The Mercury‘s fascinating interview with the Reverend Chuck Currie, who is also running for Jeff Cogen’s County Commissioner seat, is after the jump. We’re arranging interviews with as many of the other candidates as possible over the coming days.
- CHUCK CURRIE: MET YOUR REPORTER AT SEATTLE’S BEST ACROSS THE STREET FROM CITY HALL, HAD A LARGE DRIP COFFEE
Highlight from the interview:
Is this race about getting through the primary?
For me this is about talking about the issues. My dad was a TV producer for channel 6. He committed suicide in 1998. He was the youngest of three children. I had an aunt who committed suicide in 1979, and an uncle who committed suicide in 1984. They came from a very abusive home, where addiction and mental health issues were going on. They grew up as adults unable to deal with the situations life threw at them. One of the things that motivates me is my own experience. I don’t want anybody to grow up like my dad.
Is that difficult to talk about?
Yeah, but I try to tell people about that stuff, because a lot of people have to deal with these issues, and again these are issues that the county deals with.
Gulp…
Mercury:Why are you running?
“Multnomah County works with many of the issues I care about—public safety, human services, the government’s role in education. I’ve been involved with these issues for 25 years working with non-profits, state and local government. I feel like I have a good depth of experience.”
Can you give an example of a specific experience?
I was chairman of the Multnomah County community action commission, I’ve led the county’s anti-poverty commission, I’ve done work on domestic violence, homelessness, I’ve served as a consultant to commissioner Deborah KafouryCity Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury, including securing a $10million grant from HUD for homeless housing, I’ve worked on building a better system for homeless kids in our county, and so I have experience in government, but also I bring something different, my work with nonprofit agencies, some of the agencies that work with the city.
How do you stack up against the other candidates?
I think Multnomah County is quite blessed to have a good group of people running for the seat. We had a discussion at local 88 the other night and I was really impressed with the caliber of the candidates. I think what I offer is depth of experience. It’s not like I just moved to Portland and ran for office. I have connections that I think would be helpful.
Like whom?
Well, I’ve been endorsed by Steve Novick, Gretchen Kafoury, Bob Dursten, people like that. People like that who in the first couple of days of this campaign have called me up. I know all the political players at the state and congressional level, and even at the White House. I worked on the Obama campaign, I was at the White House in December. These connections will help us on all levels.
How would you go about raising revenue at the county?
Well I have two ideas. Firstly I think we need to get this cigarette tax passed, and I’ll advocate strongly for that in Salem. I’ve got lots of experience on that level…
Can you give some examples of times you’ve raised revenue?
I got the $30million state housing trust fund passed in the early 1990s, and got a similar housing trust passed by the city. I have experience going down there.
Where can the County save money?
50% of the county’s $1.2billion budget is spent on public safety, and nobody’s really been talking about that apart from Chair Wheeler. It’s important that it’s safe on our streets, but it’s also important that we spend our limited dollars wisely, and right now we’re not doing that because people are going to jail with mental health, drug and alcohol problems and coming out and re-offending. That needs to be part of the discussion about public safety budgets.
Would you consider privatizing health care at the jail?
Possibly, but I’m also very interested in getting rid of the elected sheriff’s position. And I’m ready to fight to change the charter so it’s an appointed position. Because the system is broken and there’s a lot of bureaucratic infighting that’s unnecessary.
But some might say that at a city level, Police Chief Rosie Sizer is appointed, and there’s not much accountability there either.
It’s still better to have an appointed position. Looking at the mess at city hall and the disaster that Sam Adams has been as mayor when it comes to the police bureau, we shouldn’t look at city hall and say the model isn’t working.
Do you think there’s support for this appointed sheriff on the county commission?
What I’ve heard is that people feel like it could be very difficult to do. It’s not what the charter committee has recommended. It could be politically difficult, but if you’re running for this office and you’re scared to do politically difficult things, then you should be doing something else.
So, give me an example of something politically difficult that you’re prepared to do.
I already mentioned the cigarette tax. Secondly I would work with Commissioner Deborah Kafoury and City Commissioner Nick Fish to get a housing levy passed. I’m willing to go out and try to sell that idea to the voters. I’m not looking to spend the rest of my life in politics. I’m looking to fix some real problems.
Do you think there are a lot of career politicians at the county?
Sure. I have worked with a lot of them.
So, why not go and tinker with measure 50, if you want to do something politically difficult to raise revenue?
That may be something to look at down the line. On the whole, our entire system of revenue is messed up.
So how much is this housing levy going to be for?
It’s too early to say.
What do you think of Commissioner Fish’s decision to go for a parks levy first?
It wouldn’t have been where I started.
Do you think that’s because Commissioner Fish is a career politician?
There’s no way I could offer an assessment of Nick’s motivations because I don’t know him that well.
Sorry. I was just offering my assessment in the form of a question, really. Now. How are you going to raise money in this race?
Through the people I know in the community. When I started as the director of Goose Hollow Family Shelter in 1997 we had 200 volunteers. By the time I left in 2003 we had 800 volunteers, and community contributions had doubled. I’ve raised money for TPI, Outside In, and of course the Parkrose Community United Church of Christ—for whom I’ve raised about $150,000 a year.
So you pass the hat around, how does that work?
Talking to people, going and meeting one-on-one, and that’s how I intend to raise money. I’m hoping I can raise in the region of $50,000 for this race. This is an opportunity to develop a grassroots, door-to-door campaign. I’m going to use the next 43 days to talk o as many people as I can one-on-one, trying to communicate with the voters. I think a lot of people know me for my work on homeless issues, but not who I am. I’ve tried not to sit down and do too many profile interviews, I’ve wanted the issues to be the focus.
So who are you?
I’m a dad. I have 5-year old twins. I’m a husband. I’m a minister who has dedicated his entire adult life to making the community a better place. And nothing has reinforced that more than having kids—I want them to go to good schools. These beautiful kids need to have good schools. They need to be safe. I’m a dog lover.
Really? What kind of dog do you have?
I have a blue heeler called Hazel, she’s named after a South Carolina hurricane.
Is this race about getting through the primary?
For me this is about talking about the issues. My dad was a TV producer for channel 6. He committed suicide in 1998. He was the youngest of three children. I had an aunt who committed suicide in 1979, and an uncle who committed suicide in 1984. They came from a very abusive home, where addiction and mental health issues were going on. They grew up as adults unable to deal with the situations life threw at them. One of the things that motivates me is my own experience. I don’t want anybody to grow up like my dad.
Is that difficult to talk about?
Yeah, but I try to tell people about that stuff, because a lot of people have to deal with these issues, and again these are issues that the county deals with.
If you could get anybody’s endorsement, whose would it be?
I’d love it if Bud Clark would throw his support behind me. I’ve known him for a long time, and the kind of citizen campaign he ran is the kind I’d like to emulate. I’d also be happy after the primary to get the support of people like Earl Blumenauer and Tom Potter—those who’ve already endorsed former staff members. Loyalty is a good thing in politics.
So: Talk to me about Sam Adams.
Sam Adams is currently the mayor of the city of Portland. I don’t want his endorsement.
He has a reputation as being vindictive. It seems that being as outspoken as you are about him might harm your effectiveness.
That’s a good question. I’ve worked with Sam over the years. Vera Katz and I didn’t get along at all—she was the kind of person who if we got in an elevator together, she wouldn’t talk to me. But Sam I could always talk to. I said from the outset, Sam should resign. He decided not to, and I opposed the recall. It deflects us from the issues. I hope he’d be professional enough to work with both critics and supporters.
Do you think he is professional enough to do that?
I’ve not seen a lot of evidence that Sam’s been vindictive in this process. I’ll tell you this: I’ve talked with him on the phone. I’ve talked with him about the James Chasse lawsuit, I was one of the clergy who led his memorial service. I’ve talked with him about the current situation with the police bureau and its lack of accountability. I have his personal cell phone number and I don’t have trouble getting him on the phone.
This is going to be a tough race.
Yeah, it is. But it really is kind of a dream race. There’s no Dick Cheneys in this race. Just a bunch of people who are passionate about the community and want it to work better. We were at the Local 88 meeting the other night, talking about hunger in East County, and there were 9 people all trying to outdo each other on how they’d be advocates on how to get hungry children fed. I think that’s great. But I still want to win.
Can you get union support?
I’ve always been a strong union advocate. I’ve worked on the employee free choice act, and the UCC has been a partner with the unions for more than 100 years. So my professional background mixes well.
The local 88 chose not to endorse though?
I thought it was brilliant. They had a choice either to make an endorsement or take more time. And they decided to take more time. I also walked in absolutely convinced that they would endorse Gary [Hansen, former County Commissioner], because they’d done so in the past, and in fact they didn’t do that. I think that shows that they aren’t just going to let Gary walk back into his old job. They’re looking for new vision.
Thanks for the chance to sit down and talk. Just a couple of clarifications: First, I was a consultant to Portland City Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury. Also, I was one of the leaders in the fight to get housing trust funds established at the state and local level, but I didn’t do it alone. Many people were involved. Again, thanks for the chance to talk. – Chuck Currie
Thanks, Chuck. Nice to meet you.
Chuck, I first met you over a decade ago organizing volunteers for the Goose Hollow Family Shelter. (when I used to work with First Unitarian’s Social Justice program). This is one of those races for me where more than a few of the candidates are a known quantity. Your years of service to our community is one reason you’d make a wonderful Commissioner. Thoughts with you and yours on the passing of your grand dad. You’re the stuff of good family. Best, “Hans”
Seems like a legitimate candidate and decent guy with a long term love for his community.
Re: “Meet A County Candidate: Chuck Currie”
Chuck Currie has championed all the WRONG ISSUES on mental health for as long as I HAVE KNOWN HIM.
As James Chasse is an issue,it is a mess bigger, then just money,and like most people like Chuck, his answer is throw money at it.
CHUCK…WE ARE BROKE!
You called for Adams to resign, then didn’t back the recall..THAT IS POLITICAL AND HUMAN COWARDNESS.
We are a city /county/state..country, on the brink of fiscal ruin,and your answer is a SIN TAX(NO, I DON’T SMOKE)not one mention of the SELLWOOD BRIDGE,not one mention of the WAPATO JAIL. WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTIBILITY? there is none from a person like yourself…therefore you cannot lead.
Now for the old part..Chuck and I do not agree..at all, ever, that the “CRIMINALLY INSANE” (yes Chuck, they are mentally ill) need to be anywhere in this county..those judged guilty but insane of murder, arson or rape(good example of that would be a patient placed in WA.COUNTY,near Hillsboro, that raped a 3 yr old baby.
Chuck has refused to defend 3 yr old babies…the criminally insane have more rights.
Now before you or the interviewer go off on me as being against the mentally ill ,you need to call County commissioner John Lindsey in Linn county, and sheriff Rob Gordon in WA.county and ask them of my work with them on this issue.
WE will get this criminally insane thing resolved, IT HAS ALREADY KILLED ONE MAN RIGHT HERE.
No Chuck….your not the man for the job
Jack Peek
With no disrespect to Candidate Currie, if he’s successful, he too will have assumed the mantle of “career politician” he confers to Commissioner Nick Fish and all of the other politicos he has worked with for years.
I wish candidates like Currie would stick to the issues and run on policies, not throwing brickbats at government or elected officials. Comments like Currie’s contributes to the current, unfortunate distrust of both. I find that ironic, given he aspires to join their ranks.
Frankly, while there are examples of boneheaded decisions that I would take issue with, we are incredibly fortunate to have the city council we do. Remember the Frank Ivancie era? In my opinion Nick Fish exemplifies what we need more of in our elected officials, “a career civic servant and activist.” That is especially true on the affordable housing front as well as parks. No other city commissioner I know has read, and can quote accurately from, John Charles Olmstsed’s visionary 1903 Portland Park Plan, which clearly outlined the crucial roles, including social justice, that parks play in making a great city.
But, back to the issues. I disagree with Currie’s assessment that Nick should not take on a park bond. He says he would not hazard a guess at Nick’s motives for doing so. I will take a stab at his motives. Many of his constituents, including those to whom he pledged in his campaign for Commissioner that he’d work to pass a park bond this year, are also park advocates. They and Nick know that Portland Parks and Recreation has millions of dollars in unmet maintenance needs. They are also aware, as Nick is, that there are serious inequities in distribution of parks and natural areas, mostly in poorer areas of outer southeast and northeast, and north Portland. One would assume that Currie is also aware of these inequities, given his interest in social justice issues.
Finally, while I and many park advocates like me, have urged Nick to take the lead on a parks bond this year, we also supported a 30% set aside for affordable housing in Urban Renewal Areas, even though that will mean less money is available for parks. Why? Because Portland needs both parks and affordable housing. I am hopeful that in future campaign forums Currie won’t pit one against the others.
Mike Houck
Executive Director,
Urban Greenspaces Institute
I have the utmost respect for Mike’s passion and vision for the community. He has played a critical role in making our community the place it is today. I will, of course, happily vote for the parks levy just as I have supported funding for parks in the past. With respect for Mike, I believe he read way too much into my comments. I don’t believe that if you read this interview you see me at any point attacking career politicians. In fact, I’ve helped to elected many of them. I do believe, however, that some people stay on the stage a little too long and that is the great thing about the democratic process: we can bring in fresh voices and elect new leaders. The status quo doesn’t always have to be the way of doing business. My assumption is that Mike would agree with that 100%.
Thank you to “Hans” and “Number 6” for their comments as well.
To Chuck’s credit he called to set up a meeting to discuss the issue. While I may be a tad sensitive to the “career politician” comment, I believe I was on point with regard to the tendency of a few “housers” who to portray parks as less worthy of attention from those who consider themselves to be on the side of the angles via their affordable housing advocacy. I’ll stick with my observation that both affordable housing and parks, trails, and natural areas are essential elements of a healthy and humane city.
In fact, when a bunch of us got together to found the Coalition for a Livable Future in 1994 the Coalition’s mission was predicated on combating allowing wedges to be driven between social and environmental interests. And, as Chuck knows, we succeeded in putting affordable housing on the regional agenda at Metro precisely because the parks and wildlife habitat advocates lobbied for a regional housing agenda, as did the Community Development Network for greenspaces. A unified front made all the difference.
My response to the status quo challenge, it depends on what the status quo is. If it’s ensuring we all have access to parks and housing, then I’d have to say I’d be a huge fan of the status quo. If we’re talking the Bush era, then of course I’d agree with Chuck 100%. Regarding fresh faces, Nick Fish is hardly an “old timer!” Personally, I hope he stays around city council long enough to be considered one of those old codgers, so long as he continues in the vein he has to date.
Meanwhile, I look forward to continuing the conversation off line with Chuck and wish him well in his primary campaign. As I said, it was with utmost respect that I challenged his assertions.
Regards,
Mike
Civil engagement in politics is worth its weight in gold.
I wish I could hear what this candidate has to say about Hansen’s assertion (that I wholeheartedly agree with) that a cigarette tax, especially one passed only in MC, is placing the brunt of fund raising on our poorest and least mobile citizens.
Every piece of data for the last 15 years shows that the poorest of the poor are the most addicted to cigarettes and the least able to afford help getting off of them. Anyone with a car and money to fuel it will just drive out of the county to avoid a MC sin tax. At this point are we still calling smoking a “sin” and not a serious and deadly addiction?
I’m worried that a candidate for local office can blithely announce his intentions to support a tax on the poorest, most addicted citizens in MC and, in practically the same breath, talk about how we need more support for addiction counseling and not get called on it.
I’m happy to answer that question. First, let me say that I was disappointed to her Gary Hansen call the proposed tax “elitist.” That sounded like a talking point from big tobacco. In fact, such a tax would be good fiscal policy and good public health policy. I agree 100% that we need additional efforts to fight tobacco addiction and I’ve been glad to use my voice as a minister in the United Church of Christ to call out the tobacco companies for marketing their products to children and the vulnerable. You are 100% correct that this is a serious and deadly addiction. Multnomah County residents have already said they want this tax and I believe it would help provide revenue that is so desperately needed. I’ve spent my entire adult life working to alleviate the causes of poverty. I’d be happy to see smoking become so unusual that revenue from such a source would be scarce. In these difficult times, however, we need to be fiscally responsible so that health care, human services and public safety programs are not further reduced.
Well, I appreciate your response, but it didn’t address at all how a tobacco tax is not, in fact, “elitist”.
I work in lung cancer research, with vets, and I see every day in my clinic the people that this tax would effect. Most of them are so poor that they literally need to count every dime. Getting a gas money reimbursement can mean the difference between whether a patient shows up for his chemotherapy or not. And you want to balance the budget on their backs?
Whether the money is needed or not (of course it is), there are all kinds of taxes that are much more egalitarian. A progressive sales tax for just one instance (a progressively larger tax on purchases over $100 or more).
Of course people support a tobacco tax. It’s quite easy to support a tax that won’t effect you. And the mindset that those who still smoke “deserve” to pay more because if they had any self-control or if they just worked harder, they wouldn’t smoke. People view the tax as voluntary in a way. But that’s why the tax is elitist. It’s people with the resources to quit, or the education to not start in the first place, telling those without those resources that they’re bad and deserve to pay for that weakness of character.
well chuck, i am glad to see that a serious housing advocate has cropped up for the race. With the kind of money that you and others have helped raise, I can’t see any excuse for the lack of housing that now exists for the lowest income people, the homeless, the at-risk. So what i would hope, is that with whatever funding you all DO eventually get, for it to be spent far more wisely and efficiently than say, this year’s 2 huge, main Portland projects. In terms of creating new numbers of housing units that very low income, homeless, or nearly homeless people , can afford on disability checks or whatever.
As for Nick fish, I am glad he is doing something about the Housing plan. And asking for more citizen input. That must be where his strength lies? BUT as far as taking a whole lotta dollars and making the most of it, hmmm, well, it doesn’t amount to much. That’s the problem , when we get a numbers – crunching requirement like housing and the money involved— but you get politicians that don’t get how to really, really make the dollars crunch and produce max # of units plus a few extra supportive services when really, really needed. Result: overpriced projects, very few units for the money, and thousands of homeless still HOMELESS!
sorry, to anyone who thinks parks are equal to roofs over people’s heads: THEY AREN’T. I’m sure you prefer a home yourself, over having nice trails for your dog. So do a bunch of other people. PRIORITIES, PEOPLE. HOUSING OVER PARKS ANY DAY. if it comes down to it.
so chuck, i hope if you are far more serious and able than this, that you get on board and help make the difference. and invite a few new players who know how it’s done.
i just took note of your statement about having an appointed sherriff. ewww. bad news. because this town does not have enough accountability to the people, already. you definitely don’t want to reduce what little there is. we do need to maintain balance between governmental elitism and pure democracy. the chief is appointed, let the sheriff be voter- determined. we have to allow the town to be a town, that is an old anglo saxon word. as in tun moot. the tun moot was the town meeting, and it is an essential. every adult has a say in the affairs of the town that way. we must retain at least some vestige of that or portland is doomed. In fact, since Portland seems doomed already, I’d say we need to revive MORE of the tun moot aspect of decisionmaking. that way portlanders feel less like helpless puppets being manipulated by those with the strings in their hands.