Our future depends on putting people to work.
I’ve done my part by fighting for living wage jobs and the
infrastructure improvements that keep sustainable commerce and jobs flowing...
I support holding the urban growth boundary
tight – to protect forests and the farms that grow food for all
of us – while focusing our precious tax dollars where we live today...
In an era of looming climate change, providing
affordable, practical alternatives to driving alone has never been more
important. For 20 years, I’ve led efforts to give citizens real choices...
I believe in vibrant, affordable and sustainable
communities. I’ve helped fund projects that have made real
differences - from Oregon City’s waterfront to Portland’s eastside
street car, and more...
Clean air, clean water, and green places are an
Oregon birthright. I championed Outdoor School for every 6th grader,
and helped pass the largest natural areas bond measure in history...
My family tries to get around as much as we can on bikes, and since most of our trips are local, that’s worked perfectly for us. But every now and again, we have errands or tasks to do that require a trunk or pickup bed, so we rent a Zipcar (or truck).
Whenever I make a reservation, though, it always takes me back. While I was working at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance back in 1997, I got a grant to study if a car sharing program might work in Portland. In the Business Planning Study (pdf) I submitted to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, we envisioned a pilot project of 20 cars used by 150 residents.
Soon enough, Dave Brook took the ball and ran with it, founding “Car Sharing Portland” in 1998, the first in the nation. Ultimately, that company merged and grew into Zipcar, with nearly 250 vehicles used by more than 11,000 residents — and that’s just here in Portland.
It’s great to think that it all started right here, as so many other good ideas have. I’m proud of the role I played in launching car-sharing, and how perfectly it aligns with the vision we all share for our region: a healthy, sustainable community that makes smart decisions about its future. That’s exactly the kind of innovative approach I intend to continue as Metro President.
In the meantime, though, my pickup-owning friends are also happy: I don’t bug them to borrow their trucks any more!
Applauding my record as “…a constant champion for conservation of Oregon’s federal public lands, waters and wildlife,” the Oregon Wild Conservation Leaders Fund has just endorsed my candidacy.
The Oregon Wild Conservation Leaders Fund is a wonderful organization devoted to protecting Oregon’s wild lands and rivers, and it goes without saying that I am deeply honored to have its endorsement.
Like you, I take great pride in calling this region home. For over 30 years I have fought to preserve the Oregon we love. In 2006, I helped pass the largest bond measure in history to buy natural areas critical to protecting our air and water quality as well as wildlife habitat. Through my work at Metro, I also helped purchase over 10,000 acres of natural areas, and invest over 20 million dollars into local parks projects, connecting people to nature throughout the region.
Combined with common sense protections of streams and riverbanks, I’m confident we can continue to enjoy nature in and around our communities — something I’ll only magnify my energy on as Metro President. Combined with the leadership of visionary organizations like the Oregon Wild Conservation Leaders Fund, I can’t wait to see what we can achieve.
[ Here's an important annoucement we sent out today. You can help us keep this race about the issues that matter by volunteering and contributing. ]
“Voters deserve a healthy debate. No one understands this better than Rex, whose environmental accomplishments speak volumes for his 30 years of leadership.”
– Mia Birk, leading Sustainable Transportation Leader
Today, we called upon Metro President candidate Bob Stacey to end the recent divisive and baseless attacks on Rex’s impressive environmental accomplishments. Rex, who leads in both fundraising and endorsements in the contested race for the three-county post, has won the support of more than two dozen prominent environmental leaders.
Alongside Mia Birk, State Senator Jackie Dingfelder, widely considered the most pro-environment member of the Oregon state senate, is one of the many environmental leaders who have endorsed Rex. Other notable leaders include Scott Fogarty, Director of Friends of Trees*, Michelle Bussard, Director of Forest Park Conservancy*, Travis Williams, Director of Willamette Riverkeepers* Jessica Hamilton Keys, former state legislative director for OLCV*, Scott Bricker, Laura Masterson, Pat Clancy and Mike Houck. (*Organizations listed for name identification only.)
It’s often said the worst of times brings out the best in people. That’s why it’s been a special pleasure for me to chair Metro’s Central Enhancement Grant program this year.
Last week, we awarded more than $100,000 to 27 organizations who came to us with projects enhancing their communities in some way. That investment — in small, but critical packages — will help create new family-wage jobs, protect natural areas and the environment, and direct aid to some of the most fragile people and places in our region…
To read some recent headlines, you’d think people are taking to the streets about the contentious (and very geeky) process of designating urban and rural reserves. But as usual, the real story is a little less dramatic and a lot more constructive — though to be sure, not without the flare up of tempers and ideologies we get any time we tackle the thorny question of how we should grow.
People feel passionately about this issue — in fact, it’s a lot of why I became a Metro Councilor — and that’s a good thing. It’s a question we spend a lot of time discussing around the family table that is Metro. The great irony is that if we were Phoenix, or Dallas or Atlanta hundreds of acres of farmland would have been paved over in less time than we take for our discussion.
After contentious growth decisions in 2002 and 2004, Metro led a regional delegation to Salem seeking a more reasoned and rational approach…
Rex is the only candidate with the experience and proven leadership to
tackle the critical regional issues we care most about. Help him
protect our quality of life by contributing here.
Upcoming Events with Rex
Ride with Rex — literally!
Saturday, April 17
Join us for a special, organized bike ride led by Rex through the natural and urban bounty of our Metro region. Check back for more details soon, but save the date! And if you’d like to play a role, please contact Barbara.
“Rex brings the background and heart of an activist, combined with an understanding of how our regional government works. Rex is about problem solving and building meaningful, broad-based coalitions. His work has helped shape our region for the better.”