[April 30th, 2008]

Deborah Kafoury

Nonpartisan

Tattoo she’d get: “I’m gonna be the last remaining person with no tattoo.”

The race to replace Multnomah County Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey, who announced last year she won’t run again, is essentially a one-woman show. Fortunately for voters in District 1, Deborah Kafoury is more than qualified.

Kafoury’s name is familiar—her mother, Gretchen Kafoury, served as a state representative, a county commissioner and a city commissioner. And her father, Steve, served in the Legislature. Deborah followed in that tradition, serving as a state rep for North and Northeast Portland from 1999 to 2004, including a stint as House Democratic Leader from 2001 to 2004. She was among a handful of Democrats who voted against her party’s union base to reform the off-the-rails Public Employee Retirement System—showing she can cast the correct vote even when it’s politically inconvenient. (Kafoury is nevertheless endorsed by the powerful Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees union, which reveals the scarcity of serious candidates in this race.)

Kafoury also understands what needs to be done to continue county Chairman Ted Wheeler’s efforts to solidify the county’s finances, including formation of a regional bridge authority and working with Commissioner Jeff Cogen to change how the Portland Development Commission steers urban renewal districts. Her experience in the Legislature,and her passion for serving the homeless as chair of the board at Transition Projects make her an excellent fit for the county board.

Opponent Wes Soderback, a retired merchant mariner, is not running a serious campaign. Mark Newey, whose name is on the ballot, said he no longer considers himself a candidate. There’s really only one choice left, and she deserves your vote.

Video of WW endorsement interview (thanks to Portland Community Media)