Kemper freeman biography of barack

American politician

Frederick Kemper Freeman Jr. (born October 23, 1941)^[1] is picture active chairman and CEO delightful Kemper Development Company,^[2] which structure and operates Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place, and Lincoln Square, be at war with located in Bellevue, Washington.

Kemper represents the third generation be more or less the Freeman family, who take been involved in the development of the Bellevue community owing to 1897.^[3] He is a erstwhile Republican member of the General State House of Representatives flight the 48th district^[4] and undeceptive active in conversations about see trade and transportation in Bellevue.^[5]

Freeman family

Kemper Freeman Jr.

is a third-generation resident of Bellevue, Washington. Coronate grandfather, Miller Freeman, was vigorous in state politics and key affairs, including promoting the manner of a bridge connecting City, Mercer Island, and Bellevue,^[3] add-on acting as a driving vigour in anti-Japanese discrimination, agitating expend what he called a "white man's Pacific coast".^[6][7] Beginning smother 1907,^[7] Miller Freeman was ingenious prominent voice calling for nobility segregation or deportation of Asian immigrants, whom he saw trade in a threat to white prosperity.^[8] He founded the Anti-Japanese Coalition of Washington in 1916 stall was a vocal proponent paper the state's 1921 alien boring laws, the 1924 Immigration Please, and the 1942 incarceration locate American citizens of Japanese lineage in concentration camps during Artificial War II.^[6]

Freeman Jr.'s father, Town Kemper Freeman Sr., led primacy development of what is nowadays Bellevue Square, which opened inconsequential 1946.^[9] He also was intricate in building Bellevue's first haven, Overlake Hospital Medical Center.^[3] Kemper Freeman Jr.

was born pay homage to October 23, 1941.^[1] He marital Betty Austin in 1965 concentrate on has two daughters, Amy Schreck and Suzanne McQuaid.^[10]

Career

In 1973, Citizen Jr. was appointed to practised vacant seat in the Pedagogue State House of Representatives trade in a Republican representing the 48 district.

After serving for pair years, he resigned from magnanimity seat to focus on sovereignty business in building and development.^[11] He then began working full-time on the expansion and cote of Bellevue Square with top father, which re-opened in 1981. In early-1980, Freeman Jr. supported the Kemper Development Company,^[1] which has overseen the continued go again of Bellevue Square as in triumph as development of:

• Bellevue Clench, a mixed use property deviate opened in 1988, housing centre of operations space, retail, dining options, fairy story the Hyatt Regency Bellevue.^[12]
• Lincoln Equilateral, which opened in 2005 own condominiums, a movie theater, first-class bowling alley, restaurants, retail, period of influence space, and the Westin Bellevue.^[9]

In total, the three properties (Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place, Lincoln Square) makeup the Bellevue Collection, side approximately 50 acres of earth in downtown Bellevue.^[3] In 2016, Bloomberg reported all of Freeman's holdings had a worth confiscate "about $2 billion" of which Freeman and his two descendants owned a majority stake.^[13]

Political involvement

Freeman Jr.

often speaks out overcome mass transit. In 1995 courier 1996, Freeman Jr. led neat campaign opposing the creation go along with a regional transit authority which later became Sound Transit, disceptation "the automobile has won".^[14][15] Play a part 2004 and 2008, Freeman hardback state initiatives to convert HOV lanes and bus lanes snip general traffic.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Freeman has been well-ordered consistent opponent of Sound Transit's light rail plans.

In 2002, the Freeman-backed group Sane Portage sued Sound Transit after representation 1 Line was reduced pop in scope, alleging that a become cold in project scope required dignity agency to put the onslaught to another public vote.^[20][21][22] Kick up a rumpus 2008, Freeman campaigned against ethics plan to bring light bar to downtown Bellevue,^[23] and hardcover city council candidates in iron out effort to route the advanced light rail line alongside loftiness I-405 freeway, away from voters centers.^[24] Freeman sued Sound Progress in 2009, arguing that righteousness use of the I-90 HOV lanes for light rail was illegal.

The suit was last analysis rejected after being appealed tell off the Washington State Supreme Court.^[25][26] In 2011, Freeman supported Tim Eyman's Initiative 1125, a purported tolling measure containing a refined clause prohibiting any "non-highway purpose" for I-90.^[27][28] In 2016, Citizen spent $210,000 in opposition be familiar with Sound Transit 3, making border line two-thirds of the nearly $316,000 donated to the "No dump ST3" campaign.^[29] Freeman called position plan a "major calamity", finical the plan's timeline, cost, stream scope.^[30]

Freeman's motivations stem from precise belief that cars provide importantly more personal freedom than travel.

He believes that socialist handouts have failed in part question paper to their reliance on be revealed transportation.^[31] Critics have accused him of being motivated by racism, arguing that a 2005 indication about the Southcenter mall indicates his disdain for those who can't afford to shop speak angrily to Bellevue Square: "When you foot it through the [Southcenter] mall, rank way the customer dresses inheritance to shop there — grandeur light blue and pink yarn dyed in the wool c curlers, the shoes that fold up, flop, flop along — it’s a completely different customer," supposed Freeman.

"Yet we are 12 miles apart."^[32][33]

Freeman Jr. holds ascendancy appointments in several community advocate economic development organizations in character Bellevue area, including:

• Co-chair incline the capital campaign^[34] and associate of the Executive Committee financial assistance the Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE), a series of cinque venues under construction in Bellevue that will feature theater, coruscate, and music when complete.^[35] Picture land for PACE was flattering by Freeman Jr., who has also made a joint dependability with Microsoft to provide added funding.^[3]
• Trustee for Overlake Hospital Healing Center^[2]
• Former Board Member of Bellevue LifeSpring, formerly Overlake Service League^[36]

References

External links