Giving everyone a voice

She decided to throw her hat in the ring out of the belief that Mayor Steve Lawrence has been running his own agenda for almost four years and silencing opposing voices.

“Decisions need to be made in the open, not behind closed doors,” said Harris. “Even when there is disagreement, a transparent process leads to well thought out policies that benefit everyone.”

In addition to challenging Lawrence, a retired trial lawyer, Harris is facing off with Solea Kabakov, a sales representative.

Harris contends it is time to stop Lawrence from unilaterally picking “winners and losers” in the development arena.

When he favors a proposal, Harris said developers are given downtown buildings to renovate — others are required to pay full market value.

By placing himself on the staff review team, she said Lawrence can control the flow of information to the Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Advisory Committee.

She said that group may never see what the original proposal was because aspects will have been stripped out at Lawrence’s behest before the revised application crosses the table.

It is unfair to have the mayor on the staff committee at all, said Harris, because he may be called upon to hear an appeal of the advisory group’s decision, when he’s already altered the applications.

“This is not the right way to do things,” said Harris.

“A councilor and member of the advisory committee pointed out that all of the information should have been presented to the public for consideration and I agree.”

She believes Lawrence did not want to see the Hilton Garden resort and conference center proposed by developer Michael Leash become reality because that complex would have created competition for the Civic Auditorium, which the mayor champions.

Harris no longer supports Leash’s plans to develop the Granada block, a proposal rejected by the Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency, comprised of city councilors and the mayor.

“That was an opportunity that was missed due to the council letting it go and not closing the gaps,” she said.

“They should have been jumping at the chance to work with Hilton and Walsh Construction.

The revenue our city would have received in taxes was staggering. It solved major parking issues as well. Michael needs to take the opportunity elsewhere, and he will.”

She met Leash seven years ago and they dated for two.

“Since then, we have remained the best of friends — I love him and his family and he loves me and mine,” said Harris.

She believes that her background is conducive to bringing people together to focus on common goals.

“Community before politics,” is her campaign motto.

In her vision for The Dalles, Harris said there is room to support the Civic and any other renovation or development.

“I want it all,” she said. “This mentality of, ‘If you win, I lose,’ is so old school. Progress is — everyone wins.”

Harris, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, holds an industrial and governmental marketing degree from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and tackled three jobs in Washington, D.C., to make ends meet, so she knows what it’s like to work hard.

She also knows what it is like to earn rewards for hard work, something she wants local youth to have the chance to experience if they stay or return home after high school graduation.

Her career began with knocking on doors to sell office equipment and ended with her working as a national sales manager for computers.

When marriage and three children came along, Harris spent six years as a stay at home mom in Portland, where she and her husband had chosen to live.

During that time, her attention turned to fundraising for United Way programs and she regularly spoke to groups of 300 or more people.

“That was a passionate experience,” she said.

Her marriage ended in 2002 and Harris decided to move to The Dalles so that her three children, now grown, would remain within close geographic distance of their father.

“I could have gone back east but, lo and behold, I found a town in a stunning location next to a river – and there was sunshine. I didn’t even know there was sunshine in the state of Oregon,” said Harris.

She and her ex-husband remained respectful of each other in co-parenting and got along well enough as the years went on that he also moved to The Dalles and now lives a few blocks away.

Harris is the daughter of an Air Force colonel and the youngest of six children. She said the family lived in 16 different locations due to her father’s military career.

Honoring veterans comes naturally to Harris, who has four older brothers who have been officers in the Air Force and Navy.

“We called the military our ‘family’ business,” said Harris.

She and her sister became self-employed entrepreneurs.

Fourteen years ago, Harris entered the real estate business and she now owns and manages properties in Oregon, Illinois and Wisconsin.

She is in the process of buying the building that now houses the Vault Bistro and Lounge, a business she purchased from Leash in May.

Harris is also selling off several properties in Chicago with plans to reinvest those funds in The Dalles.

“I’m not just committing my time and energy to be mayor, I’m putting my money into this town,” she said.

“We need change, change is good. It’s time!”

Not only does Harris want to create programs that bring more businesses to town, she wants homeowners to get tax breaks for improving their properties.

“This label ‘Dirty Dalles’ pertains to our appearance as well as our politics. I want to clean all of that up,” she said.

Harris invites people interested in learning more about her campaign to visit her campaign website http://www.harrisformayor.com/ or call her at 541-980-7292.