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Former broadcaster to challenge Stern
Mary Starrett
Yamhill County Commissioner Mary Stern will face opposition when she seeks re-election in May. Mary Starrett, communication director for the conservative Constitution Party, filed for the race Tuesday.
Starrett, 55, was born in Brooklyn. After earning a degree in broadcasting at Emerson College in Boston, she spent 17 years as a reporter and news anchor with KATU-TV, Channel 6 in Portland.
She entered the political scene as a talk radio host at KPDQ in Portland. She made her first run for public office in 2006 as the Constitution Party's gubernatorial candidate, garnering 3.6 percent of the vote.
"I never planned to run for political office," she said, but felt it was time to try again.
The county needs more efficient and transparent fiscal management, Starrett said. As an example, she cited "the helicopter debacle" over the summer, which arose with Information Services Manager Murray Paolo was demoted after being accused of misusing air support funds.
"That, to me, was a crime," Starrett said. Commissioners need to prevent that kind of misappropriation, she said, saying that made it difficult for her to entrust her property taxes to the county.
Starrett, a long-time resident of Parrett Mountain, east of Newberg near the county line, said she agrees with some recent county decisions, however.
The decision to approve Riverbend Landfill's expansion application was a good one, she said. "Studies have shown the situation there is under control," she said, and she is comfortable with the proposal.
She chose Stern as an opponent rather than Kathy George, who also faces re-election, because they are "polar opposites." "Our political ideologies are diametrically opposed," she said.
Starrett said she believes government should be a good steward of the public's money and interests, keeping fees and taxes as low as possible. If elected, she'd hang a figurative sign on her office door saying, "Yamhill County under new management: yours."
Fostering private business expansion would also be a priority, she said, as would further capitalizing on the many crops grown in the Yamhill Valley. She cited the organic and local food movements as creating a perfect market for valley's products.
Overall, now seemed like the time to run, she said. "At this juncture we're seeing a perfect storm for people who are discontented with the status quo," she said.
Stern, a lawyer by profession, has not yet filed. But she said Tuesday that she plans to.
George, whose family farms in the Newberg area, has already filed. As of Tuesday, she had no opposition.
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Mon, 12/14/2009 - 1:19am - Posted by: jcoburn
Thankfully Mary Starrett is going to run for this office. People are fed up with business as usual. It is painfully obvious that Eleanor is just a hack for the democrats. Mary Starrett will look out for the citizens of Yamhill County, that is more than can be said of Stern. Stern has not met a tax she is not enamored with, a hard decision she can't flee from ,and you call that good leadership? Mary Stern is nothing more than Yamhill County's mouthpiece of Obama rhetoric. NO THANKS!
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 12:35am - Posted by: anglingaddict
"Don't ask for life to be easy, ask for it to be worth it!" - Danni Johnson
Boy, these are typical comments from the same people who think it is so bad to "stereotype", "pigeonhole" or place people in a caste system. It's just fine for them to sit back and judge a person, who they do not know, based solely on their looks, their political affiliation, moral convictions, etc.. Yet they wouldn't DARE tolerate anyone tossing the same "stone" back at their camp! GROW UP PEOPLE!!!!!!
This playground bully attitude is a core problem with our government today at all levels!
Thanks for reading my $.02. :)
A.A.
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 4:04pm - Posted by: Winchester
Eleanor- “Hey! Winchester, I agree with "carpet-bagging,"
…I wasn’t actually criticizing eastern US-er’s, the Real Mary hales from Boston. I was criticizing the Portland Metro set having set up house just-inside a bordering county, spending their working time in P-Town or Salem while voting against anything the deeper county residents need. I didn’t know Ms Starrett “lived” in our county … but apparently Neal Lockhart did!
Regarding “the "pretty face," the teeth that could afford adequate dental attention, the flirty, sophisticated high dollar hair coif, expensive clothing…” A Sarah Palin clone! … A media model cashing in on politics while bashing government! Can you imagine how fast she’d bolt if offered a more lucrative media/governmental opportunity? Same cloth – and quite porous.
Speaking of incomes, Senator John Kerry was interviewed yesterday (for a full hour) by Charlie Rose. Asked what he thought America most needed, he answered with no hesitation: “Campaign finance reform” - “Getting the money out of American Politics.” If it takes millionaires to become US Senators, it apparently takes those well above the average income to gain even county commission seats.
Beyond the money, what they do for the people is paramount. In the race above I suspect the challenger is more interested in protecting wealth while selling out/off Yamhill County – while the current commissioner will continue to look out for the welfare of the average county resident.
Fri, 12/04/2009 - 3:52pm - Posted by: carlrye
eleanorwittering wrote: people won't see the "pretty face," the teeth that could afford adequate dental attention, the flirty, sophisticated high dollar hair coif, ....................
Yeah she aint no Pelosi. haha. It amazes me how the left (so called party of diversity) Puts down any woman running for an office that is not leftest. So much for the party of womans rights and supposed non sexism. You all crack me up.
Thu, 12/03/2009 - 10:29pm - Posted by: eleanorwittering
Hey! Winchester, I agree with "carpet-bagging," but though I was born and partially raised in these parts I spent part of my developmental years in New England. There are folks in the east who feel exactly as I do (as you do)--and, would as easily call an individual whether form the east or any where else a "carpetbagger" if they deserved the title.
I agree with you, I suspect, with her positions, especially as a Constitution Party member and as one who supports the disastrous and misrepresented (lies) Riverbend Landfill's expansion, I suspect she's in it solely for the money (oh, right, power, can be pretty heady). It's my hope people won't see the "pretty face," the teeth that could afford adequate dental attention, the flirty, sophisticated high dollar hair coif, expensive clothing and think, "yea, she's just like me, she shares my values."
Not on your life does she share my values or my struggles--when Yamhill County's median salary is $29,943.00 (and decreasing with unemployment rising)--and I can't even keep my youngest in college anymore, it's pretty obvious this woman is way out of our league. (And, not that Mary Stern is in my league either, earning $56,000.15 alongside her husband's W.O.W. executive salary... which is way out of league with most Yamhill County Residents--and is the reason she (Mary Stern) recused herself from voting on the Riverbend Landfill proposal, allowing Kathy George and Leslie Lewis to carry the day.
...in essence 'a 3 to 0 verdict on Yamhill County Residents, each vote money driven.
Bumber, now I've depressed myself!!!!
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 4:11pm - Posted by: Winchester
A typical carpet-begging “easterner!” Camped out just far enough into Yamhill County to ignore its infrastructure. Sure – Ms Starrett’s ready to vote against everything -- except a Dump!
Just like her ideological colleges on the commission, they’ve got the metro area next door, so why pay for the needs of this county?
A Constitutionalist? At least the Gary George family (including Kathy) went only as far as Libertarian. This is an extreme Yamhill County should avoid at all costs!
Thu, 12/03/2009 - 2:05pm - Posted by: zeke
If "instilling fear on the gullible" is the measuring stick of a non-worthy candidate, then there are few who fit. The same applies to ballot measures and the supporters/opposition. How many ads forcast doom, one way or the other? It's about the only trend that never changes.
Thu, 12/03/2009 - 12:46pm - Posted by: Akupara
She's already lost my vote. As Eleanor stated, being a member of the Constitution party virtually guarantees ignorance of the Constitution. A little bit of online research into her opinions confirmed that, and left me a little disgusted at the thought that she might have a chance of winning if she follows her parties usual tactics of instilling fear on the gullible.
Wed, 12/02/2009 - 9:31pm - Posted by: eleanorwittering
...if she a member of the Constitution Party one knows right off the bat she's never read the U.S. Constitution (or, if she has, she didn't understand one article of it). ...and, being in favor of Riverbend Landfill's expansion means she's not interested in the health & wellbeing of the people of our county and that she's likely moneyed up (or will be moneyed up by people outside our state). Mary (Stern), get those running shoes warm!!!!