Ross Swartzendruber Questionnaire

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Statesman Journal mini-questionnaire for 2012 General Election

Thank you for responding to this questionnaire, which is for use by Statesman Journal EditorialBoard members in evaluating candidates for potential endorsements in the Nov. 6 GeneralElection. Your answers also will be shared with reporters and may be published in the print

newspaper and on StatesmanJournal.com.

If you completed our questionnaire for the primary season, youll notice that some requestedinformation is similar. We ask you to provide it again in case any of your previous data oranswers have changed. (If you cant find a copy of your previous answers, let us know and wellgladly send one.)

Please answer each question and return this questionnaire to the Editorial Board via email as anattached Word document. The boards email address: [email protected]

Deadline for submitting your questionnaire: 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, or earlier.

Questions? Contact Editorial Page Editor Dick Hughes, 503-399-6727,dhughes@StatesmanJournal.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your name: Ross Swartzendruber

Age: 48

(If your age will change before the Nov. 6 election, please indicate your birthday. We want to make sure we useaccurate ages in editorials and news coverage. )

Political party (if this is a partisan office): Democratic

Position you are seeking (name of position, district number): State Representative HD 23

I plan to attend the editorial board meeting scheduled for: Friday, September 28. 11:00 a.m.

Number of years living in the area you seek to represent: 43

Do you affirm that you are a full-time resident of that area? Yes.

City/town of residence: Salem, OR


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Family (name of spouse/partner, number and ages of children if at home, number of grown children):Tanja Langen, spouse, Lillian, 9, Henry, 6, Rose 6,

Education: Amity High School 1982, BA in Biology, Boston University, 1988

Current occupation and employer: Advertising Executive, Black Sheep Advertising, Inc.

Military service: NA

Employment history: Founded Black Sheep Advertising, Inc. in 1997

Community involvement/volunteer history: Leadership Salem 2002-2003, Co-founder, Mid-

Valley Video Festival 2004-present, founder, Salem Creative Network, 2009

Please list all public offices to which youve been elected, and when: NA

Please list any unsuccessful candidacies for public office, and when: NA

Other prior political and government experience:Appointed by Verne Duncan to Superintendent of Public Instruction Student Advisory

Committee, 1981-82Creative Economy Council 2011-present

How much your general election campaign will cost:$50,000

Key endorsements you have received:SEIU, OEA, OLCV

How the public can reach your campaign (remember that this information may be published):

Mail address: Friends of Ross, P.O. Box 5124, Salem, OR 97304

E-mail address: [email protected]

Web site URL: friendsofross.org

Phone: 503-551-2818


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Fax: 503-364-1403

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

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

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

3. Why should people vote for you? What separates you from your opponent(s)? I have

experience in getting stakeholders to work together in achieving success.

4. What are the three most important issues you would address if elected? How? (75 words for eachissue)

A. Renewable EnergyRural Oregon has the resources to produce all the power they need that are currently beingwasted. By expanding the feed-in-tariff, rural Oregon could sell excess power and increaserevenue for distressed communities.

B. Health CareRepresentation is needed to keep the Oregon health insurance exchange focused on helpingindividuals and small businesses. By cutting overhead costs, investing in wellness and healthpromotion and other measures, we'll get better care, better health and more affordable insurance.

C. Personal FreedomsI will uphold the Constitution to preserve citizen freedoms in my district and all of Oregon.

5. What do you see as other important issues? Policy affecting rural populations need betteradvocacy. Land use zoning laws and food issues are also important.

6. How would you describe your political style or for judicial candidates, your judicialtemperament? My political style is open and forthright to adequately represent my constituents.

7. If you are an incumbent, what have you achieved during your current term? If you are not anincumbent, how have you prepared yourself for this position?I create organizations that bring stakeholders together to facilitate innovation.


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8. What is the largest budget you have handled, and in what capacity?1.2 million, brokered for homeowners and small businesses.

9. What is the largest number of employees youve supervised, and in what capacity?

1 fulltime, at Pop Up art gallery. 120 volunteers at Cherry City Music Festival

10. Who is your role model for this office the person/people you would most like to emulate?Tom McCall

11. Any skeletons in your closet or other potentially embarrassing information that you want todisclose before it comes up in the campaign? No.

12. As a public official, your views on public issues are relevant to voters and potentialconstituents. Please indicate whether you support or oppose each of these statewide measures on

the Nov. 6 ballot. (This question does not apply to judicial candidates.)

Measure 77, catastrophic disaster Yes/No

Measure 78, separation of powers Yes/No

Measure 79, real estate transfer taxes Yes/No

Measure 80, marijuana legalization Yes/No

Measure 81, gillnetting ban Yes/No

Measure 82, allows private casinos Yes/No

Measure 83, authorizes Wood Village casino Yes/No

Measure 84, eliminates inheritance tax Yes/No

Measure 85 shifts corporate kicker to K-12 schools Yes/No

Thank you. Again, please submit your questionnaire as an attached Word document to

[email protected] no later than 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012.

Ross Swartzendruber Questionnaire

Documents

Transcript of Ross Swartzendruber Questionnaire