Statesman Journal mini-questionnaire for 2014 General Election

Thank you for responding to this questionnaire.

Why this matters: The Statesman Journal Editorial Board will use this questionnaire in deciding
whom to endorse for the Nov. 4 General Election. Your answers also will be shared with
reporters and probably will be published in the newspaper and/or on our website,
StatesmanJournal.com.

We also ask that you respond to every question, instead of simply attaching campaign materials,
resumes, etc. You are welcome to send us lists of supporters, a resume, etc., in addition to this
questionnaire.

If you completed our questionnaire for the 2014 Primary Election, you will notice that some
questions are similar. (This questionnaire is shorter and several questions have been changed.)
Please complete this questionnaire instead of simply referring to past answers.

Please return the finished questionnaire to the Editorial Board as an email or an attached Word
document to Salemed@StatesmanJournal.com. (Handwritten or fax responses dont work.)

Important; Please submit the questionnaire by the deadline listed in our email to you.

Questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Dick Hughes, 503-399-6727, dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com, or
Editorial Assistant Nancy Harrington, 503-589-6944, nharring@StatesmanJournal.com.

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Your name as listed on the ballot: Carla Mikkelson


Age: 61

(If your age will change before Nov. 30, please indicate your birthday. We want to ensure we use
accurate ages in pre- and post-election editorials and news coverage.)


City/town of residence:Woodburn (closest town)


Political party(ies), if this is a partisan office: Democrat


Position you are seeking (name of position, district number, etc.):
Marion County Commissioner Position #2

Are you currently a full-time resident of the district you seek you represent?Yes


Number of current, consecutive years living in the district you seek to represent: 30




Family (name of spouse/partner, number and ages of children if at home or number of grown
children): Two grown children


Your education (high school, trade, college, post-baccalaureate; indicate degrees you
earned):Bachelor of Arts in American Studies at Willamette University


If employed, current occupation, employer and job duties: not employed


Previous employers and when: Marion-Polk Legal Aid, 1993-2011 Multnomah County Legal
Aid 1988-1993 Juvenile Rights Project 1984-1988 Oregon Legal Services 1983-1984 Portland
State University 1977-1983


Military service and when: none but my daughter is in the Navy


Volunteer/civic/religious service and when: Friends of Marion County Board 2002-current
Friends of French Prairie 2009-current Salem City Club member and president 2005-2007
Woodburn Downtown Association member 2002-when is disbanded Lincoln Elementary School
Site Council, member 1993-1996 Oregon State Bar Legal Services Department management
reviewer 2001-2005


Please list all public offices to which youve been elected, and when: not elected to any


Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when:none


Other prior political and government experience:10 years on Marion County Planning
Commission; member, Rural Advisory Committee to ODOT Passenger Rail Project


How the public can reach your campaign (remember that this information will be made public):

Mail address: P. O. Box 38
St. Paul, OR 97127

E-mail address: carlamikke@yahoo.com

Web site URL:

Phone: (503) 951-3807



Please limit your response to each of the following questions to about 75 words.


1. To an outsider, how would you describe the region you wish to represent -- geographically,
economically, politically and socially? Marion County is diverse is all of the ways presented.
There is flat, rich farmland, especially in the northwest; there are mountains and forests in the
east along with pristine rivers. Marion County is predominantly republican and conservative but
it is one of the few places with the voter registration so close that elections can be competitive.
Socially Marion County is home to a large Hispanic population and Salem has a growing Pacific
Islander community. The State of Oregon is a major employer but average salaries in Marion
County are below the state average.


2. What are the positives and negatives of this region (district, county or state) that you wish to
represent? Any strength has a corresponding weakness. That agriculture is the main industry is
a plus and uses the rich soil well; but agricultural jobs do not have high pay. The forests in the
east are beautiful and provide great recreation, but most of them are owned by other governments
and the county has less benefit from them. Jobs in the santiam canyon are hard to come by, yet
the area is one of great beauty and the need for jobs must be balanced by the preservation of the
environment.


3. What specific skills and experiences do you bring to the position that would help turn those
negatives into positives? I play well with others, I can bring people of opposing views together
and at least talk to each other, I can organize groups to achieve goals. I believe that I have a
good sense of balance and finding the balance between agriculture, environment, and jobs will be
difficult and I want to be part of that process.


5. What separates you from your opponent(s)? Be specific. We have different backgrounds
which bring us to public service. Mine is land use and I think that the County has been only OK
in protecting the publics interest in land use.


6. Please list five specific accomplishments that you have achieved in politics or civic affairs: I
began the Campaign for Equal Justice Luncheon for Marion and Polk counties. This is the single
event which raises the most money for the Campaign. We started at $15,000 and now raise well
over $50,000. As president of Salem City Club, which was declining when I joined, I moved
meetings from an I-5 location to Mission Mill, aggressively pursued new members, and left my
time in office with a cash surplus after years of being in the red. I was director of the local
Volunteer Lawyer Project where I recruited attorneys, distributed cases, and I wrote a grant for
the projects expansion. In Woodburn I was part of a group which started a local community
theater which brought a lot of new people to Downtown Woodburn. I also was the chair of the
site council events committee and was able to successfully plan events at the school which
attracted all ethnicities in the community.


7. How much will your General Election campaign cost (be specific)? I came to the campaign
late and will raise only a small amount to be credible may $10,000.


8. Have you ever been convicted of a crime, been disciplined by a professional licensing
board/organization or had an ethics violation filed against you? If so, please give the details. No


9. Have you ever filed for bankruptcy, been delinquent on your taxes or other major accounts, or
been sued personally or professionally? If so, please give the details.No



10. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected, and how? (75 words
for each issue)

A. Land use issues around the Aurora Airport which are threatening farm land and even worse,
threaten to open French Prairie to development from Metro

B. Stopping children from having children. Marion County has a high teen pregnancy rate and
the current county programs are ineffective. I want to get different programs which have
been proven effective.

C. Encourage more citizen participation and have more evening meetings and do much more
outreach into the Latino community.


11. What do you see as other important issues? There are tons: reducing response times for the
sheriffs office; emergency preparedness for the earthquake; supporting education including
work training programs at Chemeketa; more effective use of lottery dollars.




12. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that you should
disclose before it comes up in the campaign? Anything (including health issues) that would
affect your ability to serve your full term? Any changes in your life situation that are
contemplated or expected before the election or before you would take office? No health issues
and I dont see major life changes down the road. My husband was chronically ill for 20 years
and with his knowledge I had a long relationship with another man. I could not divorce my
husband without him losing my health insurance coverage which he could not lose and survive.
He died in 2012 and the other relationship ended at about the same time.


Thank you. Please return this questionnaire to the Editorial Board as an attached Word document to
Salemed@StatesmanJournal.com by the requested deadline.