Oregon District 8 candidate Floyd Prozanski has time on his side, and that doesn’t bother his opponent, Greg McNeill, one bit.
“(Students) don’t see a lot of people talking about their issues and they don’t see a lot of younger people running (for election),” said McNeill, a 21-year-old political science major. “The average age of a senator is in their 40s or 50s, and that’s a long way from your 20s. Senators and representatives don’t really know or relate to the issues of the younger generation, so I think (students) are kind of disenfranchised by that.”
And that’s what gave McNeill, a Republican, the idea to run for a seat in the House of Representatives — even if he is competing against a seasoned veteran.
Prozanski, a Democrat, brings years of experience to the table. From 1995 to 2001, he served as the representative of District 40. Prozanski lost his seat because of term limits, but in the years since, not only have the state’s districts been redrawn, but so have the laws concerning terms served.
“I believe I have the heartbeat of the district, and specifically, I think I’m in a better position to represent the University than my opponent,” Prozanski said. “I will hit the ground, not only running, but I will be at full speed because of my experiences and my previous service.”
Both candidates see District 8 as a challenge to represent because of its diversity, and both see higher education as a top priority.
Prozanski said he will fight for student issues while finding ways to minimize educational debt. Prozanski said the state is in need of legislation that would freeze tuition, and added his disappointment with voters who passed Measure 19, which virtually destroyed the state’s only fund to help needy low-income students.
“(I’m) very, very concerned that we are basically pricing Oregon’s young people out of the university system in this state and, in many cases, that’s going to cause them not to be able to get the level of training and experience and knowledge that they need to be able to compete in today’s society,” Prozanski said.
Prozanski said he wouldn’t be opposed to dedicated funding — perhaps a state sales tax, gross receipts tax or added value tax — to help stabilize Oregon’s higher educational system. Meanwhile, McNeill said he’d like to model the state’s structure based on Penn State University.
“The way they do it, they have feeder schools,” McNeill said. “Most people don’t go to Penn State for four years. They go two years to a satellite school and then the remaining two (at) the main campus. So I’d kind of like to turn what I call our satellite schools, Western, Southern and Eastern, into more satellite schools, which would free up a lot of money to better UO and OSU, (and) also help lower tuition.”
Come Nov. 5, both candidates hope to be victorious. But more than anything, both hope voters follow their hearts.
“I’m asking voters to look at the individuals that are running and to their abilities and their experiences in life, and who is best equipped to represent them in getting the job done,” Prozanski said.
A concurring McNeill:
“From the beginning I’ve said, ‘Yes I’m a Republican, but I’m more of an Oregonian than anything,’” he said. “When my opponent started out, he started saying, ‘You need to elect Democrats.’
“I’m saying, ‘No, you need to elect the best person.’ And maybe he is the best person, but I’d rather see people choose one of us based on our views and not based on our parties.”
See the candidates’ Q & A below:
Prozanski’s Q & A
McNeill’s Q & A
See also:
Richard Alevizos Q & A
Prozanski’s Q & A:
Q) What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the University of Oregon?
The first thing that comes to mind is that it’s a great university — that it’s a university that has an appeal for very diverse views and the ability to come in and get a quality education, so long as we make it accessible and affordable.
Q) What excites students about your campaign?
Because they know I will be fighting for the primary priorities that most students have, and this is making sure they have accessibility to the various classes they want to be taking if they are students. If they are not students, that they have access to college or university level courses and that they’re going to come out of here without being enslaved and in debt.
Issues that I’ve taken on previously that I will continue to take on: maintain dedicated funding for all levels of education; that we have tuition freezes in place and that we restore, what unfortunately was just passed by the voters in September, through Measure 19, and that’s the Need Grant. (I’m) very, very concerned that we are basically pricing young people out of Oregon young people out of the university system in this state and in many cases that’s going to cause them not to be able to get the level of training and experience and knowledge that they need to be able to compete in today’s society.
Q) Do you support the January income tax package? Tell us why?
I do. The January income tax package, I prefer it because that’s what has been put out in front of us. What my preference would have been would have been a one-year tax proposal that would have been passed by the Legislature, not the voters. I don’t believe they should be referring this out to the voters. As a representative, we’re elected to make decisions and show leadership and stand on our principles. I’d rather have seen them do that and make that decision in Salem and just implement it. But it’s (a) second best resolution (and) is at least getting it to the voters.
Q) What do you plan to do, as a legislator, if the package is not passed?
It’s probably best answered in both affirmative and in the negative. In the negative, what it basically does, it sets up a dire straits. We have crisis on top of crisis on top of crisis. What that means is that we need to do whatever we can to try to implement funding to fill the gaps that are going to be the result of making various cuts at different levels of education as well as other agencies. Really, what we need to be doing is affirming that no matter what happens in January, we’ll be committed to finding dedicated funding for all levels of education.
Q) What’s the biggest challenge in representing District 8?
Really, I think the biggest challenge would be to communicate well with the people throughout the district in being able to keep them apprised of what’s going on and also being able to get feedback.
Clearly, the one issue I’ve found is the education issue and funding. There are some individuals, I know, in parts of the rural portion of District 8 (who) do not understand the ties to higher education. And to me, that’s one of the things I need to be able to do — to demonstrate to them why it’s important.
Q) What will you do to make higher education more affordable?
If we can do dedicated funding, and I’m not opposed to seeing something in the way of either a sales tax, a gross receipts tax, added value tax — something that we can count on as being a little bit more stable in good times and bad times. That, to me, would probably be the best thing we could to for making sure education is affordable. If we get stable funding in place, the universities can plan on that accordingly and they will not have to be coming back and forth to Salem trying to get every penny and nickel they can to make ends meat.
Q) Why do you think most students don’t care about politics?
I don’t know if I would say ‘why most students don’t care.’ I think there’s a number of individuals at this age range, that are in school and also out of school, that are very disenfranchised. Many of them
do not understand the power they have in their ability to vote and (in) engaging individuals who represent them or want to represent them and holding them accountable for pledges that are made and the ability to actually be a voice.
Q) What’s the most generous thing you’ve ever done?
What is the most generous thing I’ve ever done? Any context to that? That’s a tough one for me because I guess the most generous thing I’ve done, I mean to me, answering that question almost puts you in a position to, you know, patting yourself on the back for what you do.
I guess I would say is my willingness to be part of this community by being an active member of the community. I would submit my community service in the community, including at the University, and giving up private time and personal time to participate and be (a) part.
Q) Does money talk? If so, what does it say?
Does money talk? I think money — are we talking about politics or in general? I think money has impeded our political process. I think money does talk in many other areas. I think corporations, in the sense of their ability to control the message that is given to people. It has also impacted the ability for individuals to be participants. And I think to a point, it has also caused people to be disenfranchised from the process.
Q) Who’s your political role model? Why?
Wayne Morse and, I think, Peter DeFazio and Jerry West, who’s a former county commissioner here. Those three individuals have shown me the ability to be true to yourself and your convictions — standing on your principles in seeking office and representing constituents. I really believe that those individuals have demonstrated time and time again their ability to take on tough issues and to actually make decisions based on rational deliberations, and then be willing to stand on their principles for the vote they take and being able to explain why they’ve done it.
Q) How will you involve students if elected?
What I’ve done in the past is try to, one, open up my office for various students and student representatives to always have a channel of communication with me. And then I also try to do town halls. And coming onto campus, making myself available. Encouraging individuals to come up and be an aide for the day, to be part of the political process to see how it actually works. I’ve taken on interns from the University and continue to plan to do so.
Q) What makes you the best choice for District 8?
I rely on my experience, both as a representative who has represented this area for six years. I believe I have the heartbeat of the district and specifically I think I’m in a better position to represent the University than my opponent because of my experience and ability to work with people across the aisle. I will hit the ground, not only running, but I will be at full speed because of my experiences and my previous service.
Q) Is there anything you would like to add?
I’m asking voters to look at the individuals that are running and to their abilities and their experiences in life and who is best equipped to represent them in getting the job done. I think it’s important for voters to vote. Their vote does count. It is important and imperative to exercise that right. Failure to do so really puts you on the sideline of being part of the problem, not part of the solution.
McNeill’s Q & A:
Q) What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the University of Oregon?
Pride. I have a lot of pride for the University of Oregon. My parents are both alumni. I’d like to make it a better school, as much as I can.
Q) What excites students about your campaign?
Well, I think, just my age. The fact that I’m the youngest candidate and that I’m also a student. My goal is to kind of help inspire some young people to get involved. You don’t see to too many people my age running.
Q) Do you support the January income tax package? Tell us why?
Yes I do, but only as a temporary solution, and I’d really never like to see it again. I think we need to correct the problems we have in our government. I think it’s something we need now, but I think we need to fix our problems before we ever have to do it again.
Q) What do you plan to do, as a legislator, if the package is not passed?
Obviously, we’ll have to come up with some cuts and what not, so that’s the first thing we’ll have to address. I think we really need to weigh, we really need to analyze our government and how it spends its money and how we tax the people. As I said, fix the government before we start taxing more, which is kind of Ted Kulongoski’s idea. We (have) got to fix the government and then decide if we need some more taxes and how we’re going to implement them and justify them, and things of that nature.
Q) What’s the biggest challenge in representing District 8?
I think it’s a diverse district. It encompasses the University, which is a lot of youth. And then it takes in a lot of other areas of Eugene that are not college students. And then it also takes in Veneta and a lot of rural Lane County. There’s a lot of different views and a lot of different ideologies and what not. It is primarily registered Democrat, but every district has a significant portion of the other side, no matter what party it is, and I think that’s the hardest thing for anybody — representing both your side and the other side.
Q) What will you do to make higher education more affordable?
I really like the way Pennsylvania does their system of higher ed. If you look at Penn State, it’s a very well-ranked university. The way they do it, they have feeder schools. Most people don’t go to Penn State for four years. They go two years to a satellite school and then the remaining two to the main campus. So I’d kind of like to turn what I call our satellite schools — but they’re four year Universities right now, Western, Southern and Eastern — into more satellite schools which would free up a lot of money to both better UO and OSU, but also help lower tuition, or at least stabilize it. And we’ll still provide local access to people, which is very affordable.
Q) Why do you think most students don’t care about politics?
I think a lot of it is that they don’t see a lot of people talking about their issues and they don’t see a lot of younger people running. Which is kind of what gave me the idea to run. The average age of a senator is in their 40s or 50s, and that’s a long way from your 20s. Senators and representatives don’t really know or relate to the issues of the younger generation, so I think they’re kind of disenfranchised by that.
Q) What’s the most generous thing you’ve ever done?
The most generous thing I’ve ever done? Oh, wow. I don’t. Geez. I don’t know that I can think of one specific instance. I try and be as generous as much as I can. I’m in a fraternity with a lot of people and whatnot, and a lot of times people are kind of low on money or whatever, so if we’re going out to lunch or whatever I just might buy their lunch for them, or something like that. I try to help people when the opportunity presents itself.
Q) Does money talk? If so, what does it say?
As a candidate I’d say money talks because I don’t have any money, so it’s hard for me to talk. It’s hard to get your voice out there if you don’t have a lot of money. I don’t know if that instance really says anything. On a more personal level it does, and it really upsets me to see that. But there’s a lot of political action committees and parties, in and of themselves, that, because they give you a lot of money, they expect money in return. That’s really not right. If they’re going to give you money, it should be based on your views that you have already, and not to buy your views.
Q) Who’s your political role model? Why?
Probably Mark Hatfield because he wasn’t a real party loyalist — he did what he though was right and he differed from his party a lot. But he was reali
stic to know that sometimes he’d need the party and it was better to work with everybody and come up with a compromise than just be the lone guy standing against something.
I know a lot of people in this area really appreciate Senator (Wayne) Morse, but I see that he was more of a guy that stood alone where as Mark Hatfield maybe compromised a little bit, but probably got a little further in accomplishing some things.
Q) How will you involve students if elected?
It’s kind of like the whole basis of my campaign is students. I’d like to provide the opportunity for as many students to come and work for me and get involved in the Legislature as much as possible. In addition, I’d like to spend a lot of time here on campus just talking with students getting their feedback. And also, letting them know what I’m doing in Salem and why, if it’s not something that’s very appealing to students, why it went this way. I’d welcome any student’s point of view and I’d really like to see them involved to the extent that I’m involved.
Q) What makes you the best choice for District 8?
The fact that I’m putting my party aside. I have my own personal views, but I’m more willing to work across party lines. From the beginning I’ve said, ‘Yes I’m a Republican, but I’m more of an Oregonian than anything.’ When my opponent started out, he started saying, ‘You need to elect Democrats.’ I’m saying, ‘No, you need to elect the best person.’ And maybe he is the best person, but I’d rather see people choose one of us based on our views and not based on our parties. I think I’m the best because that’s my philosophy. It’s not a partycentric philosophy, it’s a populous.
Q) Is there anything you would like to add?
It’s a long road to hoe, but I’m really hoping that if I get elected that I can represent the people as best I can and that they can be just as involved as I am.
Read Also:
Richard Alevizos Q & AContact the senior news reporter
at [email protected].
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