Marc Grambo
Marc is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, a champion for workers and unions, and committed to creating progressive change as a member of the Hillsboro City Council.
Marc’s Vision for Hillsboro:
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Uplift Workers & Labor Rights
Support union voices, advocate for workers' interests and fair wages, and secure working conditions that are safe from discrimination and harassment.
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Ensure Housing Affordability
Take action towards fair, affordable housing through the promotion of mixed use zoning, higher density building, and cutting down on bureaucracy.
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Create a walkable, well-connected city
Support pedestrian-friendly pathways, safe routes to school, and efficient public transit networks.
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LGBTQ+ Youth & Homelessness
Continue to work with orgs. such as Home Plate Youth Services to advocate for housing and mental health services for at risk LGBTQ+ youth, who make up a large percentage of our homeless population.
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Local Independent Businesses
Create an environment that fosters entrepreneurship and empowers these businesses to thrive. Streamline licensing processes and providing financial support.
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Transgender Sanctuary City
Back programs that comprehensively and sensitively provide essential services and support for transgender individuals including employment, housing, healthcare, and public accommodations.
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Support for the Plant-Based Treaty
Support the Plant-Based Treaty as a means of combating the climate crisis through the implementation of more sustainable practices inside already existing systems such as agriculture, livestock, and carbon sinks.
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Climate and Environmental Action
The climate crisis is NOW. We need to support the preservation of Earth’s ecosystems, uplift recycling efforts, and partner with Hillsboro businesses and residents to implement sustainable practices.
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Homelessness
Housing is a right. Using compassionate and comprehensive strategies, the houselessness crisis in our community can be addressed quickly and effectively.
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Tenants' Rights
Tenants’ rights are closely connected to the houselessness crisis in our community. Rights to notices before rent increases, eviction protections, and rent regulation, should be upheld in order to secure safe and predictable housing for tenants.
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Local Gov. as Last Line of Defense
In the face of federal government uncertainty, policy at the local level is one of the most important factors in maintaining the rights and dignity of all citizens. Our city government has more power than one might think.
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LGBTQ+ Rights
Promote policy that uplifts LGBTQ+ owned businesses, improves truthful and logical education and awareness campaigns, and provides essential services for the LGBTQ+ community that are inclusive and non-judgemental.
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Entrepreneurial Equity
Advocate for policy that uplifts marginalized communities in the entrepreneurial sphere, including skills-based hiring, blind applications, and equity and inclusion training.
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Affordable & Enriching Childcare
Support enriching, educational, and affordable child care opportunities that provide worry-free relief to parents, a positive environment for children, and inclusive solutions to child-related issues.
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People With Disabilities
Encourage hiring processes and job programs that accommodate people with disabilities including career counseling, mentorship programs, and awareness training.
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Immigration and Agricultural Workers
Keep agricultural jobs and vulnerable undocumented individuals safe from the risks of loss of work, and community exclusion.
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Skills-Based Hiring
Defining job requirements based on skills, and determining hiring qualifications through assessments, practical tasks, and competency-based interviews. This allows for a workplace that is more diverse in educational background.
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Sustainable & Resilient Community
Improve the Hillsboro resources allocation through sustainable practices such as local sourcing, union contracts, transparency, and accountability.
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Community Engagement & Participation
Encourage community connectedness through art, events, and opportunities for exploring diversity. Also, utilize new technology to our advantage like social media campaigns and survey feedback.
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Fair Pay for Local Elected Officials
Provide broader support in local government that represents all types of Hillsboro citizens by establishing a fair wage that attracts a diverse pool of people to serve in government positions.
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Fighting Against Disinformation
Encourage truth, honesty, and transparency in all aspects of local government in order to keep our most vulnerable communities safe and in good, trusted hands.
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Local Job Growth
Support policy that encourages job opportunities to Hillsboro residents in their local areas in order to achieve a more diverse, and economically stable community.
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Education for the 21st Century
Modernize our education with learning objectives that incorporate essential skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, digital/media literacy, mental health, and cultural awareness. Also, provide essential wages and support for our educators.
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People's Chamber
Promote a people's chamber that encourages productive dialogue between different communities in order to collectively create positive change.
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Affinity Town Halls
Initiate affinity groups for all different Hillsboro communities to better understand the needs of all different types of people in our city.
Get to know Marc!
Marc Grambo is a lifelong, working-class, 3rd generation Democrat.
Growing up in a working-class family, Marc saw firsthand how his father worked long hours to provide for his family in the pursuit of hope, happiness, and the American Dream. While working towards his education for 7 years on a Vietnam War-era G.I. Bill, and with three kids at home, Marc’s father was able to lift his family out of poverty with hard work and social safety net programs and start a small business.
As such, Marc is a passionate advocate of labor rights and skill-based hiring, both essential for expanding access to that American dream. He believes that workers are the backbone of the most powerful economy in the world, and deserve fair and equitable compensation. Because when workers succeed, EVERYONE succeeds.
In his adulthood, Marc has earned over 25 years of experience as a small business owner. Currently, Marc takes pride in helping his community members find their homes as a self-employed real estate agent. He understands the challenges local entrepreneurs face and is committed to supporting them. By advocating for lower barriers to business ownership and targeted support and opportunities for underrepresented and small businesses, we can create a more inclusive and equitable business ecosystem.
After the Supreme Court's landmark same-sex marriage decision, Marc and his husband, Paul, were able to get married. As a queer community leader, Marc has always had a dedication for helping the LGBTQ+ community, and queer youth in particular. His personal experience as a gay man and deep understanding of the issues that queer folks face every day fuels his devotion to this cause. Marc wishes the same opportunities and happiness that he has found with his husband for those of all different identities.
An avid community organizer and a civic leader, Marc is regularly involved in local organizations and nonprofits that support queer, houseless, and other communities in need. Marc was also a graduate of the City of Hillsboro’s Civic Leadership Academy in 2023. Community organizing is a part of his life that Marc is very dedicated to, and he loves giving his time and effort back to his community. His consistent involvement with the community has even led to his appointment as a Board Member of the Hillsboro Area Regional Theatre (HART).
A third-generation Democrat, Marc has always been guided by progressive, pro-worker, and pro-small business values. Having fueled his passion for serving others, Marc was elected Precinct Committee Person (PCP) for the Democratic Party of Washington County. Additionally, Marc serves Washington County Democrats as a member of the Finance Committee and Communication Committee as well as a Neighborhood Leader. Marc takes pride in standing the WashcoDems and Working Families Party-endorsed progressive candidate in this city council race.
Marc is a proud member of the Hillsboro community and he is focused on improving the community through servant leadership.