Why are you running for city councilor, and what do you bring to the table that your opponents do not?
I am running for city councilor in Tigard because I want to serve my community. I represent some segments of the population that have not always been heard, such as retirees in Summerfield, teachers, and highly skilled immigrants who have come here legally to contribute their knowledge to big corporations and them grow. My broad experience working for the public administration sector in Colombia and other Latin American countries for over 20 years gives me familiarity with how Tigard is evolving. I have advised organizations on strategic plans and can transfer this experience into working with programs, projects, and committees here in Tigard.
I bring to the table extensive professional experience that has been cultivated in different organizations and educational institutions. I have also taught diverse topics in business administration, labor relations, and professional growth at a number of universities, colleges, and schools. I do not know much about the other candidates, but they will surely have varied and valuable experiences as well.
What is your #1 priority, and what are you proposing we do about it?
My main priority as prospective councilor is environmental quality and climate change. I have studied the Council’s Comprehensive Plan 2027 in which Environmental Quality is one of eight objectives. For over ten years I developed initiatives on Climate Change as a member of the Sustainability Network at Hewlett-Packard in Corvallis and in Roseville, California.
In Corvallis I led a program called “IPG as Global Citizen,” the main goal of which was to reduce carbon emissions at the company’s plant in Corvallis to zero. In Roseville we led discussion courses, sponsored jointly by Hewlett-Packard and the Lincoln Public Library, on environmental issues, following the methodology of the Northwest Earth Institute, then based in Portland.
Among the actions and activities that I could promote and support in Tigard are the following:
- Review what has been done in terms of the municipality’s operational practices and make them sustainable in the long term;
- Establish alliances with the city’s schools to foster awareness of the care of the earth and the sustainability of nature;
- Make businesses and industries in the city comply with the environmental regulations of the federal government and the state of Oregon;
- Promote and participate in the planting of trees that reduce pollution and mitigate the impact of urban development and improve air quality;
- Increase and improve opportunities for walking, cycling, or scootering, reducing dependence on private cars and using public transportation more.
To accomplish this, I believe that the City’s authorities and officials should be in better touch with citizens, informing them and capturing their concerns, complaints, and suggestions.
You can learn more about Rafael Palacios by visiting www.linkedin.com/in/rafaelpalacioscortes or contact Mr. Palacios directly at 916-543-1396 or rafaelpalacioscortes@gmail.com
