MICHAEL J COURTNEY
OCCUPATION: Transportation Equipment Designer / International Manufacturing support
OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND: Gunderson, LLC from 10/1988 to present. Prior experience as Machine Shop Foreman, entrepreneur, construction and equipment installer.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: St. Charles Grade School, Benson Polytechnic 1972-1976; Engineering Technology Portland CC 1976-1978 AA; General Studies Portland State University 1979-1980; Machine Tool Technology Mount Hood CC 1989-1990
PRIOR GOVERNMENTAL EXPERIENCE: None
As your Commissioner I promise to serve the public with integrity, rather than personal or special interests; to strive for a stable public workforce, a business friendly government, a vibrant private sector, a restored infrastructure and basic services. Let's get our city back to the basics and out of our business.
While building my career, raising my family, building and supporting youth training and care centers, and supporting my government I rested in the misbegotten belief that our leaders were also doing their part. I'm awake now. Through political inbreeding, nepotism, cronyism, special interests and non-competitive bidding practices they corrupt the future of our community.
City Hall is a notorious auditor's nightmare. They have expanded their reach into areas that have drained money from our basic services and have competed with private enterprise. In this contracting economy we can no longer afford their wildest dreams. We have traded our children's future opportunity for present appeasements.
Calling on US AG office to judge the Portland Police Department was a national ‘no confidence' message from our commissioner against a department that has reduced violent crime by 31% since 2004. We should follow the wisdom of past administrators and move to exclude federal intrusion into Portland's affairs, not invite it.
We are watching an exodus of families and businesses flee our community. Government response? To create new taxes, fines, fees, penalties and licensing schemes to punish the survivors. This has drawn national attention to our area as Mayor Daley, the Port of Kalama and the State of Nevada have come shopping for the businesses that are leaving.
(This information furnished by Michael Courtney)
The above information has not been verified for accuracy by Multnomah County.