Occupation: Utility Worker

Occupational Background: Athletic Field Maintenance; Greenskeeper; Revenue Officer; Administrative Manager, Brussels, Belgium; Parts Sales Representative; Foreign Freight Forwarder; Detective Division Clerk, Portland Police Bureau

Educational Background: Woodstock Grade School; Franklin High School, George Washington University; Portland State University, BA Business Administration, Certificate International Business Studies; Intern, President Hotel, Capetown, South Africa; Lloyd Porter Award for International Business Studies; AIESEC, International Association of Business Students

Prior Governmental Experience: None

Military Background: US Navy; Naval Support Activity, Dong Tam, Vietnam; USS Concord AFS-5

Memberships: Life Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars; Past chapter commander and Life Member, Disabled American Veterans; Member, Mobile Riverine Force Association

Political Background: Multnomah County Democratic Party; Precinct Committee Person; Chair, Platform, Resolution and Legislation Committee

Volunteer Background: High School Site Council; Youth Soccer Coach, Youth Soccer Board; Richmond Neighborhood Association; Richmond Neighborhood Emergency Team, union steward

WE DON’T NEED A SALES TAX! We have an income tax system that doesn’t work. There are tens of thousands of people in Oregon who use fraud to illegally avoid payment of income tax. Everyone should pay taxes according to the law.

We have a property tax system that doesn’t work. There are more than 20,000 properties in Multnomah County that are exempt from property tax. We need to review those exempt properties to insure we want them to be exempt.

Our tax law enforcement system does not work. More than $1.5 Billion is due Oregon Department of Revenue. More than $42 Billion is due Internal Revenue Service. Neither the state nor the federal government is making a concerted effort to collect delinquent amounts. There are more than $35 Million due in Multnomah County Property Tax. The method to collect delinquent property tax is lengthy and cumbersome. Law enforcement methods need to change!

We don’t know how tax supported entities use tax dollars. Each tax supported entity needs to be audited and the public needs to be aware of how tax dollars are used.

(This information furnished by Gordon Hillesland.)