Fact vs. Lies and Distortions: The Truth about Bill Kennemer’s Record

Bill was first elected to public office (the State Senate) at age 40; that’s older than Forsberg is now! Before entering public service, Dr. Bill Kennemer ran a successful small business as a family psychologist. 

Yes, Bill has been an elected official/leader for 22 years.  He has earned as little as $750/month when serving in the Oregon Legislature.  Public service always required sacrifices. In fact, Bill’s public service has cost him and his family literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of “lost” income because Bill was a very success Ph.D. psychologist and chose public service ahead of making more money with his profession.   Public service has been Bill’s “Pay It Forward.”  When Bill was 5, the community built his family a new home when a fire destroyed their Corvallis farm shack and left his family destitute. 

Bill has been locally elected and always re-elected (13 times to date).  That’s an impressive record.  And why have voters elected and re-elected him so many times?  Obviously, Bill has been making good decisions and holding the right people/voter priorities.   Bill has done an outstanding job and has been strongly supported by local voters in every election. His priorities have always reflected those of the people of Clackamas County.  Very importantly, Bill believes in and supports people up, not leader down, government.   

As State Senator, Bill consistently voted to increase education funding. In this 1993 instance cited, Bill voted not to further increase the Governor’s already increased proposed higher education budget.   Bill believes in education to the point of earning his own Ph.D!  Similarly, one son holds a BA and the other a Psy.D.  Bill walks his talk on education. 

Bill has always given front-line public employees appropriate, negotiated raises and cost-of-living adjustments. Clackamas County employees (and his opponent Toby Forsberg is a county employee), have received more raises than Kennemer.   

These are nearly 10 year old accusations to the Government Standards and Practices Commission (Ethics Commission).  They all proved to be UNTRUE. Just as Bill said, “I was innocent”.  After a highly politically charged 6 month investigation, the complaints were resolved with: 1) no findings; 2) no penalty; and 3) no fine.   It is unethical and simply wrong to raise these nearly 10 year old accusations without noting the Ethics Commission ultimately determined  Bill did NOTHING wrong! And for the record, Cherie, Bill’s 2nd wife (his first wife died of cancer), was ranked in the top 5 of over 40 applicants and was selected by the committee as the TOP candidate after the oral interview.   These lies and accusations by the Forsberg campaign are untrue and ethically irresponsible and outrageous!  

The irony of this statement is that Bill’s opponent has never been elected to public office and has never had any experience dealing with government budgets or public policy as an elected official.   Bill, on the other hand, was a successful state senator (1987-1996) who left the senate because his first wife was terminally ill.  Those were years when Oregon was deeply in recession; unfortunately, not dissimilar to now!  It would be a blessing and stroke of good fortune to have Bill’s success and experience help guide our state’s next recession recovery. Bill was the creator of our Clackamas County Performance Auditing program that has dramatically improved performance and saved tax payers millions. As our county commissioner for the last 12 years, Bill also understands local government, something dramatically needed in Salem.  About 20-30% of our county budget is state and federal funding.  Bill’s expertise would be a much needed advantage.  Again, Bill’s opponent has no such experience. 

Please note “COULD”.  It did not happen!  Bill found a way to solve a crisis at the time.  Bill Kennemer has consistently increased funding for the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Department and other vital public safety services.  Bill’s history of support for public safety is why he is endorsed by Sheriff Craig Roberts, the Clackamas County Peace Officers Association, and the Oregon State Chiefs of Police! 

Painful state budget cuts required the county to temporarily suspend operations of the center. Bill worked hard and successfully to re-fund and has re-opened the center!  As our State Representative, Bill will work to ensure similar state cuts are avoided in the future.