The Year-in-Review Interview
Guest Author
David Zagel was a classmate of Sam's at Sam Case Elementary School in Newport, Oregon. Sam and he sat down over coffee last week to talk about the year. David works as a planner for Tri-Met.
DAVID: Remember, I knew you before you were a big shot, when you were 6-years-old, running around in the sprinkler in your yard in Newport, Oregon, so I will know if you are not answering my questions truthfully...
SAM: Who's idea was it to have you interview me, anyway?
DAVID: Actually, it was your idea about a year ago.
SAM: Oh, that's right...I asked you to help keep me honest to my Oregon, small-town roots...
DAVID: What's it like being "Commissioner Sam"?
SAM: It still seems odd to see my name on the front door of the office...the job is a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. I knew how much work it required, but in my old job I was stuck behind a desk. I make sure with this job I am 'out and about' in the community as much as I can.
DAVID: How is being a Commissioner different from being the Mayor's Chief of Staff, aside from obvious things like voting and determining your own agenda?
SAM: Emotionally, it's very different. Chiefs of staff have a lot of responsibility for getting things done, but it's the elected official who personally lives with the final product. I used to see Vera live with that reality, now I live it myself. I like this new challenge but its been an adjustment.
DAVID: OK, new topic, did you really do a Jackie Kennedy impersonation at the Portland Schools' Roast in front of 800 people?
SAM: Yeah, it was for the kids, people who take themselves too seriously are b-o-r-i-n-g...I take my responsibilities very seriously but if I can raise a few bucks for local schools singing and wearing a pillbox hat, I will jump at the chance... (laughing)
DAVID: Reminds me of that time in 3rd grade when you...
SAM: Hah! Next question.
DAVID: OK, it's been a year. To quote your campaign slogan, what have you done to 'shake up City Hall'?
SAM: City Hall's first-ever lobbyist reform...500% increase in neighborhood business district grants...more in arts funding and affordable housing...joint public safety budgeting started. These are some of the 2005 projects that help change the direction of City government. It's a solid start but it's just the beginning.
DAVID: I read you got criticized by some inside City Hall for having too ambitious an agenda, are you going to back off?
SAM: No. Another elected official told me nobody remembers or cares about my campaign promises. Maybe, but I do...I try not to irritate my colleagues, but my sense of urgency to improve city government has increased over this past year. We have very serious public safety, economic, affordability, and transportation problems that hide in the shadow of our national reputation as a livable city.
DAVID: But are you getting things done?
SAM: I'm proud of what my team and I have been able to accomplish. It's a solid start with more to come. The purpose of this year-end report is to be accountable for our work and to get advice for the year ahead.
DAVID: Speaking of being accountable, I read an article that the business community is pissed off at this City Council for ignoring business issues while saying 'no' to the federal government on the Joint Terrorism Task Force...
SAM: I tend to be a liberal on social issues, a fiscal 'pain in the ass' on government spending and a strong supporter of jobs and economic growth. Yes, I supported withdrawal from JTTF. I also supported reduction of the business license fee, increasing grants to neighborhood business districts, a workplace lease-to-own strategy, have appointed liaisons from each of my bureaus to neighborhood business districts. We need that strong business climate to support our civic work. But if an overbearing federal government wants to erode our civil rights, that's a problem.
Not everybody is going to agree with how I have to balance all the issues. I hope they will respect that I try to get it right.
DAVID: Alright, alright, that's enough policy wonking from you. Get a life, okay? I read your calendar on-line, why are you putting in so many hours at this job?
SAM: During the campaign, I heard over and over again, that they never saw anyone from City government except at election time, I want to prove them wrong... plus, I'm hands on. I like meet the people and to see the issues up close and personal with my own eyes, but I do want to apologize to all my friends for ignoring them for two years...
DAVID: I'll say...final thoughts?
SAM: I want to thank my great staff team, my bureau staff and managers, my colleagues, the amazing staff of my Bureaus and Portlanders for this incredible opportunity to serve.
DAVID: You are such a dork sometimes! Stop the tape! That's so lame I won't let you finish your answer...
Posted by Guest Author on January 4, 2006
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Comments by site visitors
Go Sam Go!
You and your team have made the political process in Portland more transparant and inviting.
I love your PR approach (for example this newsletter format is brilliant!). In leading by example, your team shows that there is a way to make local government truly for the people.
Lisa Lepine, Promotion Queen
Posted by: Lisa Lepine | Jan 5, 2006 11:50:47 AM
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I don't know how you got my name but it's great that you're publishing this newsletter. While I've lived in the region since 1981, I only became a Portland resident this past September. I am a freelance writer with my own small business, mostly clients in downtown Portland companies and advertising/marketing/p.r. agencies. I'm originally from New York and have lived other places. For me, Portland is home and the greatest place to live on the planet.
Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Michael Tevlin | Jan 5, 2006 10:55:23 AM