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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| Name | Jim Francesconi |
| Address |
Portland, Oregon , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
Unknown
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| Contributor | Ralphie |
| Last Modifed | Ralphie
Sep 29, 2004 03:54am |
| Tags |
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| Info | Jim Francesconi has been working to make Portland a better place for thirty years. His commitment to quality and equality for all Portlanders compelled him to volunteer when he chose Portland as his home, and he hasn’t slowed down since.
Jim’s service started when he donated his time and effort to help his neighbors through St. Andrews Church community programs. This work taught Jim that serious problems can be addressed by people who bring their skills, their time, and their concern to their community in an organized way. He started looking for opportunities to make more of a difference.
The gap between Portland’s wealthy and members of the community who struggle is important to Jim for many reasons: the lack of quality of life and equality in opportunity for some impacts the quality of life for all. Jim realized one of the most meaningful things he could do is give Portland’s disadvantaged young people a real chance. He became a leader in the Portland Organizing Project, and co-founded the Youth Employment and Empowerment Coalition.
The Coalition is one of the most rewarding things Jim has done. Multiplying Jim’s abilities through his leadership of other volunteers, he created a synergy that touched the lives of over 700 disadvantaged, gang-involved youth. The Coalition placed those teens in jobs with more than 250 private-sector employers. Jim loved this work because he learned that the public sector and the private sector can and will work together to solve real problems and make a difference in the lives of people who need help the most. There is no amount of tax dollars that could have given these kids the opportunities they received from the Coalition. Jim values the lessons learned from this work, and continues to apply them in finding ways to solve problems by bringing together the folks who can make a difference on all kinds of problems.
One of Jim’s highest priorities is creating stable neighborhoods supported by nearby family-wage jobs. Jim realized that the Outer Southeast area of Portland was a proud neighborhood with many long-time residents, but at risk of decline because of a lack of economic development. By pushing PDC to focus on this area, and convincing other members of City Council to make it a priority, Jim brought government resources to provide the seed money for change that will help families stay in Lents, with new opportunities.
Of course, Portland can’t help its kids and its neighborhoods unless the Mayor and City Council support businesses of all sizes. Jim knows that 80% of our jobs come from small business, so he has worked as a volunteer and a member of City Council to improve Portland’s business climate. He has been a board member of the Private Industry Council, the Workforce Quality Council, the Governor’s Task Force on Worker’s Compensation Reform, the Urban League of Portland, the Mayor’s Business Roundtable, the International Air Service Committee, and an ex-officio member of Portland Downtown Services, Inc.
These activities have given Jim a well-rounded understanding of the obstacles government has put in the way of small business success. Jim understands that taxes, burdensome permitting processes, and an affordable community that will draw qualified workers are all problems that need to be addressed, quickly and effectively.
Jim’s community leadership experience, his understanding of all aspects of city government, and his commitment to quality and equality for all Portlanders make him the best person to bring efficiencies to government that will benefit small businesses, and build a viable economy to attract new, significant employers. The combination is what it takes to have a diverse, strong economy that will benefit everyone.
All of these pieces have to fit together to make a community that can educate our kids and where families can live in safe, affordable housing. Jim’s experience in public safety and education are exactly what Portland needs now. Jim has served on the Regional Drug Initiative for eight years. He was a member of the Public Safety Coordinating Council, the governor’s Juvenile Justice Task Force Subcommittee, Chair of the State of Oregon Juvenile Services Commission, and Chair of the State Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. He has been an advocate for affordable housing and for strong public schools.
Jim’s biography is important because actions speak louder than words. Jim’s 30-year history of service demonstrates a man of initiative, commitment, and skill who has always had the same value: quality and equality for Portland. Quality and equality for businesses, families, kids, and schools, achieved through the leadership it takes to bring Portlanders together to make this a better city.
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