Political Quotes

“Oregon lost an extraordinary statesman last week with the passing of Hardy Myers. He was the epitome of a public servant. Hardy's public service career had an auspicious beginning as president of the Portland City Planning Commission in 1973, where he guided the development and approval of the downtown plan that didn't just win awards, it set Portland on a path to a revitalized central city. He was elected to the State legislature in 1974, where I was privileged to work with him for two sessions. We served on the revenue committee together, and I was on the judiciary committee which he chaired with remarkable precision and productivity. The same skill and civility that was his hallmark led to his being elected for two terms as speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives, providing steady, thoughtful leadership during trying times for our State. Leaving the legislature, Hardy was not content to merely continue his legal practice at Stoel Rives, where he was for over 30 years. The list of his volunteer boards and commissions that he combined with his work and elected service is too extensive to mention in full. His contributions, usually in a leadership role, included criminal justice, sentencing guidelines, transportation, and government reform. Hardy capped off his career by serving 12 years as Oregon's attorney general, with a side trip as elected member of Portland's metropolitan, popularly elected regional government.…”