The Campaign Kicks Off

Plainfield Township Supervisor 

I am  here to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Plainfield Charter Township I’m running for Mayor because I don’t believe we can be a progressive city unless we’re making real progress for the people who need our help the most.We have a stark choice:Do we want more promises on helping the homeless get transitional housing and the help they need? Or do we want progress?Do we want another press release on closing the income gap? Or do we want progress?Do we want endless pledges on fixing roads and making City Hall function? Or do we want progress?Do we want another election–year proposal on affordable housing or do we want real progress?Do we want to hear another politician say “Please give me more time” or do we want to make real progress now?We have nothing short of a crisis on the streets of our city. The homeless are not getting the housing or the help they need. Housing is a problem for the middle class, too. It is increasingly unaffordable for working families. Wage earning Portlanders are falling farther behind. Our streets are crumbling beneath our feet. Even basic things like filling potholes, repairing roads and making our sidewalks safer aren’t getting done the way we expect them to get done.I’m running for Mayor because I know we can do better.I know this will be a fight. I’m ready to fight. But my fight isn’t with  the long list of candidates   My fight is with the problems that they will  have failed to address.It’s not enough to call yourself a progressive, or an activist, or a leader when so many of the basic things that make a community thriving and successful aren’t getting done.You can’t claim to be a progressive if you’re not making progress on helping the homeless get off the streets, into transitional housing with the mental health care or intervention they need to stay off the streets.You can’t wear the mantle of activism when you have not taken action on creating economic opportunities for the entire city.And you can’t say you are accountable as a leader when too much of the city’s business is being conducted behind closed doors, in secret, accessible only to the well-connected and highly paid corporate lobbyists.Real progress will be increasing the minimum wage and increasing economic opportunities for lower income and middle income Community Real progress will be making sure developers pay their fair share for the costs for roads, parks, schools, and other critical infrastructure as part of new development.Real progress will be expanding affordable housing options so that fewer Portlanders will find themselves priced out and moved out.And real progress will be making sure that every part of our community has a voice in our government– not just those that can afford to buy a seat at the table.I believe progressive means progress – and I have a strong record of making progress a reality.As  I have campaigned, as I showed car for our seniors  , as a former business owner  , our community has showed that one of the most progressive things we could do was to spend tax dollars more responsibly so we could use the savings to protect services for the homeless, the elderly and those most vulnerable in our society.Under my leadership, our township will used smart debt management and vigorous financial oversight we will start to recover  the millions of dollars that go wasted and our community ends up paying for something that has little or no value. . These savings allow our state to advance our progressive goals of strengthening education, health care and environmental protection. And my promise is to give our teachers livable wages so I children can learn , our veterans  benefits for serving our loved community and a new police department to keep our community safe at night . 
Foks .I believe we can rebuild our roads, improve street safety and finally do what’s seemed to defeat too many administrations – fill those potholes.I believe we should stop talking about the services  our community needs – and start delivering them.I believe we can work with our school districts and make our public schools great for every child.I believe we can make housing more affordable, so that nurses, teachers, firefighters, men and women who are carpenters, plumbers and electricians can continue to live and prosper in Plainfield And I know that one of the best things we can do in this great progressive community is to make sure our government – which should be the engine for so much progress – is conducting the people’s business in public, and spending every tax dollar wisely, responsibly, and where it will do the most good. I want to be very clear, when I am mayor, Portland City Hall will not be for sale.We can lead. We can have action. And we will finally have the city government Portland deserves.Taking care of those in need. Taking responsibility for protecting our environment. Taking action right now to close the gap between our wealthiest and poorest residents by providing economic opportunity for lower-income and middle-income families. Equal access to our government for every person. Understanding that every dollar we spend came from a taxpayer and we need show our respect for how hard that taxpayer worked to earn those dollars by spending them wisely. These are the authentic values of Portland. And these are my values.We’re here today for those who have heard the words of progress but haven’t felt that progress in their own lives or their own city. I’m ready to fight to make sure progressive includes progress – and I want every person in Portland to join me. Change won’t come from one person – it will take all of us. All the resources, the talents, the ideas of this great, diverse, energetic city. I’m asking for your help. Please visit my website TedWheeler.com, send me an email, volunteer, give your time, your passion, your insights into helping make this great progressive city even better.With your help – We’ll stop making empty promises.  Like we always have in the past We’ll start making real progress.Thank you very much.