[April 30th, 2008]

Randy Leonard

Tattoo he'd get: Wife’s name, “Julie Ann,” on left shoulder (Awwww.)

Randy Leonard is in a good spot. Let’s keep him there.

An ex-firefighter and former state legislator from East Portland, Leonard joined the City Council in 2002 to fill the unfinished term of former Commissioner Charlie Hales. By 2004, when he had to stand for election to a full term, Leonard’s no-blood, no-foul legislative style had pissed off enough neighborhood activists in touchy-feely Portland that a determined and mostly unified pack of 10 challengers arose to challenge him.

Leonard prevailed. But by everyone’s admission, Leonard also learned. This time, he’s got three halfhearted opponents in Edward Kill, Martha Perez and Emily Ryan. None of these challengers has raised more than $300.

Leonard—a born gabber—has learned to listen. And he’s learned that patience sometimes pays. Which isn’t to say he’s gone soft. Leonard still adds a crucial element of courage and candor to the Council. His sparring matches with Oregon Petroleum Association lobbyist Paul Romain over a planned street-maintenance fee were the Council’s bravura performance last year. Really, they could’ve sold tickets. He’s also built a program to get repeat drug offenders into treatment, picked apart the Portland Development Commission’s little-scrutinized $316 million budget and almost single-handedly created a market for locally produced biodiesel. And—how could we forget?—he made the streets safe from duct tape.

Sometimes, though, Leonard can be too clever by half. Recently, he tried to change the city’s public campaign financing rules in a way that would’ve handicapped a publicly financed Council candidate, Jim Middaugh, while helping Leonard’s favored candidate, Nick Fish, if there’s a runoff. In the end, Leonard compromised, but not without sowing some justifiable doubts about the purity of his motives.

Leonard has earned our support since 2002. But he shouldn’t take it for granted. His opponents, this time? They like him, too.

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