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"We're What's Next!"
Dr. Jerry Adams for Mayor
Dr. Jerry Adams for Mayor
| Let's Stop Waste We need a new mayor who can stop waste and regain public confidence. We need a "report card" on the city's performance so the city is clearly accountable to the public. We need someone who is used to analyzing complex systems, such as education, business, and government, to be mayor. He or she needs to analyze our overall situation, determine what needs to be changed, and lead in making those changes. Without this "big picture" view, and skills in making systemic changes, we will not have an efficient city government. However, with these leaderhip skills, our mayor can lead Portland toward a very high quality of life. Jerry has 30 years of leadership experience in fixing large and complex systems of service--from the "big picture" view and for long-term success. He has achievements in government administration, education, business, health care, community development, multicultural training, publishing, and other fields helpful to the mayor of a city. An extensive resume is available Here. Jerry will establish a Council of Elders to assist the mayor in analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the city, based on the best information available. The Council of Elders will be composed of: - Respected citizens of Portland who have shown community leadership - Specialists for the specific problems we are addressing - Leaders from each of our ethnic minority communities - Leaders from neighborhood associations Not only will ethnic minorities and neighborhoods be represented, but their representatives will have veto power on plans and solutions that directly affect their neighborhoods. The Council of Elders will advise not only the mayor, but the mayor's staff. We will reduce waste and, at the same time, improve the quality of life in Portland. For example, we are thousands of units short of what we need on affordable housing in Portland. We have many abandoned or severly underutilized buildings. We have thousands of young adults without a high school degree and no career future--they are in need of work and a useful way to develop skills. We need skilled job opportunities in Portland. Let's put the pieces together. One way to put the pieces together is as follows: We can locate abandoned or neglected buildings that are accessible to mass transit. The city can partner with the Housing Authority of Portland and others to take over such buildings. The partnership can work with the trade unions and youth job readiness programs, such as the agencies within the Youth Opportunities Network, to set up apprenticeships for the youth who will work under the supervision of union employees. The buildings will be converted into highly energy-efficient structures that are used for affordable housing. The goal will be for every neighborhood to have the type of financially-accessible housing it needs. Each solution to a problem will need to meet the needs of each neighborhood, rather than "one size fits all." Who will pay for gaining the affordable housing? Much of the affordable housing costs will be subsidized from revenues from the completed structures, housing authority funding, and other sources. The solution for affordable housing in Portland does not need to be expensive, bland structures that few want to call home. To communicate our progress as a city, or lack of it, Jerry will set up a "Portland Report Card" for key areas of performance. The Report Card will evaluate Portland's performance in areas such as: - Trust of police by each community - School performance - Transportation - Job Creation - Housing - Energy - Health - Parks The Council will find areas of waste, in collaboration with bureau chiefs, and systematically attack the waste with alternative solutions. Solutions across bureaus will also be pursued aggressively to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods. The Council will provide "big picture" views of our performance as a city so we do not get bogged down with details and lose sight of our future. The Council will also provide us with fresh ideas to make us more efficient and more effective. The Council will release the Portland Report Card to the public each year to show how much waste was removed and how much we have improved the quality of life in Portland. |
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