NEWS

Did the election change Salem City Council's future?

Whitney M. Woodworth
Statesman Journal
Salem City Council candidate Sally Cook meets with the Statesman Journal Editorial Board on Thursday, April 21, 2016.

With three political newcomers claiming victory in Tuesday's primary election, the Salem City Council may be set for a sea change.

Cara Kaser, 33, won Ward 1 by a wide margin, and Matt Ausec, 39, eked out a close win in Ward 5. In Ward 7, Sally Cook, 36, handily defeated her incumbent opponent.

The three candidates earned the majority of votes in their wards, according to unofficial election results. Each will be on the ballot in November, and barring any unprecedented, massive write-in campaigns, will take office after the current city councilors' terms expire on Dec. 31, 2016.

Salem City Council candidate Matt Ausec meets with the Statesman Journal Editorial Board on Thursday, April 21, 2016.

Their addition will shift the council's demographics. Currently, the average age of the eight-person council is 59. Next year, it will drop to 51. At 33, Kaser is 14 years younger than the current youngest councilor.

The newcomers have never held political office, but they share a history in government work. Ausec works as a policy analyst for the office of the state chief information officer. Cook is a health educator for the Marion County Health Department, and Kaser is a web developer for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

All three were backed by Progressive Salem, a grassroots political action organization created in 2014. After working to help Ward 2 Councilor Tom Andersen win office, a handful of Salem residents formed the group, which has now grown to more than 100 members.

Andersen spoke about Progressive Salem's efforts in a video on the group's website.

"Our strategy did not rely on special interests campaign contributions," he said. "We relied on people power."

Salem City Council candidate Cara Kaser meets with the Statesman Journal Editorial Board on Thursday, April 21, 2016.

Tina Calos, one of the organization's founders, said residents were spurred into action by concern about whether the city was heading in the right direction.

"There is the general feeling in the community that current leadership is out of touch," she said.

The group avoids championing specific issues, leaders say, and instead tries to support candidates with strong ethical bases and and work ethics.

"We expect candidates to be knocking on doors and meeting people in their ward," Calos said.

Progressive Salem contributed $3,000 to Kaser's campaign and $2,500 for Ausec's bid for office. The $3,000 the group gave to Cook's campaign comprised almost one-third of her total contributions. In comparison, Cook's opponent, Warren Bednarz, 57, received about $20,500 in contributions. Some of his biggest donors, like the Oregon Realtors Political Action Committee and Mid-Valley Affordable Housing Coalition, donated as much as $5,000.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce endorsed Bednarz for Ward 7 and Jan Kailuweit, 45, for Ward 1. The chamber endorsed Chuck Bennett, 67, for mayor. He won Tuesday's election.

According to the chamber's website, its political action committees, such as the Build Jobs PAC, raise funds to recruit and support candidates who support business and ballot initiatives that favor business. They also will oppose certain ballot measures, at the direction of the chamber's public policy committee and board of directors.

"Our goal is to ensure civic leaders and policies have the input of the business community so that we are cultivating an environment that is supportive of job creation," the chamber's site states. "We do not take positions on social issues of any type."

The Build Jobs PAC contributed $3,000 to Bennett's campaign and $1,000 each to Kailuweit and Bednarz.

One of the biggest contributors to the PAC was the Mountain West Investment Corporation, which gave $10,000 in 2016.

In a statement, chamber spokesman Nick Williams praised the candidates' characters and said they will continue to be assets to the city.

"Regardless of the outcome of an election," Williams said, "we will continue to lead."

He added that the chamber strives to maintain positive working relationship with councilors and political action groups.

"...Our organization has exemplary relationships with other organized groups in Salem that we don’t see eye to eye with on every issue," Williams said. "Healthy discourse is okay, and in fact encouraged."

Members of the chamber are working to support a cost-effective police facility, expand the urban growth boundary in West Salem, add a third vehicular bridge and use urban renewal funds to help downtown flourish. Above all else, Williams said, they want to nurture positive working relationships with city council in order to keep the voice of Salem's small business community at the table, especially during policy discussions about job retention and creation.

Former Mayor Mike Swaim said that, after he left office, he watched as many progressive, community-minded initiatives drifted away and a more development-oriented approach became the standard.

"People that were favored by the chamber and developers captured control and stayed in power ever since," he said.

According to Swaim, the shake-up in city council could be a "healthy adjustment to what political power has been."

Former city councilor and Willamette University history professor Bill Smaldone offered his view of Salem's political climate. He said the Salem Chamber of Commerce transformed into a well-oiled political machine by funding, finding and getting candidates elected, but it found its match this election with Progressive Salem.

"What I think it shows is there are strong progressive forces within the city of Salem that are capable of organizing," he said.

As the new council takes shape, there may be a tilt away from the heavy focus on business-oriented policy and more attention will be given to homelessness, parks and quality of life issues, Smaldone said. But large-scale changes could be tough to enact.

"The general funds are in a state of paralysis until we rethink how we raise money," he said.

Email wmwoodwort@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth

What top three issues did the candidates run on?

Cara Kaser

  1. Public outreach: Kaser wants the council to reach out to the public and involve them early-on in important conversations about city issues, projects and initiatives. 
  2. Livability: Quality, available housing, pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements, public transit and a fully-funded library will make Salem a place people want to live. 
  3. Downtown investment: "I will work to ensure downtown is the strong heart of our city by advocating for investment in its buildings, businesses and infrastructure," Kaser said. 

Matt Ausec

  1. Public safety: It is the number one issue in Salem and Ward 5, Ausec said. All of his priority issues, like graffiti abatement, are pieces of a puzzle that, once completed, will make the city a safe place to live.
  2. Alternative transportation: The city should invest in safer streets and sidewalks for pedestrians and sidewalks along with working with the transit board to increase bus service.
  3. Portland Road corridor development: He suggested taking a housing-first approach by adding affordable residences and providing jobs.

Sally Cook

  1. Strong neighborhoods: Community policing, sidewalks and parks will create strong and connected neighborhoods, Cook said.
  2. Safe streets: Salem needs safe streets for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Bike paths and bike boulevards are also essential for safety. 
  3. Smart growth: "Salem doesn't need unchecked growth, it needs smart growth," Cook said. Neighborhoods should allow residents to walk to shops and parks. 

The Division

Endorsed/supported by Progressive Salem

Ward 1 Cara Kaser (2016)

Ward 2 Tom Andersen (2014)

Ward 5 Matt Ausec (2016)

Ward 7 Sally Cook (2016)

Endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce

Ward 4 Steve McCoid (2014)

Ward 6 Daniel Benjamin (2014)

Ward 8 Jim Lewis (2014)

Mayor Chuck Bennett (2016)

Note: Councilor Brad Nanke, who was first elected to serve in Ward 3 in 2000, ran unopposed in Tuesday's primary election. Williams said the chamber has a good relationship with Nanke, but to his knowledge they have never endorsed him. The chamber does not endorse unopposed candidates.