Today I filed with the city auditor's office my intention to run for the Portland City Council seat being vacated by Commissioner Sam Adams. 
    I have a challenging task ahead of me to collect 1000 individual contributions of $5.00, in order to qualify for public campaign financing. I have until January 31st 2008 to complete this first step in my campaign.
    I need all of your help and support in this effort and have set up campaign headquarters here at the shop. Please join my team and help collect signatures and contributions on my behalf. Come on down to Cal Skate at 210 NW 6th Ave. in Old Town and we will get you necessary info (503) 248-0495.
    I will be setting up a website as soon as possible at howardforportland.com and my email address will be howard@howardforportland.com as of November 28th.
   I will use this page as a blog for the time being to keep you all up to date.

  Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement,

  Peace,

  Howard

  Where to Start? I grew up in Portland Oregon and became politicized around 1967. Along with many of my generation we believed we could change the world, beginning with the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. And then we were going to end all wars and live in peace the rest of our lives.  I was an Idealist. This time in my life crystallized my belief that each of us can make a difference and that has been my mantra ever since.
   Over the years I’ve become involved with legalizing skateboarding, building political support for public skate parks and solving the many social issues that we face. In the 80’s it was deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill without proper support systems and the availability of fortified wine to chronic alcoholics by major wine producers. I was able to effect changes that reduced the murder rate in our Neighborhood from 11 to 2 in one year and the restrictions became permanent and are in place to this day. I should say that my shop is and always has been in what we call a skid row or tenderloin district with all of the issues I speak to right outside the front door. Our Neighborhood has approximately 1700 residents, most with no or low incomes, living in what we call SROs which are hotels converted to permanent residencies. We also are the Neighborhood where the homeless and the mentally ill access service, some city and county-funded, some faith-based.  
   I’m currently the Chair of the Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood Association and have been for the last 2 years building bridges to every constituency and bringing them to the table which has grown into a 15 member board with advocates for the homeless, business leaders, property owners, faith-based and non-faith-based social services, residents and  our cultural heritage. I’ve spent the last year working on grants though the U.S. Department of Justice to bring much needed funding to fill the gaps and needs of this Neighborhood and in the first few months of 2004 we will get our answer from Uncle Sam.
   So there you go, Cal Skate is a center for political discussion and action and I will continue to use my business to promote good citizenry through my example. If you want to know more about he Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood go to http://www.oldtownchinatown.org

                                                     Peace to you all,
                                                                              
                                                                Howard Weiner
 

Update - March 28, 2005

   On November 2^nd 2004 Tom Potter was elected Mayor of Portland and my work as a volunteer ended. I was on one hand exhilarated but on the other a bit depressed as I grew accustomed to the pace and energy of the campaign. On December 31^st at midnight my wife and I were invited to city hall with a small group of relatives and supporters where Tom was officially sworn in as our new Mayor. True to his word Tom has opened up the doors of city hall and started the process of transparency in government. I’m back to my work in the neighborhood working on homelessness and related issues as part of my work as chair of the neighborhood association. I also sit on the Skate Park advisory committee and we are close to turning in our recommendations to the parks department for a 20 year plan to build twenty two skate spots across our city with at least one major regional park.
   On the horizon in local politics is campaign finance reform that if passed would put Portland at the forefront of taking the big bucks out of politics. The idea is that anyone running for our City Council, Mayor and City Auditor would have to find 1000 to 1500 folks willing to put up $5.00 towards your election bid, and then you would qualify for public funds for your campaign freeing you up to spend your time talking with folks and not dialing for dollars. This proposal will come before our City Council on April 7^th.

That’s it for now, Take Care,

Howard

Tuesday July 13^th  2004 Update

    I’m still working on Tom Potter’s campaign for Mayor of our fair City, and boy did we make history already. Tom limited his contributions to $25.00 and many pundits thought he had no chance against the war chest of his main opponent who raised over $1,000,000.00 - twice as much as anyone running for office in Portland! They were wrong and our grassroots efforts paid off as Tom handily won the race. Unfortunately we needed 50% of the vote plus one to take it in the primary so now we race towards November.
   Tom raised his campaign contribution limit to $100.00 for the general election and is working on campaign finance reform by letting his actions speak for themselves. I’m having the time of my life volunteering and introducing Tom to a number of  people that work within our many services for the homeless and mentally ill. I continue to Chair our Neighborhood Association and sit on a number of committees that serve our Neighborhood and the downtown area as well including the Skate Park Advisory Group and the Commission To End Homelessness but my main body of work is for Tom. We have a wonderful opportunity to elect a leader with compassion and understanding a man of conscience and integrity that will open up the doors of this city to citizen involvement and good governance. Wherever you live, involve yourself as I have and help elect leaders that represent your interests.

 Take Care,
    Howard Weiner