Deborah Kafoury
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Deborah Kafoury
|image = Deborah Kafoury.png
|office = Chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners
|term_start = January 8, 2015
|term_end = December 31, 2022
|predecessor = Marissa Madrigal
|successor = Jessica Vega Pederson
|office2 = Member of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners
from the 1st district
|term_start2 = January 1, 2009
|term_end2 = October 18, 2013
|predecessor2 = Maria Rojo de Steffey
|successor2 = Liesl Wendt
|office3 = Member of the Oregon House of Representatives
|term_start3 = January 1999
|term_end3 = January 2005
|predecessor3 = Margaret Carter
|successor3 = Chip Shields
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|8|19}}
|birth_place = Walla Walla, Washington, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|relatives = Stephen Kafoury (father)
Gretchen Kafoury (mother)
|education = Whitman College (BA)
}}
Deborah Kafoury (born August 19, 1967) is a politician in the U.S. state of Oregon.
Born in Walla Walla, Washington, Kafoury received her bachelor's degree from Whitman College.{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/23741/deborah-kafoury|title=Project Vote Smart - The Voter's Self Defense System|work=Project Vote Smart|access-date=2014-05-17|archive-date=2014-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518005410/http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/23741/deborah-kafoury|url-status=live}} She was the chair of the Multnomah County Commission, where she succeeded Jeff Cogen.{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/05/multnomah_county_chairs_race_d_1.html|title=Multnomah County Chair's race: Deborah Kafoury wins both races (election results)|work=The Oregonian|access-date=2014-06-24|archive-date=2014-07-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708150010/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/05/multnomah_county_chairs_race_d_1.html|url-status=live}} She previously held a seat on the commission, which she resigned in October 2013 in order to run for chair in the May 2014 election.{{cite news|title=Kafoury Files To Run For Multnomah County Chair|first=Sergio|last=Cisneros|work=Oregon Public Broadcasting|date=October 22, 2013|url=http://www.opb.org/news/article/kafoury-files-for-multnomah-county-chair/|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-date=October 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031235348/http://www.opb.org/news/article/kafoury-files-for-multnomah-county-chair/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|title=Multnomah County Chair race: Deborah Kafoury files candidacy paperwork|first=Kelly|last=House|date=October 22, 2013|work=The Oregonian|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/10/multnomah_county_chair_race_de_1.html|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-date=November 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131101034612/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/10/multnomah_county_chair_race_de_1.html|url-status=live}} She noted her work on renovations to the Sellwood Bridge as something she would continue as chair, and pushed for the passage of Metro's 10-year, $2.4 billion homeless services measure.{{cite news|title=Deborah Kafoury's tenure as Multnomah County chair defined by success, shortfalls at taming homelessness|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2023/01/deborah-kafourys-tenure-as-multnomah-county-chair-defined-by-success-shortfalls-at-taming-homelessness.html|accessdate=November 2, 2023|date=January 3, 2023|work=The Oregonian}}
Kafoury was a founder of the young voter mobilization nonprofit X-PAC{{cite news|title=Will family ties hinder or help Kafoury?|url=https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/217298-76244-will-family-ties-hinder-or-help-kafoury|accessdate=August 7, 2021|date=April 17, 2014|work=Portland Tribune|archive-date=August 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807190009/https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/217298-76244-will-family-ties-hinder-or-help-kafoury|url-status=live}} and served three terms in the Oregon House of Representatives, from 1999 to 2005, including a leadership role in the Democratic Party caucus.{{cite news|title=Kafoury leans in to county chair race|date=September 12, 2013|first=Steve|last=Law|work=Portland Tribune|url=http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/161614-kafoury-leans-in-to-county-chair-race|access-date=October 30, 2013|archive-date=September 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914033917/http://portlandtribune.com/pt/9-news/161614-kafoury-leans-in-to-county-chair-race|url-status=live}}
She is the daughter of Stephen Kafoury and the late Gretchen Kafoury. She is also the first cousin of Trevor Kafoury, formerly the VP of commercial real estate brokerage CBRE in Portland, Oregon.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/potmsearch/detail/submission/4544261/Trevor_Kafoury |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=www.bizjournals.com |title=Archived copy |archive-date=2015-04-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418154004/http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/potmsearch/detail/submission/4544261/Trevor_Kafoury |url-status=live }}
Multnomah County
In 2008, Kafoury was elected to the Multnomah County Commission. As a commissioner, she worked on efforts to replace the Sellwood Bridge and the Multnomah County Courthouse.{{cite news |last1=Tims |first1=Dana |title=Did Deborah Kafoury's leadership take the Sellwood Bridge from a languishing project to one now under construction? |url=https://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2014/may/08/deborah-kafoury/did-deborah-kafourys-leadership-take-sellwood-brid/ |accessdate=October 11, 2019 |work=PolitiFact |date=May 8, 2014 |language=en |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011002437/https://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2014/may/08/deborah-kafoury/did-deborah-kafourys-leadership-take-sellwood-brid/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Hernandez |first1=Tony |title=New courthouse: Multnomah County officials choose top site and a backup |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2014/12/multnomah_county_approves_prop.html |accessdate=October 11, 2019 |work=The Oregonian |date=December 19, 2014 |language=en |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011002436/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2014/12/multnomah_county_approves_prop.html |url-status=live }}
In October 2013, she resigned to run for chair, as required by the county charter.{{cite news |last1=House |first1=Kelly |title=Multnomah County Chair race: Deborah Kafoury to resign from Multnomah County Board of Commissioners |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2013/10/deborah_kafoury_to_resign_from.html |accessdate=October 11, 2019 |work=The Oregonian |date=October 15, 2013 |language=en |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011002437/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2013/10/deborah_kafoury_to_resign_from.html |url-status=live }} After receiving endorsements from several local newspapers, she was elected Multnomah County Chair on May 20, 2014.{{cite news |last1=House |first1=Kelly |title=Multnomah County Chair's race: Deborah Kafoury wins both races (election results) |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2014/05/multnomah_county_chairs_race_d_1.html |accessdate=October 11, 2019 |work=The Oregonian |date=May 21, 2014 |language=en |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011002430/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2014/05/multnomah_county_chairs_race_d_1.html |url-status=live }} She took office June 5, 2014, and left it on December 31, 2022.
In response to the region's housing crisis, Kafoury established a Joint Office of Homeless Services in partnership with the City of Portland. The Joint Office consolidated a number of initiatives under one roof, focusing on programs such as short-term rental assistance to vulnerable people, transition out of shelter and into permanent housing, and increased capacity of Portland area shelters.{{cite news |last1=Templeton |first1=Amelia |title=Portland, Multnomah County Create Joint Office For Homeless Services |url=https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-multnomah-county-homeless-services-office/ |accessdate=October 11, 2019 |work=Oregon Public Broadcasting |date=June 22, 2016 |language=en |archive-date=December 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181209123903/https://www.opb.org/news/article/portland-multnomah-county-homeless-services-office/ |url-status=dead }} Under Kafoury's tenure the Joint Office of Homeless Services used at least 2 million taxpayer dollars to purchase 22,700 tents and 69,514 tarps for the homeless.{{Cite web |date= December 7, 2022 |title=Documents show Multnomah County used taxpayer dollars to purchase 22,700 tents for homeless people |url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/multnomah-county-purchased-tents-tarps-ada-lawsuit/283-18aa49ea-cb4f-45c4-b70d-26fc39243380 |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=kgw.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-02-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207182528/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/multnomah-county-purchased-tents-tarps-ada-lawsuit/283-18aa49ea-cb4f-45c4-b70d-26fc39243380 |url-status=live }}
At a Board of Commissioners meeting on December 21, 2017, Kafoury called fellow commissioner Loretta Smith a "bitch" after abruptly ending the meeting while Smith was asking questions.{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/12/multnomah_county_chairwoman_calls_loretta_smith_expletive.html |title=Multnomah County chair calls Loretta Smith expletive after meeting |work=The Oregonian |first=Eder |last=Campuzano |date=December 21, 2017 |access-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072708/http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/12/multnomah_county_chairwoman_calls_loretta_smith_expletive.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2017/12/21/19564142/county-commissioner-loretta-smith-says-chair-deborah-kafoury-called-her-a-bitch-in-a-public-meeting |title=County Commissioner Loretta Smith Says Chair Deborah Kafoury Called Her a "Bitch" in a Public Meeting |work=Portland Mercury |first=Dirk |last=VanderHart |date=December 21, 2017 |access-date=January 3, 2018 |archive-date=July 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713042818/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2017/12/21/19564142/county-commissioner-loretta-smith-says-chair-deborah-kafoury-called-her-a-bitch-in-a-public-meeting |url-status=live }}
In 2018, Kafoury and the Oregon Nurses Association attempted to get a $2 tobacco tax increase on the state ballot. The petitioners failed to get enough signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot.{{Cite web|url=http://www.salemreporter.com/posts/466/fight-to-hike-oregons-tobacco-tax-resurfaces|title=Fight to hike Oregon's tobacco tax resurfaces|date=February 5, 2019|website=Salem Reporter|language=en|access-date=February 14, 2019|archive-date=February 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190206104224/https://www.salemreporter.com/posts/466/fight-to-hike-oregons-tobacco-tax-resurfaces|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://multco.us/chair-kafoury Official office Web page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122004608/https://multco.us/chair-kafoury |date=2017-01-22 }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kafoury, Deborah}}
Category:20th-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Category:20th-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Democratic Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Category:Multnomah County Commissioners
Category:Politicians from Walla Walla, Washington