Adams seeks to strengthen city with growth plan

Sam Adams hopes to improve upon Portland’s progressive nature by fostering citizen participation and helping to strengthen education.

The mayoral candidate and current city commissioner said an important focus for him as he runs for mayor is to concentrate on Portland’s status as a city with smart growth policies and place for the development of green industry ideas and technology.

“Only the mayor can set the direction of the city,” Adams said about why he is running.

Adams is running against local businessman and former chair of the Portland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Sho Dozono, in the mayoral race. The Oregon primary will be held May 20.

Adams said he wants to develop a comprehensive plan to guide the advancement of the city for the next 25 years, which would seek to create living wage jobs, fund education and make sure that issues associated to population growth will be minimized.

Adams’ support for higher education, he said, includes advocating for a Portland State University Sustainability Institute that would bring public and private resources, as well as students’ intellect, together under one roof. A world-class design center for companies like Nike, Reebok and Columbia Sportswear would be another possible campus facility, he said, that would help translate ideas into products.

According to Adams, his past support for PSU includes his work for former mayor, Vera Katz, as her chief of staff and helping to fund the construction of the Urban Studies Building and the Portland Streetcar extension through campus.

Currently in charge of Portland’s Office of Transportation and the Bureau of Environmental Services, Adams started in politics as an intern for Congressman Peter DeFazio. After working for the Democratic House Campaign Committee, Adams started work in Portland politics in 1991 when he managed Vera Katz’s successful mayoral campaign, according to his Web site. He was only 29 when he assumed the role as her chief of staff-the youngest person ever to serve in that position in Portland.

As mayor, Adams said he would continue to encourage future mixed land-use policies with an aim on having life necessities–grocery and other stores–within four blocks of most households. Adams said he hopes these service centers will get people to drive less or choose non-automobile transportation options like bicycling and walking.

Adams said, “Portland is one of the best cities in the U.S.,” but that he would like to address problems that still hurt its citizens. He acknowledged the high proportion of households that subsist on incomes below the federal poverty line and the low High School graduation rates of low-income children as persistent problems he will address as mayor.

Citizen involvement would also play a role in his decision making process because, he said, community members have a “knowledge of specific problems in specific parts of town.”

“I challenge citizens to add to the problem solving process,” Adams said.