cameron Whitten—well, he's a good kid, makes a mean vegan smoothie, and definitely shouldn't be in charge of a state office just yet." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY
OR ATTORNEY GENERAL
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Chris Henry PROGRESSIVE
[_]	James L. Buchal REPUBLICAN
[_]	James E Leuenberger CONSTITUTION, LIBERTARIAN
[X]	Ellen Rosenblum DEMOCRAT	THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, JACK BOGDANSKI
"...yeah. We liked Rosenblum in the primary. We still do. Even if her husband co-owns the Willamette Week." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY I voted for Rosenblum in the primary and she has since been appointed to the office. None of the other candidates are serious contenders. James Buchal won the Republican primary as a write-in because the GOP was unable to recruit a suitable candidate for their primary. I couldn't find that he had any experience as a prosecutor or that he ever practiced criminal law.
OR STATE SENATOR, 21ST DISTRICT
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Cliff Hutchison REPUBLICAN
[X]	Diane Rosenbaum DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD
"...[Rosenbaum] has proven to be an effective legislator, even when given the thankless job of serving as Senate majority leader and trying to keep her fractious Democratic caucus in line. She led the fight to extend unemployment benefits and institute protections for Oregonians facing foreclosure..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
OR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, 42ND DISTRICT
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Jules Kopel Bailey DEMOCRAT, WORKING FAMILIES, REPUBLICAN	BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD
COMMISSIONER OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIES
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Bruce Starr
[X]	Brad Avakian	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, OUR OREGON, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THE OREGONIAN, JACK BOGDANSKI
JUDGE OF THE SUPREME COURT, POSITION 3
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Richard C Baldwin	WILLAMETTE WEEK, OUR OREGON, JACK BOGDANSKI
[X]	Nena Cook	GAY & LESBIAN VICTORY FUND, THE OREGONIAN
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, POSITION 6
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	James C Egan	JACK BOGDANSKI
[X]	Tim Volpert	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN
Apparently I voted for Volpert in the primary.
CITY OF PORTLAND
MAYOR
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Jefferson Smith	BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT
[X]	Charlie Hales	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT
Neither of these candidates are very inspiring. I am bothered that Hales chose to evade Oregon taxes while still claiming Oregon residency for political purposes. I like Jefferson Smith's politics, but I'm not convinced he can manage a large government, which includes traffic police, if he can't keep his own drivers license valid. As a former commissioner, Hales is the more experienced option. I voted for Hales in the primary and see no reason to change my vote. UPDATE: I feel a little vindicated that Jefferson Smith's candidacy is imploding in light of a messy criminal arrest 20 years ago uncovered by Willamette Week. While he argues that he is not the same person he was back then, his poor handling of this revelation (not disclosing it earlier, showing-up at his victim's house, etc.) further shows that his political ambition is premature. It's also disturbing that Smith seems to have a pattern of making impulsively aggression. While aggressive enthusiasm is great (and often lacking in Portland's homogeneous political culture), potential government leaders still should have some maturity and experience.
COMMISSIONER, POSITION 1
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Mary Nolan	BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT, PLANNED PARENTHOOD
[X]	Amanda Fritz	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, JACK BOGDANSKI, BASIC RIGHTS OREGON GREEN LIGHT
"...In the May primary, we endorsed Rep. Mary Nolan (D-Portland) over Amanda Fritz, the incumbent in this race. We’ve changed our minds...[Fritz]’s taken a firm stand alongside Adams to draw the line on the police bureau and joined Commissioner Dan Saltzman in scrutinizing the fire bureau. Her penny-pinching appears more admirable as Portland’s budget gets closer to being swallowed by urban renewal areas and fire and police pensions...Fritz made a compelling case that her background as a psychiatric nurse is an important tool in helping cops change their approach to public safety....[Nolan] has also demonstrated during this campaign that she marches in lockstep with the public employee unions—especially fire and police—who are backing her...Nolan offered few specifics about how she’d rein in an inefficient fire bureau, while Fritz offered clear and innovative ideas. Nolan was unpersuasive in claims she would be an independent thinker when it comes to reforms...-WILLAMETTE WEEK
EAST MULTNOMAH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
DIRECTOR, AT LARGE 1
ME	CANDIDATE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	John Sweeney
[X]	Rick Till INCUMBENT	EMSWCD DIRECTORS BOB SALLINGER, DIANNA L. POPE, JILL KUEHLER
[_]	Eric Mader
[_]	Justin Bauer
[_]	Kelly Caldwell
I initially assumed some candidates for this little-known office would be a bit flaky. However, all five candidates seem serious. They all provided statements to voters guide (PDF) and responded to the League of Women's Voters' (PDF) questionnaire. Kelly Caldwell stands-out, in a bad way, as an activist for an anti-GMO group. It seems she would seek to use the conservation agency to advocate her pet issue. I'll vote for Rick Till who earned the endorsements of three of the four other EMSWCD directors. I'm inclined to support any incumbent who seeks to return to a thankless, unpaid position -- especially considering the EMSWCD doesn't have regulatory authority clout. Also, none of Till's challengers explained why he should be tossed-out of office.

OREGON STATE MEASURES
REFERRED TO THE PEOPLE BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
77: Amends Constitution: Governor may declare “catastrophic disaster” (defined); requires legislative session; authorizes suspending specified constitutional spending restrictions.
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, OUR OREGON
[_]	No	OFFICIAL VOTERS' GUIDE: NO ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION WERE FILED., JACK BOGDANSKI
"...the measure would enable the governor to make initial decisions...without legislative approval...Planning for the future has not been a legislative strength...So, it's encouraging to see a practical, forward-looking piece of legislation such as Measure 77, which the Legislature approved by a combined 87-3 vote in the House and Senate." -THE OREGONIAN
78: Amends Constitution: Changes constitutional language describing governmental system of separation of powers; makes grammatical and spelling changes
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, OUR OREGON
[_]	No	OFFICIAL VOTERS' GUIDE: NO ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION WERE FILED, JACK BOGDANSKI
"makes language changes to a section of the constitution on separation of powers....though desirable for clarity, is of little consequence." -THE OREGONIAN
PROPOSED BY INITIATIVE PETITION
79: Amends Constitution: Prohibits real estate transfer taxes, fees, other assessments, except those operative on December 31, 2009
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Yes
[X]	No	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), OUR OREGON, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
"...This measure is one of the most cynical and unnecessary initiatives we’ve seen in years. Real estate agents—middlemen—want to amend the constitution to ban a real estate transfer tax that’s already been illegal under state law since 1989...But in the past two decades, no one has even gotten close to enacting a tax on the sale of property..."WILLAMETTE WEEK "This anti-tax initiative, sponsored by the Oregon Association of Realtors, is a solution in search of a problem. ....state law already prohibits local governments from establishing real estate transfer fees..." -THE OREGONIAN
80: Allows personal marijuana, hemp cultivation/use without license; commission to regulate commercial marijuana cultivation/sale
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, FMR SOS BILL BRADBURY, PTLD COMMISSIONER RANDY LEONARD, STREET ROOTS
[_]	No	THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), JACK BOGDANSKI
"...The measure is flawed—lawmakers will have to fix provisions, and it may not survive a test in court because of the way it could conflict with federal drug laws. It would also create an Oregon Cannabis Commission stacked with marijuana growers—not a great idea....But passage will force lawmakers to confront reality. No one benefits—least of all the state coffers—from the prosecution of otherwise law-abiding citizens who use a drug that is already in wide circulation...."-WILLAMETTE WEEK I support the decriminalize of marijuana -- not because I specifically support marijuana use -- but because criminalization is pointless, ineffective, and costly. Admittedly, this measure is extreme and written like, well, like a bunch potheads got together a wrote a meandering law while in a fuzzy haze. However, I believe the legislature and governor will fix this measure after it is passed.
81: Prohibits commercial non-tribal fishing with gillnets in Oregon "inland waters," allows use of seine nets
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Yes	(INITIATIVE SPONSOR CEASED ITS CAMPAIGN)
[X]	No	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), OUR OREGON, JACK BOGDANSKI
"...The real issue here is that fancy folks who fish for sport want a bigger catch of the annual salmon haul—banning gillnetting would squeeze commercial fishers out of the yearly harvest while still killing the same number of fish per year in the state. But measure-backers have pretty much dropped their campaign after Governor John Kitzhaber said he would bring a compromise bill to the legislature this year..." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY
82: Amends Constitution: Authorizes establishment of privately-owned casinos; mandates percentage of revenues payable to dedicated state fund
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Yes
[X]	No	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
83: Authorizes privately owned Wood Village casino; mandates percentage of revenues payable to dedicated state fund
[_]	Yes
[X]	No	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
"...The developers say that will add up to $100 million a year for the state—but that's assuming the casino will make $400 million annually, which is insane because Oregon's nine other casinos combined make $470 million a year. What will happen is that a private company will be allowed to move into the state and eat up a large chunk of the money that goes to the Oregon Lottery and native tribes, under agreements that the state struck that barely begin to address the historical fact that we screwed the tribes out of their traditional ways of supporting themselves....let's not rewrite our constitution to cut out tribes just so 3,000 people can construct a monstrosity of regret and addiction that will allow a Canadian private equity firm to profit off Portlanders." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY
84: Phases out existing inheritance taxes on large estates, and all taxes on intra-family property transfers
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Yes
[X]	No	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), PLANNED PARENTHOOD, OUR OREGON, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
"...Measure 84 does ask a good question: Is it beneficial for Oregon to...tax the estates of dead people? Perhaps not. But answering that question is best left to the Legislature... ...both the sweep and the financial impact of the provision are unclear. Even its creator, Kevin Mannix, concedes the Legislature will probably have to step in and clarify this. As a rule, it's best to oppose ballot measures that even supporters concede are flawed..." -THE OREGONIAN "...But there's a darker secret hiding in the fine print: Wealth transfers between relatives would also become tax-exempt—opening a gaping capital gains loophole. Let's say someone's been sitting on a pantsload of Apple stock since the late 1980s. Cashing it out, after years of appreciation, would mean forking over big bucks to the government. But if that stock were 'gifted' to a relative, who then sold it? That relative would pay taxes only on the stock's gains since the transfer—not the original amount of appreciation. Another 'gift' could then see all that money sent back to the stock's owner. The state revenue office says that loophole will add hundreds of millions more to the cost of this measure..." -THE PORTLAND MERCURY
85: Amends Constitution: Allocates corporate income/excise tax "kicker" refund to additionally fund K through 12 public education
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON (PDF), OUR OREGON, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
[_]	No	THE OREGONIAN
MULTNOMAH COUNTY MEASURE
26-143: Form Library District with permanent rate to fund library services Question: Shall dedicated library district fund Multnomah county library hours, services; rate limited to $1.24 per $1000 assessed value beginning 2013?
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
[_]	No	THE OREGONIAN
"...The Multnomah County Library system really is one of the finest in the nation. Its popularity is earned by circulating twice as many materials per resident as the average library...here is the rare case of a public entity striving for excellence, not racing to the bottom...." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURES
26-145: Amends Charter: Changes Provisions of Fire Police Disability Retirement System. Question: Shall limited provisions of the retirement and disability system for police and fire be changed?
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, STREET ROOTS, JACK BOGDANSKI
[_]	No	OFFICIAL VOTERS' GUIDE (PDF): NO ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION WERE FILED.
"This measure ends a loophole that has allowed police and firefighters to juice their lifetime pensions by retiring when there’s an extra pay period in the calendar year, inflating the final pay used to calculate retirement benefits. This change and other needed fixes will save taxpayers $46.6 million over the next 25 years..." WILLAMETTE WEEK "...The Fire and Police Disability and Retirement Fund is a $110 million-a-year, pay-as-you-go relic that snags 26 cents of every property tax dollar raised from Portland residents. Yet the fund continues to pay out some bloated pensions and be overexposed to disability claims...Measure 26-145 is both effective at saving taxpayers money while honoring the best intentions and core provisions of FPDR." - THE OREGONIAN
26-146: Restore School Arts, Music Education; Fund Arts through Limited Tax. Question: Shall Portland restore arts, music for schools and fund arts through income tax of 35 dollars per year?
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[_]	Yes	THE PORTLAND MERCURY, STREET ROOTS
[X]	No	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE OREGONIAN, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, JACK BOGDANSKI
"This measure is tricky to support, both because its campaign has been misleading and the tax itself is regressive..." THE PORTLAND MERCURY "...This measure is being sold as a solution for schools, when the original (and as far as we can tell, primary) motivation was to provide a new subsidy for nonprofit arts groups that already enjoy tax breaks and have other ways to raise money...Many arts organizations are small and deserve help; we suggest you write them a check right now. But should we tax low-income Portlanders to help support a night at the opera? Horsefeathers." -WILLAMETTE WEEK This is a bizarre and suspicious-looking tax scheme that is faulty in many way: Creates a slush fund for politically-connected artists. The most despicable aspect of this law is that it exploits sympathy for school kids while as much as half of the funds will not even go to schools. Much of the funds will be distributed to the unelected Regional Arts & Culture Council. Arts is a completely subjective and it's likely only those artists that favored by council members will receive funding. It creates a whole new tax filing burden for all Portlanders. Even the simplest tax return form can be a burden -- especially when added to the federal and state income tax filings. Setting-up a whole new tax system for a relatively minor tax is unneeded. This is a regressive tax that will be a burden on many low income Portlanders. This is NOT an income tax. It's a flat fee that is imposed on nearly everyone regardless of income. Portlanders that only make minimum wage will probably have to pay this tax. Only the lowest of the low-income are exempt and they will be required to pay for copies of their federal returns to get out of paying the tax. The new tax is unenforceable. To my knowledge, employers are not required to file W-2s to the city. The city has no way of knowing who is dodging the tax and is unlikely to provoke a backlash through enforcement. This new tax will be based on the honor system similar to last decade's county ITAX. Anyone paying this silly tax will feel like a chump knowing many new residents, former residents, and tenants will never pay it. The City of Portland is not an education district and should not micromanage education. Why not a tax to fund for physical education, science, math, and other important curriculum? Portland overlaps several school districts, so it's unclear how the City will implement this program in districts not exclusive to Portland. While the City has major challenges such as unpaved streets, chronic homelessness, unaffordable housing, high unemployment, and many other issues, it's bizarre the City is micromanage public school education. I can't help but suspect this is merely outgoing Mayor Sam Adams' thank you to his clique of supporters.
PORTLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT #1JT MEASURE
26-144: Portland Public School District Bonds to Improve Schools Question: Is the Portland Public School District authorized to issue up to $482 million of general obligation bonds to improve schools? If the bonds are approved, they will be payable from taxes on property or property ownership that are not subject to the limits of sections 11 and 11b, Article XI of the Oregon Constitution.
ME	MEASURE	ENDORSEMENTS
[X]	Yes	WILLAMETTE WEEK, THE PORTLAND MERCURY, THE OREGONIAN, PORTLAND TRIBUNE, LEAGUE OF WOMEN OF VOTERS, STREET ROOTS
[_]	No	JACK BOGDANSKI
"...At $482 million, the bond measure still constitutes a bold request. The school district, however, will spread the life of the bond across a greater number of years than was proposed for the $548 million measure narrowly defeated last year. That change...lowers the cost to a maximum of $1.10 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For the owner of a home assessed at $150,000, that translates to $165 per year — less than $14 per month." -PORTLAND TRIBUNE I'm still pondering this tax. I voted for the failed $500 M measure last year, so I'm leaning toward voting for this one. However, I still have some concerns. This tax is not comprehensive and only a few of the district's schools targeted. UPDATE: I've decided to support this bond. Although raising our taxes ~$14 per month (via mortgage escrow) isn't ideal, the fact is that Oregon property taxes are substantially lower than when I attended public school. I also remember the difference in attending an old elementary school building versus a remodeled middle school building in the 1980s. Although anti-tax activists have a point that remodeling buildings will not solve the challenges public schools face, environment does matter to both students and staff.

Brave: C

Scott and I saw Brave yesterday. Scott convinced me to go because it was a Pixar movie and not merely a Disney princess movie (although technically it is). I forgot that I actually like Pixar (The Incredibles, WALL-E, Up, Finding Nemo, etc.).

The 3D CGI movie was visually beautiful and stylized. However, it didn't feel like an adult Pixar movie to me. It seemed too cartoonish. The castle in an enchanted forest setting just seemed too Disney cliche. Worse, the story took an unexpected turn becoming a sentimental mother-daughter movie with slap-stick animals thrown in.

A "C" rating is probably too harsh, but in terms of Pixar films, Brave just didn't wow me like their other films. It certainly isn't a bad film and I don't regret seeing it. However, it seemed a bit Disney average to me. And while it was beautifully done, the preceding animated short, La Luna, is more memorable to me.

Prometheus: B

Scott, Sheena, and I saw the much anticipated Alien prequel Prometheus. Admittedly, I'm not a fan of the Alien franchise. I never completely watched the original 1978 Alien although I've seen portions of it on TV. I only saw one of the later sequels which pretty much affirmed that the franchise is more horror movie than sci-fi.

It seemed the original premise of the Alien franchise was to set a horror movie in a gritty, realistic industrial space setting. The aliens were the horror movie monsters pushed to an extreme courtesy of H. R. Giger's gruesome imagination. Likewise, humanity is portrayed unsympathetically as a soulless corporation dispatches humans in harms way.

Prometheus starts off a bit more optimistically. Through the generosity of a corporate benefactor, humanity sets out for the noble goal of searching for the origins of life. And the aliens are discovered to actually not be that alien from humanity at all. While there are the usual horror movie cliches such as the doomed, expendable characters, Prometheus initially peaked my interest as the alien origins began to be revealed. Unfortunately, the movie builds up to a key scene, only to disappoint when the monsters are merely revealed to be monsters.

The movie then has the usual climatic action scene crescendo and the door is left open for a continuation. But I can't help but feel a little disappointed that story decided to dodge being a sci-fi movie and instead just went back to merely being a horror movie.

2012 Primary Election

It's that time again where I openly ponder my ballot. There were no interesting ballot issues and only few races are compelling to comment on.

NOMINATING BALLOT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
US PRESIDENT	[X] Barack Obama INCUMBENT
US REP, OR 3RD DIST	[X] Earl Blumenauer INCUMBENT

OR SECRETARY OF STATE
I have to admit to feeling a little reluctant to vote for Kate Brown again over her seemingly partisan mishandling of an election. Although it's doubtful I would vote for her Republican challenger in the fall, I am concerned Brown's either incompetence or partisan mischief is a sign that Oregon Dems are becoming too complacent and sloppy in the absence of significant political challengers.
[X] Kate Brown INCUMBENT	"...Brown has been silent on campaign finance reform and otherwise largely invisible." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT? "...Brown has also worked to update the office's state government performance audit responsibilities, looking at educational service districts, the foster care system and state tax collection. A recent Oregonian PolitiFact judgment considered Brown's claim that every $1 spent on audits in the past year gained the state $64, and found it to be potentially an understatement..." -THE OREGONIAN
[_] Paul Damian Wells	"...a perennial candidate and machinist who is not running a serious campaign..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...a perennial candidate who switches party registration every two years before running to make an argument for nonpartisan elections..." -THE OREGONIAN

OR STATE TREASURER

[X] Ted Wheeler INCUMBENT

OR ATTORNEY GENERAL
Rosenblum seems a better match than Holton for Oregonian's values. Although both candidates have been or are federal prosecutors, Holton seems to be more outspoken in criticizing Oregon's medical marijuana law and Portland's concern about terrorism task force oversight. It's hard to imagine he will suddenly defend the state's interests as Oregon's AG.
[_] Dwight Holton	"....Holton helped the city of Portland rejoin the Joint Terrorism Task Force, no small feat in a community that is famously wary of police power....Holton is the candidate with the more relevant management experience and the greater potential to shine...." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT "...On the issue of missteps and lack of local control over the Joint Terrorism Task Force – recently in the headlines because an African immigrant claims he was tortured at the behest of the Portland FBI office – Holton’s position was troublingly vague...." -THE SKANNER
[X] Ellen Rosenblum	"...is not endorsed by any law enforcement unions or special interest groups while Holton is endorsed literally by dozens of them...Rosenblum surprised us with ideas we had never considered, in particular the role the Attorney General could play in making the state a better place for small businesses to thrive...Rosenblum was a founding force behind Girl Scouts Beyond Bars, a program bringing kids together with their incarcerated mothers. ....We’re confident Rosenblum will act in the interests of everyday people on sentencing reform – not special interests that benefit from heightened incarceration rates...." -THE SKANNER ENDORSEMENT "...Her combination of intelligence, grace and good judgment would serve Oregon well...." -THE OREGONIAN "...While, in my opinion, Rosenblum would be an outstanding AG, this newspaper has a conflict of interest. That’s why, as difficult as it may be to write this, we will not be covering the race or making an endorsement..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK

OR STATE SENATOR, 21ST DISTRICT	[X] Diane Rosenbaum INCUMBENT
OR STATE REP, 42ND DIST	[X] Jules Kopel Bailey INCUMBENT

NONPARTISAN
OR JUDGE OF THE SUPREME COURT, POSITION 3
The judicial races are difficult to decide. Candidates don't discuss specific issues and are non-partisan. And so far, I haven't found any articles mentioning anything controversial. Most articles say all the candidates are qualified. Timothy Sercombe seems to be the favorite based on his resume. However, I decided to go for Nena Cook. I think it fair to consider diversity when electing one member of a representative body. Cook has a diverse legal background. It's also worth noting that she would be the third-woman on a seven-judge court which would seem to even-out the court's gender disparity.
[_] Timothy J Sercombe	"...By a whisker, however, we’re siding with Tim Sercombe, who has served on the Oregon Court of Appeals for the past four years and had a long career in private practice. Lawyers describe him as brainy, emotionally suited to appellate work..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT "...Sercombe, however, remains the best choice in this race. His experience at the appellate level as a lawyer and a judge, combined with his technical expertise on issues frequently coming before the Supreme Court, give him the edge. ..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT ENDORSEMENTS: The Salem Statesman Journal, The East Oregonian, former Gov. Ted Kulongoski, former OR Attorney General Dave Frohnmayer -JUDGETIMESERCOMBE.COM
[X] Nena Cook	"...She’s an impressive candidate who needs more bench experience before getting to the state’s highest court...." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...Cook is a dynamite lawyer and former Oregon State Bar president..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENTS: Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, Oregon Business Association, former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, former Gov Vic Atiyeh (R) -NENACOOKFOROREGONSUPREMECOURT.ORG
[_] Richard C Baldwin	"...He is, by reputation, a smart and compassionate lawyer, who is accessible and down to earth..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...Baldwin has extensive trial experience and a demonstrated commitment to making the courts more inclusive..." -THE OREGONIAN "We're going with the experienced trial judge..." -BOJACK.ORG ENDORSEMENTS: Oregon Education Association, former Governor Barbara Roberts, 7 former OR State Bar Presidents -ELECTJUDGEBALDWIN.COM

OR SUPREME COURT JUDGE, POS 2

[X] Virginia L Linder INCUMBENT

OR JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, POSITION 6
[X] Tim Volpert	"...We’re troubled that Volpert talks up his work with the American Civil Liberties Union but led the successful fight, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, to allow the Vernonia School District to compel student-athletes to take drug tests..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT "...Volpert's views on privacy and reasonable searches have evolved considerably since then. Chalk it up to the passage of time, or to his decade coaching students at Grant High School's constitution team. Either way, Volpert would bring a thoughtful and healthy grounding in constitutional law to the appeals court..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT Endorsements: Oregon Education Association, US Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici; former Governor Barbara Roberts; former Attorney General Hardy Myers; Multnomah District Attorney Michael D. Schrunk -TIMVOLPERT.COM
[_] Allan J Arlow	"...We’re impressed with Arlow’s thoughtfulness and wit, but he lacks Volpert’s breadth of legal experience..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
[_] James C Egan	"...James Egan is the only candidate now serving as a state court judge...He spent most of his career as a trial lawyer and, in our view, doesn’t yet have the record to recommend him for a promotion...." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...However, Egan's candidacy has not yet ripened. If it does, Egan could be considered as a potential judicial candidate when the appeals court expands by three members in 2013. ..." -THE OREGONIAN "...It's a coin flip, but we'll probably vote for Egan...." -BOJACK.ORG

OR COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, POS 5	[X] Rick Haselton INCUMBENT
OR COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, POS 8	[X] Lynn R Nakamoto INCUMBENT
OR COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, POS 9	[X] Erika Hadlock INCUMBENT
OR COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, POS 10	[X] Rex Armstrong INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 3	[X] Jerry B Hodson INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 4	[X] Adrienne Nelson INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 7	[X] Jerome LaBarre INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 8	[X] Eric J Bergstrom INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 12	[X] Janice R Wilson INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 16	[X] Susan M Svetkey INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 23	[X] Edward Jones INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 28	[X] Judith Hudson Matarazzo INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 29	[X] Kathryn Villa-Smith INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 31	[X] Cheryl Albrecht INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 32	[X] Merri Souther Wyatt INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 35	[X] Paula J Kurshner INCUMBENT
OR 4TH DIST CIRCUIT COURT, POS 37	[X] Leslie Roberts INCUMBENT
OR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, MULTNOMAH COUNTY	[X] Rod Underhill

MULTNOMAH COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1
[_] Wes Soderback	"...perennial candidate... offered few ideas and little understanding of what the county actually does..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
[X] Deborah Kafoury INCUMBENT	"...She deserves credit for leading on perhaps the single biggest symbol of the commission’s past ineffectiveness: replacing the Sellwood Bridge....Her commitment to other basic responsibilities for the county—social services and especially homelessness—makes her a vital advocate for the underserved in our area." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT

CITY OF PORTLAND MAYOR
I admit that I'm little reluctant to vote for streetcar advocate Charlie Hales. It's not very exciting to vote for a former council member who is merely returning at a political opportune moment (Why didn't he run against mayors Adams, Potter, or Katz?). Also, his tax-dodging may be technically legal, it's nearly unforgivable political hypocrisy (shouldn't lawmakers enthusiastically pay the taxes they impose?). I seriously considered Eileen Brady and Jefferson Smith, but I couldn't convince myself either was a better option than Hales. I was attracted to Brady's bold campaign and the idea of a business executive of a popular local supermarket leading the city's economy, but the revelation that Brady wasn't an actual employee, owner, or officer of New Seasons soured me. I like Smith's criticism of the Columbia River Cross (a.k.a. The-Job-Stealing-Tax-Dodging-Vancouver-SUV-Bridge), but am concerned about his admitted lack of organization.
[_] Jefferson Smith	"...the mayor of Portland has to manage budgets, help negotiate with unions and provide basic services. Smith has shown little skill in those areas." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...we have policy differences with Smith on key transportation issues, including the need for a new Columbia River Crossing, which he opposes. Moreover, on the stump and an interviews, Smith often seems more activist than executive..." -THE OREGONIAN "... It feels like we really ought to be behind him. But his personal style, his propensity for jawboning, surliness, and dismissive attitude left our editorial board surprisingly and undeniably cool. We're also concerned...that there's still a reason that most major public employee unions (especially the Portland Police Association) have lined up on his side...." --PORTLAND MERCURY ENDORSEMENTS: City Commissioner Randy Leonard, Portland Firefighters Local 43, Portland Police Association, Progressive Party, Portland Green Party -JEFFERSONSMITH.COM
[_] Eileen Brady	"...To the enviros, she (alone among the major candidates) wants to build the sustainability center. For the building trades, she has offered up a $3.4 billion fiasco-in-waiting called the Columbia River Crossing...But bear down on the details, and she is without a basic grasp of how city government works, filling in the gaps in her knowledge with jargon and buzzwords." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...Brady never has held elective office, is thin on executive experience, and in our interviews lacked Hales' strong command of city issues, especially the budget process and bureau management..." -THE OREGONIAN "...she's also the choice of the Portland Business Alliance. And the PBA is an outfit that demands a return on its investment..." -PORTLAND MERCURY ENDORSEMENTS: Former Mayor Tom Potter, Former State Senator Avel Gordly, Former State Legislator JoAnn Hardesty (Bowman), Portland Green Party, EMILY's List, Pacificorp, Portland General Electric, Portland Business Alliance, BOMA Oregon -EILEENFORMAYOR.COM
[X] Charlie Hales	"...The fact is, when it comes to the substance of the mayor’s job, no one comes close to Hales. He’s ready to do the job, and do it well...He passed a big parks bond, built community centers, killed a misguided freeway expansion and championed airport light rail and the Portland Streetcar....he avoided paying tens of thousands of dollars in Oregon taxes—a privilege he got only by swearing to Oregon tax officials he considered Washington his home...Meanwhile, Hales was telling elections officials he was actually an Oregon resident and kept voting here." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT "...he's prepared to be mayor in ways that Brady and Smith simply are not. A small but telling example: When you ask the candidates how the city should encourage more business development, they all talk about streamlining the permit system. Only Hales explains that Portland should adopt a specific system -- Salt Lake City's smooth, high-tech operation -- and pledges to implement it quickly in this city..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT "...We think he means it when he says he'll stand up to the police union—his record with the fire bureau when he last served on council, pushing it into hiring more minorities and women, means something. He's the only mayoral candidate in arms over the fact that just 34 percent of our cops actually live Portland..." -PORTLAND MERCURY ENDORSEMENT ENDORSEMENTS: Former Mayor Vera Katz, The Skanner, The Northwest Examiner, Powell's Books CEO Owner Michael Powell -CHARLIEHALES.COM
[_] Max Brumm	"...we like the 19-year-old mayoral candidate more than any of the three with all the money." -BOJACK.ORG
[_] Steve Sung	[_] Scott Fernandez	[_] Dave Campbell	[_] Robert James Carron
[_] Max Bauske	[_] Samuel Belisle	[_] Loren Charles Brown	[_] Shonda Colleen Kelley
[_] Josh Nuttall	[_] Blake Nieman-Davis	[_] Lew Humble	[_] Michael P Langley
[_] Cameron Whitten	[_] David (The Ack) Ackerman	[_] Tre Arrow	[_] Bill Dant
[_] Howie Rubin	[_] Christopher Rich	[_] Scott Rose
CITY OF PORTLAND COMMISSIONER POSITION 1
I admit that I'm a little disappointed in Amanda Fritz's performance since I first voted for her. She has made some notable comments during her term, but I had hoped she would be more outspoken and willing to challenge the council. Turning from blogger-critic to politician is harder than it looks, so I think she could be given more time. Maybe it's just me, but even the newspaper endorsements for Mary Nolan sound reluctant.
[X] Amanda Fritz INCUMBENT	"...Fritz has served in office long enough to prove herself as an effective watchdog of city resources, especially wasteful spending in the water and fire bureaus. Notably, she saved ratepayers as much as $500 million by pushing a simpler, more affordable form of water treatment. She consistently provides an essential counterbalance to City Hall's tendency to treat public funds as free money. She also brings a nuanced understanding of mental health issues and a commitment to improve Portland's performance. This is an asset in a city that struggles to deal effectively and compassionately with mentally ill people, particularly those who come into contact with police...." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT "...we like Fritz precisely because she is so grassroots. She’s not really a politician – she told us she does not aspire to higher office – but nevertheless her unrelenting dedication to the city is unmatched...." -THE SKANNER ENDORSEMENT "...Fritz takes credit for saving utility ratepayers $500 million on a Water Bureau sand-filtration system—one case in which her dogged, read-every-footnote, hyper-frugal approach may have saved taxpayers more than a few pennies....Fritz alienated leaders on the city’s existing human rights commission—a strange outcome for a process-focused citizen politician with a volunteer’s background. Members of the city’s charter review commission say Fritz, among all the commissioners, did the most to undermine their mission to reform city government...." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...We're going with Fritz. She's the more careful candidate on issues like whether to invest in the Oregon Sustainability Center... 'It's nice, but we can't afford it right now,' Fritz said during our endorsement interview, perfectly illustrating her worldview..." -PORTLAND MERCURY ENDORSEMENT SUPPORTERS: Commissioner Nick Fish, Commissioner Dan Saltzman, former Mayor Tom Potter, former Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury -AMANDA2012.COM
[_] Mary Nolan	"...the anti-Fritz, an insider with many well-heeled backers, a profligate spender who’d rather raise taxes than find government efficiencies....Make no mistake: We’re concerned by Nolan’s closeness to special interests, particularly the public-employee unions she will be asked to negotiate with in City Hall...But we have no doubts about her ability to lead and her track record of accomplishment...." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT? "...Nolan's legislative colleagues describe her as someone who could be persuaded by logic and facts, as long as she respected the source of the information....If she's elected, we would like to see Nolan adopt a more open style and also give more serious consideration to needs of the city's businesses." -PORTLAND TRIBUNE ENDORSEMENT "...Her track record in the Legislature on key issues involving taxes and transportation suggests a troubling tendency to ignore dissent, shrug off business concerns, choose the more partisan path and leave unnecessary bruises. Those qualities have blunted Nolan's influence in the Legislature, and they would undermine her effectiveness on a five-person council..." -THE OREGONIAN "...There's a reason she's no longer a leader in Salem: She earned a reputation as someone who puts her own aspirations above anything else..." -PORTLAND TRIBUNE ENDORSEMENTS: Portland Police Association, Portland Firefighters, 2 former City Auditors, and bunch of state politicians. -MARYNOLANFORCITYCOUNCIL.COM
[_] Bruce Altizer	"...we agree with the reader that Bruce Altizer is a viable alternative to both the Nurse and her leading opponent, Mary Nolan....If the election were held today, we'd vote for Altizer." -BOJACK.ORG
[_] David G Gwyther	[_] Teressa L Raiford
CITY OF PORTLAND COMMISSIONER POSITION 4
[_] Scott McAlpine	"...Scott McAlpine hates light rail and seemingly everyone who’s come near Portland City Hall. ..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
[_] Brian Sidney Parrott	"...Sports promoter Brian Parrott wants to bring the Winter Olympics to Mount Hood and not one but two riverboat casinos to the Willamette River." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
[X] Steve Novick	"We’re endorsing Novick because we like his ideas. One of his proposals to lower citywide health-care costs by supporting direct care for the highest-cost workers is borrowed from McAllen, Texas...We also appreciate his political savvy, intelligence and sense of humor. We think he’ll challenge his City Council colleagues to do better and think bigger." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT "...Novick is razor sharp, highly experienced and he faces only minimal opposition." -PORTLAND TRIBUNE ENDORSEMENT "...Novick has the skills to fulfill his pledge to identify more cost-effective ways to deal with health care costs and public safety. He certainly has the chops to improve the city's mixed record on basic services like street paving and garbage pickup....He should do so -- and avoid getting sidetracked by the many interesting but non-essential ideas on his campaign wish list...." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT "...He's flogging a pair of brilliantly compelling reform proposals that deserve to be taken for a test run at Portland City Hall and in the Capitol...The first is a plan that would tackle the region's tangle of public safety and mental health budgets and then, presumably, untangle them. ....Novick's other plan would see Portland...invest in its special health clinics and health coaches for high-cost workers..." PORTLAND MERCURY ENDORSEMENT
[_] Mark White	"...we'd like to see Novick engage in a runoff with White...Though many candidates pay lip service to outer East Portland, White's commitment is real: He sees the effects of city policies that concentrate poverty on the edge of town, and he knows how modest investments in sidewalks or job creation can make life-changing differences for his neighbors...." -THE OREGONIAN
[_] Jeri Williams	"...a city employee with a powerful personal story of escaping a life of forced prostitution. She skipped her WW endorsement interview." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
[_] Leah Marie Dumas	[_] James Rowell

METRO COUNCILOR, 6TH DISTRICT
[X] Bob Stacey	"...Stacey can be abrasive and difficult to work with...He’s been an effective critic of the bloated Columbia River Crossing project..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT "...An avowed conservationist, Stacey also knows the pressing raw need to expand the inventory of land ready for development. And he cites "thousands of available acres within the UGB" that could, with access and infrastructure improvements, help drive legible growth and create jobs..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] Jonathan P Levine	"... he’s still trying to grasp Metro’s role in the community, and he’s no match for Stacey." -WILLAMETTE WEEK "...Stacey's only challenger, Portland State University graduate student Jonathan Levine, is without a detailed plan...." -THE OREGONIAN
MULTNOMAH COUNTY MEASURE #26-125
LOCAL LIBRARY FUNDING: CONTINUES LOCAL OPTION LEVY AT CURRENT RATE QUESTION: Shall county maintain open libraries, programs, services; renew levy of $0.89 per $1,000 assessed value for three years beginning 2012? This measure renews current local option taxes.
[X] Yes	"SUPPORTERS SAY...It is not a tax increase; it maintains the current rate of 89 cents per $1,000 in assessed value. With 65 percent of the library budget dependent on levy funds, failure to renew will result in most libraries closing..." -LWVPDX.ORG (PDF) "...We’ve never liked the idea of giving the county’s most popular service its own revenue stream, but to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you go with the tax structure you have, not the one you’d like to have..." -WILLAMETTE WEEK ENDORSEMENT "...Multnomah County voters who want to retain their library service -- and that would appear to be nearly everyone -- should vote yes on Measure 26-125."-PORTLAND TRIBUNE ENDORSEMENT "....The system -- the main library downtown and 18 branches -- also helps meet a variety of community needs beyond lending books and materials. In fiscal 2011, it provided 303 computer labs for job seekers, hosted 38 financial and employment events, served 98,000 preschoolers and children through the summer reading program and provided free online language tutoring....To continue to provide these services, the library system needs to renew its operating levy. Voters should approve the request..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"OPPONENTS SAY...Limited property tax dollars should be used on safety and infrastructure... Libraries are becoming irrelevant due to readily available access to the Internet.. Only those who use the library should pay for it..." -LWVPDX.ORG (PDF)
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-126
AMENDS CHARTER TORT NOTICE PROVISION FOR CONSISTENCY WITH STATE LAW QUESTION: Shall tort claim notice provision in Portland City Charter be amended to be consistent with state law? SUMMARY: Currently, Portland City Charter Section 1-106 states that tort claim notices must be presented to the City Attorney. The Oregon Tort Claims Act identifies who may receive tort claim notices for the City, including the City Attorney and other City officials. For consistency with state law, this measure removes the Charter requirement that service be made only on the City Attorney.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-127
AMENDS CITY CHARTER PROVISIONS REGARDING MAYOR’S FUND QUESTION: Shall Charter language allowing use of Mayor’s limited fund without documentation be deleted and name of fund be changed? SUMMARY: Portland City Charter Section 2-105(a)(14) currently provides that the Council may appropriate up to $2,000 per year to the Mayor for a secret service fund and that no supporting documentation of expenditures from that fund must be provided. This measure would delete the Charter language allowing the fund to be used without providing supporting evidence of expenditures. As a result, expenditures from this fund would be accounted for in the same manner as other City expenditures. The measure would also change the name of the fund from “secret service Fund” to “discretionary Fund.”
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...would remove a $2,000 'secret service' mayoral slush fund that requires 'no supporting documentation of expenditures.' OK, that one clearly shouldn’t be on the books...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-128
AMENDS CHARTER BY DELETING UNENFORCEABLE OBSCENITY PROVISIONS QUESTION:Shall unenforceable power in Charter regarding regulation of obscenity be deleted to be consistent with state constitution? SUMMARY:Charter Section 2-105(a)(50) currently states that the City has the power to define what materials are obscene, to prohibit distribution and to punish persons who distribute such materials. Prohibiting obscenity has been foreclosed by the Oregon Supreme Court’s interpretation of Article I, Section 8 of the Oregon Constitution. This measure would delete Section 2-105(a)(50) to make the Charter consistent with the Oregon Constitution. Deletion of this section of the City’s specific powers would not impair the City’s general powers and authority to protect and support public health and safety.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-129
AMENDS CHARTER: DELETES OUTDATED, UNENFORCEABLE PROVISIONS REGARDING VAGRANTS AND PAUPERS QUESTION: Shall outdated and unenforceable Portland City Charter power regarding vagrants and paupers be deleted? SUMMARY: Charter Section 2-105(a)(51) currently states that the City has the power to define vagrancy and to provide support, restraint, punishment and employment of vagrants and paupers. This measure deletes Section 2-105(a)(51). Portions of this Section are outdated and unenforceable because the City does not have legal authority to punish or restrain or to require employment of vagrants and paupers. Deletion of this section of the City’s specific powers will not impair the City’s general powers and authority to protect and support the City’s public health and safety.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-130
AMENDS CHARTER: DELETES OUTDATED PROVISION PROHIBITING EXHIBITION OF PERSONS, BEGGING. QUESTION: Shall outdated Portland City Charter language referring to prohibitions on exhibition of “deformed or crippled persons” and begging be deleted? SUMMARY: Currently, Charter Section 2-105(a)(54) states that the City may “prohibit the exhibition of deformed or crippled persons” and prohibit all persons from begging on streets or in public places. This measure deletes Section 2-105(a)(54). The terms “deformed or crippled” in the current Charter section are outdated and offensive. Further, the City does not have legal authority to prohibit all begging. Deletion of this section of the City’s specific powers will not impair the City’s general powers and authority to protect and support public health and safety, including constitutionally allowed restrictions on activities in the right of way and in public places.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-131
AMENDS CITY CHARTER PROVISIONS REGARDING COUNCIL EMERGENCY FUND QUESTION: Shall Charter language allowing use of Council emergency fund without documentation be deleted? SUMMARY: Portland City Charter Section 2-108 currently provides that an annual appropriation of $5,000 will be placed in a fund to be used at the Council’s discretion. The Charter further provides that the Council is not required to provide documentation of use of the funds. This measure would delete the Charter language allowing the fund to be used without providing supporting evidence of expenditures. As a result, spending from this fund would be accounted for in the same manner as other City spending.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-132
AMENDS CHARTER TO CLARIFY ELECTION PROCEDURE FOR FILLING VACANCIES QUESTION: Shall Portland City Charter procedures to fill vacancies in elective office be clarified? SUMMARY: Section 2-206 of the Charter specifies the elections process and timing for filling vacancies in elective City offices. Section 2-206 provides an election procedure to fill vacancies that may occur at any time during a City elected official’s four year term. Each of the three subsections of Section 2-206 - (b), (c) and (d) - applies to different periods of time during the four year term. While the wording of Subsection (b) is ambiguous, the City has interpreted Subsection (b) to apply to the periods of time not covered by Subsections (c) and (d). However, because of one ambiguous word, Subsection (b) could possibly be interpreted in a way that renders Subsection (b) meaningless. Changing the single word “but” to “or” in Subsection (b) would clarify that section’s meaning consistent with intent and would ensure that vacancies occurring during the first three years of an elected official’s term are appropriately addressed by the Charter election procedures.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-133
AMENDS CHARTER: ADDS TERMS AND VACANCY PROVISION FOR CHARTER COMMISSION QUESTION: Shall terms of office and vacancy provisions for the Charter Commission be added to the Portland City Charter? SUMMARY: Currently, Charter Section 13-301 directs the City Council to appoint a Charter Commission at least every ten years. The Charter does not specify the length of Charter Commission members’ terms, nor does the Charter identify how vacancies on the Charter Commission will be filled. This measure provides that the term of office for Charter Commission members shall be no less than two years; the Council will also have the power to reappoint members to additional terms or future Charter Commissions. The measure defines when a vacancy exists on the Charter Commission and how vacancies will be filled.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK
CITY OF PORTLAND MEASURE #26-134
AMENDS CHARTER: DELETES OUTDATED EXPOSITION-RECREATION COMMISSION CHAPTER QUESTION: Shall obsolete Exposition-Recreation Commission Chapter of Portland City Charter be deleted? SUMMARY: Charter Chapter 14 provides for the creation and operation of the City Exposition-Recreation Commission. Charter Chapter 14 is no longer needed. The functions that were previously carried out by the City Exposition-Recreation Commission are now carried out by the Metropolitan Service District (Metro) through its Metropolitan Exposition and Recreation Commission under a 1989 agreement (as amended) among Portland and other government bodies. Any remaining rights or obligations of the former City Exposition-Recreation Commission vest in the City Council pursuant to the Charter and these agreements. This measure would delete Charter Chapter 14.
[X] Yes	"...The matters on the ballot amount to spring cleaning. Voters should approve them..." -THE OREGONIAN ENDORSEMENT
[_] No	"...We deserve a real debate on the charter. We say vote 'no' on all of these measures as a loud message to the Council: Don’t come back until you have something meaningful." -WILLAMETTE WEEK