Power Picks

One of the biggest problems with the formation of a People's Utility District is that state law requires the five-member board be elected at the same time the utility is formed. We wish that proponents of the measure had spent more time recruiting qualified candidates. The dozen folks running include two horrible choices, former legislator Ron McCarty and perennial no-hoper John Sweeney, who have enough name familiarity to be serious contenders. We strongly urge--no, we beg--voters to pick five of the others. Here are our choices:

Dave Mazza
We don't always agree with Mazza, but the former private eye and current editor of the progressive Portland Alliance newspaper is hard-working, pragmatic and surprisingly moderate.

Xander Patterson
Patterson, the co-chair the Pacific Green Party of Oregon, has received good reviews since being elected to the East Multnomah County Soil and Water Conservation District Board in 2000. He also serves as executive director of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Dave Covington|
A 24-year PGE employee, Covington would bring valuable inside insight. A journeyman lineman, he has worked at power plants and negotiated union contracts.

Jim Robison
A graduate of Willamette University and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Robison is a longtime local activist who makes his living as a computer consultant and currently chairs the Multnomah County Democratic Central Committee.

Tom Markgraf
An assistant to U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Markgraf spent years working on economic development in rural Oregon, which has given him broad experience with publicly owned power.

WWeek 2015