AN EYE ON LOCAL POLITICS

The following is an overview of the main election items facing East Portland and East Multnomah County voters in the May 16 Special Election. This is only scratching the surface of what is on the ballot this election. Scan the QR code to read through the online Voter Pamphlet.

Note: Due to a printing error, delivery of mail ballots will be delayed until May 2, county officials announced this week.

MULTNOMAH COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT 3

The Board of Commissioners are in charge of overseeing Multnomah County’s management and administration. This spring, there are three candidates running for the open seat in District 3, which covers most of Southeast Portland. (Diane Rosenbaum, appointed as interim commissioner late last year, is not seeking election.) First, we have Ana del Rocío. She is currently the executive director of the Oregon Futures Lab. She also has slew of prior governmental and volunteer experiences. She has served on the David Douglas School District board and also was a policy assistant to Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson. Her stated priorities are being able to provide stable housing and “real solutions” to those who are experiencing homelessness. Along with that, she prioritizes public safety and making sure those in public safety and other roles of power are held accountable. Finally, another stated priority is improving access to mental health and addiction resources.

The second candidate is Julia Brim-Edwards. Formerly a senior director at Nike in Beaverton, she is currently on the Board of Education for Portland Public Schools. She has prior government experience within Oregon State University, the Oregon Child Care Commission, and more. Her declared agenda focuses on getting people off the streets into housing, addressing law enforcement staffing issues, improving homeless camps trash cleanup, improving accountability within the county, supporting the county’s strong library system and making sure the county’s children are supported with after-school enrichment programs.

The final contender is Albert Kaufman, who runs his own marketing agency, specializing in social media and email outreach. Previously he was the president of the Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association. He describes a focus on making sure the community gets drugs such as fentanyl off the streets, along with guns. He also wants to make sure homeless individuals are getting the services they need. In terms of a specific policy he would like to enact, he supports a full ban on gasoline-powered tools. He also wants to use warmer tones of lights on streetlights.

MEASURE 26-238

This countywide measure would create resources for residential tenants who face increasing pressures in the form of providing free lawyers and financial assistance. This would be funded by a new, 0.75% capital gains tax on all county residents, regardless of income level (businesses would be excluded). These new services would be available to those persons in Multnomah County facing eviction or other similar claims.

Those supporting the measure say it would save public money and keep more people in housing and off the streets. They point to the statistic that only 9% of county residents facing eviction had a lawyer to present them in 2022. The measure would lead to fewer evictions, especially in marginalized communities, they say.

Those in opposition argue this would add more taxes to what residents are already paying, and that a lot of these services are already in place through the Metro Supportive Services measure. It is also a different type of local tax, one that opponents say would be hard to calculate and to enforce.

There is much, much more to this issue and readers are strongly encouraged to look through the arguments for and against this measure in the voters’ pamphlet.

MEASURE 26-239

Also known as the Gresham Safety Levy, this would provide funding for police, fire, homeless services, and crisis response within Gresham. This would require assessing an additional property tax of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value – leading to an increase in property taxes of more than 3% (that would be $450 more tax on a home valued at $300,000).

The problem is, without the levy the City of Gresham faces an $8 million budget shortfall, which officials say could lead to layoffs. With the city’s police and fire services stretched thin, officials say that if the levy fails, residents’ lives would be at risk due to the inability to respond. Proponents say it would improve public safety, adding resources for law enforcement to reduce crime and adding fire prevention services and homelessness services.

The voter’s pamphlet includes no direct no opposition statement; however, the main case for the opposition is that it would cost too much to those paying property taxes.

MEASURE 26-240

This is a measure to renew the Portland Children’s Levy, which has been approved four times previously since 2002.

Funds are used for supplying food for children at risk; preventing child abuse; intervening with juvenile crime; supporting early childhood programs, after-school and summer programs, and foster care.

There would be no property tax rate increase, as it is a proposed renewal of the previous, expiring levy, at just over $0.40 per $1,000 of assessed value.

Those in favor say these services are essential and must be continued, plus it doesn’t affect the tax rate. Within the pamphlet there are no arguments in opposition.