Our candidate interview series continues this week with Shannon Estabrook, a retired Portland Community College instructor and seasoned political campaigner who has volunteered with Democratic Party campaigns stretching back to Robert Kennedy’s in 1968. Estabrook is now focused on her own campaign for City Commissioner Position 4, and visited us to share her vision of how art and culture fits in to Portland’s future.

3:34 On what art can do for students
“[Art] is what motivates us and it’s what young, 20s, and 30s, and older students can get exposed to and motivate a creativity that perhaps they didn’t even know they had.”

7:01 On what is working
“I’m apprehensive that many of the programs for youth and adults are too costly in the private sector. It’s rare that a family of four can afford tickets to go see the symphony. So I applaud the efforts made by the private sector for concerts in the park in the summer, and bringing art to schools.”

9:36 On the 2015 budget surplus that was not spent on arts and culture
“It’s shameful in any budget that education and arts and math and science are put on the bottom rung. I can’t imagine what they spent [the budget surplus] for…I’ve taught for over 30 years now. It never ceases to amaze me that they put education at the bottom.”

12:03 On the Arts Tax
I support [the Arts Tax] 100%—I believe in my entire life since age 18 I have never voted down any bond or tax that funds education. I have some complaints that they have made it very complicated for people…it’s punitive to the working poor. However they do need to collect from those who can afford it.”

15:56 On the real estate market and its impact on affordable housing
“I am adamant in the fact that this [housing] bubble will break. You can look back in the 80s, 90s, and 2010 and 2012. It won’t last forever and it’s funny money.”

16:44 On rent control
“I am adamant about supporting [rent control]… I am all for that. The state is leading the way on that, and Portland needs to follow it. This bubble will drop, and we will get rent control.”

21:47 On how we can encourage access to the arts for a more diverse group of Portlanders
“We need children, we need youth, we need the elderly…we need all voices. And in that regard we need to have the folks that can afford it help advertise it and help fund it, with no strings attached.”

22:27 On the section of SW 12th downtown, stretching from PSU to Burnside
“I’ve lived in every part of the city, nearly…and I observe. I walk 6-8 miles a day. I love what they are doing on 12th street, I love it…it’s alive with the elderly, children, homeless folks…it keeps our heritage.”