Everyone knows two-faced people must have two homes.

School choice means you have to jump through the hoops to get where you want to go. It looks like he jumped correctly, but it musta been a drag to live in a 2BR/2BA apt for a year!

So, where did TeddyK send his kids?

Making an issue of Saxton taking advantage of his "background of privilege" as "a statement of inequity between the haves and and have-nots" is little more than class envy, and means little. The more serious concern is whether or not he was duplicitous in claiming his eligibility for the school board based on where he was living. Unfortunately, this kind of thing is not without precedent.

The ironic thing is that Saxton's kid was in the same class as several friends of mine at Lincoln (I was at private school at the time) and never heard a peep of this. Additionally, to add to the fun, I personally know several of the people quoted in this story and have the upmost respect for them (particularly Peter Hamilton). Lets see what comes of this.

I wonder what PPS' legion of lawyers down at BESC think about former school board member Ron Saxton using multiple residences for personal gain.

Is it illegal? Immoral? Or both?

Well?

I agree with sponge - you guys are making a mountian out of a molehill with this.

"Um, Eric, did you actually read Sponge's comment? The bigger issue is that he sought to represent a district that he didn't live in. It's a basic residency requirement, and he failed it."

<hr/>

I thought that was why Eric said: "I agree with sponge - you guys are making a mountian out of a molehill with this." (when sponge said: "Unfortunately, this kind of thing is not without precedent.")

So, is this not the norm? Where is the mountain? I only see molehills.

I mean, Hatfield did not even bother owning a home in Oregon for the last couple of his terms. He lived in DC, and slept in a hotel when he visited Oregon once or twice a year.

What laws did Hatfield break? Probably none. Same for Saxton. Prove me wrong.

Personally, I'm a little irked that no one caught it until now -- but that's what happens when you're unopposed.

<h2>"Personally, I'm a little irked that no one caught it until now -- but that's what happens when you're unopposed."</h2>

I don't get this part... who was unopposed? Kulo? Sax? Sponge? Eric?

I would be so pissed off if I ran for the same position held by Saxton only to find out he didn't even live in the district.

Ron Saxton is a joke. I've heard from so many people from work, people who are registered republican or independent - or not affiliated, who are getting very turned off by his negative add campaign. I hope this sample is representative of the larger population.

Well, that clears up my comment.

It's sad that the Republican candidate for governor needs an opponent to keep him honest. You'd think he'd use his conscience for that.

of course Saxton is running as a law and order candidate-

and as a good religious man who feels we should all follow the rules, this must be a mole hill-

it really is ok to lie and cheat to get your child a better education-

has anybody noticed that this guy will do or say anything to get elected?

or the fact that this guy is proven to have lied at least this once- remember Clinton haters, is lying ok? even lying about " personal " issues?

So are all the people defending Saxton and saying this is a non issue also supporting Judge You? The residency issue is basically the same.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

I heard that Saxton two-timed his girlfriend in junior high school. Any chance of getting that into the next Tribune blockbuster? Or is the Tribune too busy tracking down the lastest tip regarding Frank Gable's innocence. And if you don't know who Frank Gable is, you may not be a "real" Oregonian.

I vote based on policy issues, not on whether the candidate pulled a few strings or used a loophole to get the kid into a good school. I won't vote for a Republican no matter what, but if I was undecided I might just credit Saxton for going the extra mile to get his kid a good education.

Blue Note, you are again missing the point.

The getting his kid into a school was taking advantage of the system, nothing illegal. Running for School board in the district his house is in while living in the Apt is fraud.

When you use the word 'fraud' you bring back my first year law school argumentative nature. First year law school was 30+ years ago, but as I recall, "residence" is defined as (a) a physical presence, plus (b) a CURRENT SUBJECTIVE INTENT to reside in such place. Your "residence" can change on a daily basis if your physical presence and subjective intent change as well. Think of all the people that used to 'reside' in Las Vegas for the two hours that it took to finalize their divorce.

Again, I don't give a damn about the Republican candidate, but fraud is a very technical and very strong word. I doubt Saxton can be shown to have committed fraud. But maybe you can prove me wrong.

Oh, yes, it's election fraud, IMHO. Check the Trib links.

Ronnie signed the official PPS board election form in 1996 stating he lived at 67th and Taylor.

That very same year, the Saxton family is listed in the Lincoln HS directory as living in some cozy, little condo downtown.

So, Ron Saxton lied on an official election form rendering his election to the PPS School Board... invalid? Hmmm.....

The Saxtons did not lie for their son. Ron Saxton, self-made man, or so he says, lied to get a big cushy government job unopposed. And big power. And, later, big Atter, Wynne partner money. And... the governorship of Oregon?

Not so fast!

Dear Sid Leader,

I must laugh: "big cushy government job." Hahahaha. Do your homework man. School board positions are VOLUNTEER. An important yet thankless job.

From the PPS page: "Board members serve four-year terms without compensation and may be re-elected."

Read all about it here.

Further proof that so much of the blogosphere is a miasma of misinformation.

Ron Saxton may be running as a religious man in his own mind, there are those of us who know better. I am a Republican forced to vote for another party candidate because I do not believe a word Saxton says. (Of course he doesn't either or he wouldn't flip flop) Then again;Maybe he has multiple personality disorder? That could explain the sudden changes in what comes out of his mouth.

This is truly a non-issue. If we try to make it an issue, then we are purposely getting side-tracked on petty BS. That will make us lose time and energy on the real issues on this election: funding schools and good government services like: elections, the Contractor's Board, state DEQ, and Oregon State Police and Forensics division.

If Portland Public Schools has stated this is okay. You all out there in PPS district should put pressure on the board to change the rules to be more fair and balance, if you dont like this rule. If you dont have time or energy too take this on, beyond making noise; then dont complain.

If we simply let the invisible hand do its job (let parents decide which school best meets their needs), then we could grow successful schools, and let the failed schools fail. You would also make each parent responsible for their own child's transportation, unless they opt-in to their neighborhood school (with a fixed bus route).

Instead, the PPS Board has adopted a quantitative model to determine which schools COST THE MOST MONEY TO OPERATE (per pupil), and then closing the "expensive" schools irrespective of the quality of education they provide. If kids are allowed to attend the school of their parent's choice, the underperforming schools will die of attrition.

Being a wild-eyed radical, I would also let the public schools compete with the private ones. If the per pupil government subsidy were portable, PPS would promptly realize they have twice the infrastructure they actually require. They could sell off those excess assets and create an endowment that would likely compensate for the more expensive needs of special ed, bilingual ed, etc.

The teacher's union won't like it, but their high performing teachers would still have a tremendous following. Those teachers whose reputations prevent them from enrolling many kids would have to find a new career, or a new school district.

My friends and I were overjoyed when this story broke, because it hasn't been so little known among local politicos and school district officials. Why is that? Because the Saxtons felt so clever about their scheme to campaign in Southeast while sending their kid to Lincoln that they openly bragged about it at social affairs, according to those who were present. The "above board" assertion by the Saxton campaign is honest in that respect, because they let it be known the same way one might flash around a Porche keyfob at the valet station. If some of those people in/around the scene at that time go public with their versions of events, and take a chance on Saxton not getting elected, then his campaign could be deeply wounded.

Much thanks to The Tribune which broke this story. Excellent job. I thought it might break in the Willamette Week eventually, but I'm glad the Trib editors had the courage to go front page and go big on this.

Yes, moving around and running for office in districts that are uncontested (or don't have anybody networked or capitalized enough to challenge you, it would be nice to see residency rules ammended to be one election cycle) is very common in Oregon for both Dems and Republicans. What it does reveal about Saxton is an eagerness to exploit loopholes and violate the spirit of the rules, if not the letter of the law itself. It also shows the character of somebody willing to exploit economic advantage. Just what we need from a governor. The Saxtons would probably get along well with Jack Abrahmoff.

Remember the GW Bush story about how Daddy moved him to the front of the line and got him in the Texas Air Nat'l Guard to avoid service in Vietnam? That one exception for the rich kid meant one more poor kid got sent to fight and possibly die. Saxton could have used the money from the apartment purchase to pay his kid's way through Harvard, Stanford, or anywhere he chose. His kid didn't NEED the Lincoln program. Some poor kid who really needed that public education opportunity to get a leg up in the world was denied so the privileged could have even more privilege. That's the bottom line of this story.

Mister Tee and the Invisible Hand

First, as someone who has a child in PPS and who had to use the lottery system to get my child into a focus school, there are some big fat holes in your assertions.

1. Using a for profit school system would be a dead end. As a public for profit company, you realize that investors want an increase on returns yearly. That means after " the fat " is cut, what comes next? How do they continue to increase profits?

2. Providing transportation is what I do, at great expense and effort to our family. I am lucky, my employer allows me that flexibility, but my case is rare. Those who must be at work by 7am? Their children will not have a school choice, especially if the school is across towm. Carpool? Do you carpool to work?

3. The students who are left at substandard schools, what is their future? Welfare? Incarceration? Do you see how this may affect your tax dollars long term? Do you see how this may affect your neighborhood and city when these children saddled with attending these poor performing schools are left to go it on their own?

Wouldn't it be better to bring all of these schools up to a higher standard, as opposed to exporting our tax dollars to School,Inc. so that they can make a profit off of trying to educate our children? And maybe an investment in all of these children will in the long term reduce the crime rate and better our company by improving the quality of our workforce?

Being a teacher is one of those jobs that you don't get rich at, most of these people are following a calling, and are making a lot less money than the average person with a Masters Degree. School improvement depends on the proper allocation of funds as well as parental involvement. Teachers can only do so much.

I should have noted that the volunteer PPS board member job can very well turn into a very lucrative career later on a judge's bench or at a big business job, even Nike if you play your cards right.

Then again, there's Mr. Jackson.

The exception that proves the rule.

This shows Saxton holds the true Republican world view: One set of rules for the rich, another set of rules for the rest.

<h2>Is this illegal? Is it fraud? Maybe, maybe not. IS IT SLEAZY? Oh yeah.</h2>