2 weeks Ago
PORTLAND, Ore. — Election Day is Tuesday, and a big change is coming to Portland city government . Three people from each of Portland’s four districts will sit on the city council, making a total of 12 councilors .
That change will be most felt in East Portland, District 1, which has been neglected for decades. This will be the first time in 100 years that three people from East Portland will sit on the council. The candidates are calling it “historic” and an “exciting moment.
” On this year’s ballot, 98 people are running for those 12 seats and 16 candidates are running for District 1. RELATED: Portland City Council 2024 voter guide KGW’s Blair Best and Photojournalist Kurt Austin caught up with the top seven candidates for East Portland based on fundraising and endorsements. Why they're running Steph Routh : “I am running in part because I just love this part of the city.
I grew up in Parkrose, I live in Lents, and I’ve lived east of 82nd Avenue the majority of my life. I think it’s a really special place that has shaped me and it has not received the investments that it needs or deserves.” Loretta Smith: “I’m running for District 1 because for the first time, East Portland, they have an opportunity, and they deserve someone who is going to be relentless and fighting for them and being their champion.
” Noah Ernst: “Like a lot of people in Portland, I’m frustrated with the direction the city has gone over the last four or five years. I see a lot of candidates that are saying exactly the same things that previous city counselors or commissioners have said, that haven’t worked in my opinion, and it’s time for a different voice on city council.” Timur Ender: “A lot of perspectives have been missing from the local government, whether that’s parents of young kids, first-generation immigrants, so I felt like that was an important perspective to bring too.
” Jamie Dunphy: “We have a lot of fresh talent who is running for city council right now, and while that’s really exciting, we don’t have a lot of people who know how to read a zoning map or a budget document and I have been in public service in Portland for over 20 years and I think that I might have some very specific, relevant experience to make sure we can hit the ground running.” Candace Avalos: “As somebody that was on the charter commission and really helped to build this vision for a more equitable democracy in Portland, I’m really running because I want to make sure that it works.” Terrence Hayes: “Well, it’s important that District 1 has representation that can actually bring an understanding of public safety.
That was the biggest thing for me, somebody that can bring balance.” What are the most pressing issues in East Portland? Terrence Hayes: “ Well, I’ve been incarcerated, formerly incarcerated..
.I don’t think nobody compares to public safety, even the work we do, you brought up gun violence, I worked and helped develop the cease-fire model in our city — the one that we’ve invested in. I have an understanding of what it takes to bring resources into the community to help stop gun violence.
.. I’m willing to bring my lived experience to this space.
I’m willing to say when things didn’t work and I’m willing to try different things to make sure it does and everything I’m saying I’m actually hearing from people in East Portland.” Loretta Smith: “I’m going to be coming at it from a different level. I’m a small business owner.
I am a former elected official, but I want to make sure that our communities are not just surviving but we’re thriving...
Without a doubt it's economics. It's jobs. We need to make sure that our salaries catch up with the rest of the city.
” Noah Ernst: “Definitely public safety and that means law enforcement. We don’t have enough officers to quickly respond in emergencies and 911 hold times are too long..
. I think traffic was a huge issue out here. We’ve seen a lot of things done on major streets against the interest of people in East Portland, against the wishes of people who use those streets.
” Candace Avalos: “Community safety is a big issue for East Portlanders, and I think that goes beyond just gun violence and crime. Just earlier this week, we had another person get killed on our streets. Our streets are the most dangerous in the entire city and we just continue to lack infrastructure that’s critical to making everybody feel safe.
” Steph Routh: “Also housing and homelessness. I serve on the planning commission. We need to invest in a diversity of shelter options in order to help move people into a place of stability.
.. So that people can go to our parks and feel comfortable, housed and unhoused can feel that they have someplace to go.
” Jamie Dunphy: “We must urgently address the situation on our streets, get our neighbors into housing off of sidewalks and parks into the services and supports that they need and actively clean up public spaces...
The basic livability of this place is first. The city’s failure to address the homelessness crisis. We call it homelessness but it’s really five or six different things that each has a nuanced response, empathetic humane approach, and the city and county have failed all of their responses.
” Timur Ender: “Another thing for me personally is health equity. East Portlanders have a life expectancy ten years less than other people living west of 82nd Avenue due to higher rates of gun violence and traffic crashes, so that is my overall lens for how I view policy.” Their message for East Portland voters Loretta Smith: “People are putting it off and putting it off.
You just have to sit down, pull out that voter’s pamphlet, look and see who has delivered for you.” Candace Avalos: “I have been delivering for East Portland for years at this point. Whether it was leading on charter commissioner, leading on police accountability and community safety, and as an executive director of an environmental justice organization that is making sure East Portlanders are getting the lifesaving climate resources that they need.
” Jamie Dunphy: “We didn’t finally just win, we just finally got a seat at the table and that’s fundamentally different...
I plan on working closely with representatives and Districts 2 and 3 to make sure we have a common vision and priority for where dollars and programs and efforts are going.” Terrence Hayes: “I think we got some work. There's going to be some fighting, there's going to be some wrestling, but I think ultimately if you spent the last year in this fight, fighting, risking and giving up everything to represent the city, I think you’re going to bring the best interest to this city.
” Steph Routh: “It’s going to be messy. In the beginning, we’re standing up a new form of government. We are walking and chewing gum at the same time.
We are building a new form of government, and we need to build better outcomes for the city.” Noah Ernst: “Make sure you get your vote in on time. Obviously, we’ve seen some really horrible things with people damaging ballots so make sure if you put your ballot in that it did get to the elections office.
” Timur Ender: “I’m very excited for this campaign to be over. It’s been a great ride. We are executing well, but it’ll be exciting when we reach that milestone.
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