Why are you running for City Council?
David Miller: I’m running for Milwaukie City Council because I believe our city has the opportunity to become a place that we as citizens can be proud of. There is a real need for someone to represent the citizens and work for the best interests of the city, not forgetting that it is the needs of the citizens that must be foremost in any decision. I’m not a professional politician. I am simply a man who wants to give something back to a community that has been very good to him.
Greg Chaimov: Milwaukie is a wonderful city. I hope to continue to serve on the council because I believe that the experience I’ve gained working with the people of Milwaukie will help make the city an even better place in which to live and work. To be a successful councilor, you need to build relationships throughout the city and the region. From digging weeds in Homewood Park to helping the Historic Milwaukie neighborhood clean up downtown to chairing the ibrary board to leading a neighborhood, I’ve worked to make Milwaukie a better place. From being active in the community, I’ve earned the respect of other area leaders, including county commissioners and Metro councilors. That gives me the ability to work with those leaders to benefit the city, or when necessary, to stand up to them.
What is your position on light rail?
DM: I do not support the idea of light rail. There is no doubt that the city will grow and as a community we need to have the infrastructure to support that growth. The light rail system is just too expensive for the small percentage of commuters that ride it. I believe we need to address the transportation needs of the majority of the population and light rail simply does not accomplish this goal.
GC: With the prospect of $4 gas and more and more cars on McLoughlin, we have to improve mass transit. For a town the size of Milwaukie, I prefer street cars to light rail trains. Street cars take up less space, cost less, and are quieter. But street cars can’t move as many people as quickly. It’s a tough issue because some residents whose opinions I greatly respect believe that light rail is necessary to improve the city’s livability and other residents whose opinions I also greatly respect believe that light rail will hurt the city’s livability. One bottom line is that, whatever transportation system comes to Milwaukie, Chief Kanzler must be satisfied that the people of Milwaukie will be safe.
Milwaukie News
