I talked briefly with her at the Freemont Fest awhile back...
I agree with her about the streetcar to Lake Oswego (I wonder, does Streetcar Hales support this waste of funds) but I am also suspicious of her buisness model.
Expensive store to buy food. Employees have Health bennies? I would hope that would be the case for all the grocery stores, and wouldn't have to be bragged about.
I guess most of all I am wary of this ego of hers.
Sure, all politicians are ego-maniacs, but she hasn't held any elected office before - and shoots for the Mayor's job?
Why didn't she try to get elected to a Commisioner position first to learn the ins and outs of politics here?
Ego.
I'd like to see where her other positions are on things too. For me, I am leaning against her at this point.

Yeah - Jeri Williams.
Didn't Vegas also have a former hooker run for office?

Wow Jeri Williams' website convinced me not to vote for her within seconds.

I so hope Jefferson Smith enters.

I was eating my lunch in Director Park while this was going on. That woman in the background was holding that damn tiny sign the entire time. I still have no idea what the hell it read.

Was she protesting? Was she showing support (if she were, I would have hoped that the Brady campaign would have given her a real, legible sign)? Who knows???

Great photo! But why is part of the audience behind her? Or are those her parents or something? Also, I'm curious about how big "the crowd" was. If it was lunchtime there would've been a lot of curious passersby, I suppose.

She's a wacko in the back. Yep.
I like Smith from what I read, but Brady and Hales both have big war chests already, right?
Then again, we elected Potter here too, despite being heavily outspent.
The more I read (in these pages too) about 'Streetcar' Hales, the less I think it is something to brag about either.

@7 +a bunch.

I worked at New Seasons for five years and never heard her name uttered by anyone or seen her name on any company material. I'm not saying she would make a horrible mayor, or a good mayor for that matter, but if her campaign is going to use New Seasons as a big talking point....well, I seriously doubt she had anything to do with the company's success.

Spindles-- If you worked at New Seasons for five years I don't know how you could have possibly managed to have never heard about or seen Eileen. Her name comes up all the time. She is mentioned every time the company's history/roots are discussed or explained. Why? Because she was such a big part of New Seasons' beginning and growth. But you don't have to take my word for all the things she has done there. Look at her bio:

Founding co-owner
New Seasons Market
Privately Held; Food & Beverages industry
1999 – 2010 (11 years)
Founded in 1999 by three families and many loyal friends, this 10 store grocery chain leads the nation in innovative local buying programs, progressive workplace practices and community-based infrastructure. Eileen provided a portion of the start up capital for the business from her dot-com success, helped build out the brand and messaging for the company, wrote headlines and copy for the weekly newspaper inserts, wrote the original staff handbook, helped create the principles for the workplace culture, was a spokesperson for the company at events and on civic boards for 10 years. Her husband, Brian Rohter, was CEO and Board Chair for the company.

Thanks for the East PDX shout out Eileen! And Sarah! It is the largest group of Portland voters geographically. I met Eileen and she has a solid set of principles, at least. Can't really say the same about Charlie.

i worked at Nature's way back; i'm sure Eileen did some of my paperwork from her nook in HR. and Brian was my store manager. i remember nothing of either. this was a very long time ago. i do remember being happy to work there; that's a good thing.

no one will undercut Jefferson Smith on anything. if he does jump in, he may not have the big money of the Hales & Brady, but he'll have his East Pdx cred & a shitload of Bus-related support. but he'd also be leaving a leadership position in the House, and that's a tough call with Ben Cannon gone. i do not envy him this decision: a safe seat in the House versus what would be an incredibly tough race.

@11 I get it, she's Brian Rohter's wife and an investor in the business. Like I said, she was a non-entity in the management of the company. I've only heard of this person through her mayoral campaign.

Brian Rohter I know well, he seems like a good guy and a straight shooter. But the Rohter's cashed out of New Seasons a few years ago.

Max Brumm was first to turn in his 100 signatures this morning and will be the new breath of fresh air for Portland. New Seasons does not have union employees, nor uses union contractors to build their stores. How will jobs and the economy be a sustainable future for Portland? Voters of Portland need an unbiased, non-corporatist choice for mayor asap, like Max4Mayor!!

Max Brumm was first to turn in his 100 signatures this morning and will be the new breath of fresh air for Portland. New Seasons does not have union employees, nor uses union contractors to build their stores. How will jobs and the economy be a sustainable future for Portland? Voters of Portland need an unbiased, non-corporatist choice for mayor asap, like Max4Mayor!! I like think this kid has no skeletons, hasn't been bought by big business and has the best intentions for all Portlander's - Go Max4Mayor.com

Easy there Max - what was that Smiths song?
"You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby"

Max for Mayor ha! It's only fun to vote for kids when you know the Mayor is going to breeze to reelection.

Serious question. Streetcar to Lake O. How much of that would be city money and how much of that would be Federal money they wouldn't be able to spend on anything else or wouldn't be given without building the streetcar line?

I get such a kick out of the "It's federal money!" argument, like there's some kind of difference. It's all tax money and it's all acquired in the same fashion.

@ blackedout: From what I've read, probably $10 - 15M in City money, a lot of it coming through a Local Improvement District paid by owners along the line. It's the value of the existing rail right of way ($80m - $90M) that makes the project's economics make sense. The rest of the money comes from the Feds, and if it doesn't go to a Streetcar in Portland, it will go to a Streetcar in Little Rock - it ain't going to hire teachers.

This is all about donors in Dunthorpe waging an expensive PR campaign because they were too lazy to read their title report when they bought their house next to the rail line.

So then the cost is so low we should buy it, eh?
Even if we take your 10-15 mil as a accurate figure, how long will it take the city to recoup those monies?
Somehow I don't see the ridership from LO as being very heavy.
The other article from this week shows the street cars are running in the red big time and really don't make financial sense in the least bit.
To me, this battle is about some rich folk in LO wanting a cute streetcar and another group of rich people worrying about the city invading their privacy.