In a time of rising costs and a divided country, this is an important moment for Portland and Multnomah County. And it’s an opportunity for all of us to decide: what kind of community do we want for ourselves and our families?
Under Portland’s new form of government, we elected a new mayor, hired a new city administrator, and started consolidating many of the city’s bureaus and agencies into a more cohesive, and hopefully, effective whole. However, not all the Charter changes have been as effective. We also elected a new 12-person city council, with three Councilors each elected from four districts. Unfortunately, the City Council has been a study in gridlock and partisanship, leaving Portlanders to watch the Council debate committee structures and food bans all while ignoring the major challenges facing our community.
We need city and county leaders who are ready to roll up their sleeves, work together collaboratively, and deliver practical, common-sense solutions to our toughest problems.
We must make faster progress on the unsheltered homelessness crisis. We can’t just wait until there’s enough affordable housing for everyone. Portland needs safe, clean, and secure temporary shelters and approved camping sites – and a ban on unauthorized camping throughout the city, with effective enforcement that gets unsheltered Portlanders the housing and help they need. We want to see elected officials at every level making sure that we’re taking action and funding solutions.
Housing remains a critical need in our community. We need the city government to cut the red tape, reduce permitting time and complexity, and accelerate public support and incentives to create new affordable housing, particularly for renters. That includes getting creative about converting commercial office space into housing.
We have a public safety crisis on our streets. Those suffering from addiction or mental illness must have adequate access to treatment, and when behavioral health challenges become a public safety threat, law enforcement needs to be able to require folks to seek treatment. We need a community-wide commitment to sobering centers and deflection systems that ensure that everyone in our community is safe. It will take a combination of expanded social services – including Portland Street Response – to assist those in trouble alongside an appropriate law enforcement response to ensure that every family is safe and feels safe walking downtown and in their neighborhood.
Trust in government is at an all-time low and the cost of living is on the rise. We deserve to transparency and accountability from our government. We should know how our government spends our tax dollars, how efficient the programs are, and if programs are meeting their goals. In addition, our government needs to be accountable to the public for ineffective spending, for waste, fraud, and abuse, and for how they treat their customers – their taxpayers and citizens.
Law enforcement should have the resources, training, and personnel they need to actively curb gun violence, auto and retail theft, and drug trafficking. Portlanders deserve a responsive 911 system. When you call, someone should answer the phone. And when you need police, fire, or ambulance service, first responders should arrive quickly.
As Portlanders, we love our parks and natural places. Our parks should be safe, well-lit, and well-maintained. Our sidewalks and bike lanes should be clean and safe. And we need to clean up the garbage from our public spaces. We need a Parks Bureau that expands opportunities for children to play, get exercise, and learn to swim.
Portland can be a national leader when it comes to the climate crisis. We can reduce our impact on the environment and create clean energy jobs in low-income communities.
We need a city council and county commission that will work effectively together as well as with our regional, state, and national partners – and when required, push back – to ensure that Portlanders’ needs are met, no matter which government is providing services.
Portland has been – and can once again be – one of the best places in America to start a small business, create jobs, and thrive. Our economy is driven by small business, but Portland is one of the hardest places in the country to start a small business. We need the city government to help small business owners navigate starting their business, not throw up roadblocks and red tape.