(PORTLAND, OR.) —T.J. Anderson, one of the District 4 city council candidates in the upcoming elections, took time to be interviewed by OpGov.news reporters Rory Holbrook and Teri Tracy about his campaign and efforts to make Portland a place where you can live and grow.
Photo Credit: T.J. Anderson Website
Anderson talks about the journey that led to his civic involvement.
“I was a caretaker for my mother. I've been disabled for about 11 years. I was helping her. Family issues actually got me tossed out on the street for about nine months” Anderson said.
From there, Anderson worked with vocational rehabilitation to get back into college, where he gained experience in civics and leadership.
“I was a student senator at PCC. I was a finance chair for their senate. I had been in every one of their groups for the senate for the faculty as well. I was the student liaison. And from there it just kind of kept going,” Anderson says.
Anderson brings experience to the table, having been a part of more than 43 boards and committees ranging from colleges, businesses, nonprofits, and neighborhood associations.
Anderson is currently in school for a double bachelor's degree in business and economics.
His ideal vision for Portland, he says, will take a lot of work.
Photo Credit: Zoom / Rory Holbrook
“Right now, Portland is in a very difficult position where financially there have been a lot of bad decisions. There's been a lot of lost money. There's been a lot of lost faith.”
Financial responsibility is key for Anderson, who wants to see Portland get back on track.
“Let's get it back in a positive direction. I think that it can be done in one term, but you got to really hit it.” Anderson wants to see communication between moderates and progressives in city leadership. “I've worked with people over the years to show I can work with all people. All I need is a plan that I think will work and I think that's something missing especially now in Portland City Council,” he says.
For Anderson, putting the issues ahead of rivalries is important to get Portland where it needs to be.
“We need to get back to the point of where we can talk with anybody. We can disagree. we need to talk with. You get that and the money issue handled in one term, we're off and running in the second,” he says.
According to Anderson, the thing Portland needs most right now is a full audit.
“We need a full audit top to bottom in the city of Portland, and we need to make it public. We have not had a full audit released to the public ever.”
For Anderson, seeing Portlanders’ faith restored is important.
“I'm going to say they need to see everything going on. They need to have faith that their money is being used properly. So, transparency and they need to know that we're getting good value on it,” he says.
Sharing a personal promise, he made to a friend to make Portland a better place, and Anderson says he wants to do all he can to see that through.
“I don't make many promises, but the ones I do, I will stick on. She wanted Portland to be a better place. Now, I have done everything I can to make that happen. And I think if I do win the election, I think I can do a lot more. But I wouldn't have done this without that promise because she saw something I didn't. And I have faith that she was right.”
Anderson shares that he believes some of what has made Portland a unique place in the past has been lost because of financial troubles and that lack of faith many Portlanders are experiencing.
“When I talk about Portland, what makes me kind of go back to something I like. There was always a bit of a magic about it. It's kind of gone away with our financial issues and it's had issues, but it just needs a little bit of a polish.”
Photo Credit: Zoom / Rory Holbrook
Anderson has a strong optimism that these great attributes can yet be recovered.
“I think with the financials and how hard it is for people to start a business here, we've lost some of that. But what’s lost can definitely be found, he says.”
Anderson is looking for a city council that does the job of city council.
“I think we need people to do the job of city council. We don't need someone who wants to be democratic superstar or a democratic socialist superstar… we have to do the job for everybody in our district and then for the city. Let's start acting like it.”
Anderson wants to put aside the political division and get to the work.
“I think we need to get back to work, and we need to handle business. And I'm the only person I feel that has the resume and the timeline to show, hey, I not only have I done it, I've done it while disabled, I've done it while a student, and I've done it showing this can be done. I don't know how many others can. While others are raising money, I've been talking to neighborhood associations. Sometimes you can't beat just walking and talking.”
Anderson gives a closing statement, pointing again to Portland finances as a key issue.
“With how bad we are currently in Portland without finances no program survives. Now, I can't say I'm going to be perfect like some other politicians will say. What I can say is my job, if chosen, is I'm going to make sure that people know where their money is going, the value they're getting from it, and try to work ourselves into a position where we don't need to worry about cuts so often. And if I can do that, great.”
If you would like to comment or add to this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org.
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