Editor's note: Oregon Abigail Adams Voter Education Project equips voters with information on how candidates stand on issues through a questionnaire process featured in comparison guides.

Kevin Mannix is a practicing business law attorney representing small businesses, churches, private schools, and non-profit agencies. He served as a state legislator for 10 years. He became Oregon’s leading crime victim advocate, authoring Measure 11 and Measure 73 in 2010. which formed mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes. He has successfully stood up to a government run wild, including fighting Governor Brown's punishing mandates and successfully defeating the largest tax increase in Oregon history. He also backs law enforcement, fully funding police, and restoring the criminal justice system with prevention, accountability and rehabilitation.

Challenger Ramiro Navarro went from taking the United States oath at 18, to an Army Veteran, worked as a Veteran’s Representative at Chemeketa Community College and Project ABLE supporting veterans with mental health services, to a business owner of Oregon’s Finest Automotive, and now running for Senate District 21. He says “I will legislate not from a position of authority, but as a person who knows the issues impacting the most vulnerable in our community.” He currently serves on the Cherriots Board advocating for public transportation, and recently spoke during a virtual forum with the Marion County Democratic Party where he expressed a top priority will be to eliminate gas cars to clear the way for electric cars. He says, “I’ve advocated for investing in cleaner public transit to support the mobility of low-income Oregonians and protect our environment.”

Navarro says, “We need to make major investments in affordable housing to support working families and take transformative steps to make healthcare more affordable. Focusing on these policies will help everyone by stimulating our economy.” He showed his passion in the Marion County Democratic Party meeting using strong language to show his support for universal health care and to raise taxes to fund it.

Mannix says, “the homelessness problem is actually a symptom of the failure to address a number of issues. The state needs to develop a comprehensive backstop system for counties, cities, non-governmental organizations, and churches to be able to better address homelessness issues. He proposes strengthening the capability to require drug-addicted and alcohol-addicted persons to enter treatment facilities, staffing and training for facilities, work programs for homeless, and research what’s working across the nation.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Mannix has dedicated much of his life to promoting school choice and parental rights in our kids’ education. Mannix founded Blanchet Catholic School in Salem and will fight to stop the one-size-fits all policies putting a barrier between parents and curriculum in the classroom. He sees a need to expand school choice, provide a voucher program for parents of children with disabilities, a tax credit for businesses sponsoring scholarships, and grants to help private schools expand their capabilities in certain academic areas.

Navarro sees a “need to prioritize child care so working families can get a leg up and build a better life for their children.” His focus is on more funding for education and head start programs so our children have the support they need to thrive.

Mannix wants to keep taxes low making Oregon more affordable for working families. He says, “We need a comprehensive review of Oregon’s tax system so as to enhance business development and employment growth, while lowering taxes and fees for working Oregonians.” He proposes removing the Oregon death tax and the CAP system, establish caps on income taxes, and clarifying exemptions from personal property taxes.

Navarro says he will always protect your bodily autonomy, your right to medical privacy and ability to access an abortion. He says that is why he is the only candidate endorsed by Planned Parenthood and Pro Choice Oregon.

Mannix believes he can represent minorities from spending many years of his childhood in Latin America living in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Panama while his father served in the Foreign Service. While in Latin America, Kevin attended private Spanish immersion schools and is fluent in Spanish. He serves as President of the Salem Catholic Schools Foundation and founded Blanchet Catholic School serving on the Board. He says, “I believe that life begins at conception and public policy should be designed to support life. I am endorsed by Oregon Right to Life.”

The two are challenged by Michael Morrow running for the Libertarian Party. His responses to the OAA questionnaire places him as a moderate candidate.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2022-10-06 08:16:35

Last Update: 2022-10-05 10:05:03