Kevin Mannix has served as an Oregon legislator, assistant Oregon attorney general and vice chairman of the Oregon Republican Party. A 1974 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Mannix has been a lawyer for 27 years. He served five terms as a state representative before term limits forced him out of office in 2001. Mannix served as an assistant attorney general from 1975 to 1977, and most recently lost a close statewide election for attorney general to incumbent Hardy Myers in 2000. Mannix lives with his family in Salem.
Q: What experience do you bring to the table that makes you a unique candidate for governor?
A: I was a student councilor at the University of Virginia, also student council vice president and college representative on our university council. In addition I served as photographer for The Cavalier Daily, our newspaper. I served on a number of committees as an undergraduate and supported the movement in Virginia to get a student on the board of visitors, which is the board of directors for the University of Virginia. I’m chairman of the board for a high school in Salem where I insisted we have these high school student council presidents sit on the board as a non-voting members. So I have a unique perspective as a student activist who fought for co-education at the University of Virginia, who fought for affirmative action for African-Americans at the University of Virginia. I remember those days of dealing with what I’ll call the power structure and challenging young people to communicate and participate in that process.
As governor I’ll be paying attention to students. I remember what it was like trying to get the attention of the Virginia General Assembly and the governor of Virginia on issues, and I appreciated it then when elected officials listened to students and I intend to do so as governor.
Q: Why should students take an interest in this primary election, and how are you campaigning to increase student turnout?
A: Students should take an interest in every election because critical issues affecting higher education funding come up every time. As one of the strongest proponents for higher education funding, actually talking about specific increases, I want to encourage student participation in the primary and in the general election.
I’ve visited the University of Oregon, I’ve visited Oregon State University, I’ve visited Portland State University, Eastern Oregon, in other words I’ve gotten out. I’ve been out to Lane Community College. I intend to be continuing to visit the campuses throughout the campaign and talking to students, and I welcome that opportunity for interchange and hopefully that way I excite students to be part of the process.
Q: Would you back initiatives to raise tuition at Oregon universities beyond the 3 percent a year cap?
A: No, unless we also increase grants, aid and merit-based scholarships, so that any student who is in a need situation will not be forced out of school, and students with good capabilities can be recognized. The cap on tuition increases, which I supported as a legislator, is an important means of insuring access. If any university wants to have the leeway to impose higher tuition, I want to make sure that we have a guarantee that need grants will increase to match that and that we also add on some merit grants beyond the need grants so we can encourage quality students to stay in our state.
Q: Do you support higher pay for university faculty?
A: I do support higher pay for higher education faculty and that is part of the funding package I’ve talked about, $150 million more in the first biennium and $200 million more in the next biennium. Some real dollars that can be applied to these institutions to enhance pay.
Q: How do you plan to help students afford college when scholarship funding in this state is being cut?
A: I intend to reverse that trend. I intend to increase the scholarship funding, both on the need side and the merit side, and also intend to make it available on a better basis for our private institutions. We are substantially below the national average in grants and aid for students to attend institutions of higher education whether public or private. My goal is to get to or above the average within my first four years in office.
Q: Oregon Universities are facing record enrollment rates, and at the same time funding is being cut. How do you propose that Oregon universities keep a high quality of education?
A: Well in terms of the funding process, I will begin with providing state resources. As to increasing enrollment, I think that’s an opportunity, not a bad thing. It’s just great that students are continuing on to higher education. We should have the money follow the students. The state needs to keep its promise and provide additional funds to accommodate students. It’s a complex process: undergraduate level programs have to be guaranteed, base level programs need to be guaranteed at each institution, advanced undergraduate programs have to be built up, graduate programs have to be built up, and at the same time we need to find money for research and extension services. When I look at the whole ball of wax, the $150 million I talked about in the first biennium and $200 million in the next biennium, it’s designed to help accommodate growth. If we have more growth than projected, I will step in with additional funds. I see it as a great thing for our young people at our institutions, and I want to take advantage of that to improve the quality of our institutions.
Q: How do you plan on making yourself accessible to students if you’re elected?
A: I plan to routinely travel around the state. And when I say routinely, I mean that every week I’ll travel to different parts of the state and meet with citizens, including students. I’m going to encourage the student council officers from various institutions of higher education to be in touch with my administration and be in touch with their college administration, so that when I’m coming into that area we can have regular meetings. I’ll be accepting invitations to speak on campus.
Q: Oregon’s resource-based economy often comes into direct conflict with environmental issues. How do you plan to balance these needs?
A: First of all I think the only concept comes from old-fashioned understanding of what natural resources involve. There’s a lack of understanding from both sides. A balanced environmental perspective can be achieved if we understand that when we talk about sustainable forestry practices that we’re talking about growth. That is we look around the state and ensure a net increase in tree growth rather than a net decrease, making sure we’re smart concerning where and how we cut the trees. In some cases we need to be smart about not cutting trees, and in other cases definitely cut trees where we need to clear for fire prevention or deal with infestation by insects or where trees have been burned. What I think we need is a balanced approach. A proactive approach by the governor can make a big difference in the attitude of most of these people involved in discussions.
Q: In the event of another economic slump, would you be more likely to cut programs or raise taxes to balance the budget?
A: I will not raise taxes if we have a recession. You cannot tax your way out of a recession. All you do is make the recession worse.
Q: Do you think Oregon’s education system is adequately preparing students for college?
A: Mixed reviews on that. I think some districts are doing an outstanding job and other school districts are doing a mediocre job. But in terms of the SAT scores that are achieved by Oregon students, we’re doing a good job in terms of those that are college bound in the general sense, but we can do better and we should challenge ourselves to do better.
Q: What should this state do to keep Oregon’s top students at in-state colleges and Universities?
A: We need to increase the amount of merit-based grants. At
the same time we need to increase the amount of grants and aid, but also hold the line on tuition. That is, there ought to be more merit scholarships to encourage the best students, and we ought to be very aggressive about that. I don’t want to lose our talent.
Q: U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft tried to overturn Oregon’s death with dignity law in federal court. Will you fight to preserve the will of Oregon’s voters or help the government overturn what some consider to be illegal legislation?
A: I’m a populist. I believe in the initiative process, and I respect the rule of the people, even if I personally disagree with their decision. As governor, I will fight 100 percent to protect the decisions made by Oregon voters against federal encroachment on this issue. Even though I personally disagree with physician assisted suicide, I will have sworn an oath to protect the laws of this state, I’m a believer in the initiative process, and I will fight to defend Oregon’s initiatives against federal encroachment.
E-mail reporter Brook Reinhard at [email protected].