Street Wonk #11: Charter Reform is Taking Shape

Salary Increases Announced... 2024 Candidate Guide Released... Final Vote on District Map Tonight... Who's Running...

Dear Readers,

The City of Portland is almost halfway through its two-year charter reform transition plan, and key details have emerged over the past month. There have also been some unsuccessful shenanigans at City Hall aimed at weakening our voter-approved change in City government. Although confusing to some current members of City Council, it’s pretty simple:

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Charter Review & Reform Recap

To refresh your memory:

• December 2020: The Portland Charter Commission is established with four members appointed by each City Commissioner and the Mayor. You can read about the Commissioners here.

• June 14th, 2022: (Phase I) The Portland Charter Commission referred Measure 26-228—Changes to City Governance and Ranked-Choice Voting to the November 2022 ballot

• October 2022: Commissioner Mapps Reveals Alternative to Charter Reform Measure (Portland Mercury) Because Measure 26-228 passed, this effort was abandoned

• November 8th, 2022: Measure 26-228 was approved by over 58% of Portland voters

• November 2022: The City of Portland Two Year Transition Plan begins

• December 2022: The Charter Commission holds its last session

• January 2023: The Charter Commission releases its final progress report.

• January 19th, 2023: The Charter Commission presents its Phase II recommendations to Portland City Council. The Commission referred five measures to the November 2024 ballot and recommended six proposals to Portland City Council. Council immediately rejected the proposal to establish an Office of Transparency Advocate. I could not determine the current status of the other five before sending this out today.

  • Portland City Council rejects proposal to create city government watchdog position (OPB)

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Attempted Reform of Voter-Approved Reform

This disappointing display of ignorance and hubris when two members of our City Council attempted to hijack the voter-approved transition to a new form of government has gone down in flames. Meddling with the voter’s will is always a bad look, especially if you intend to run under the system you revised. I want to thank everyone who showed up on July 18th to give those clowns an earful. In case you missed it:

• Portland Commissioners Rene Gonzalez, Dan Ryan float potential changes to city government overhaul (The Oregonian)

• Updated: Commissioners' Proposal Could Throw a Wrench in Voter-Approved Charter Reform Plan (Portland Mercury)

• Commissioners Push for Last-Minute Charter Reform Changes in Chaotic Work Session (Portland Mercury)

• Good Morning, News: City Council's "Clown Car" Meeting (Portland Mercury) This summation from Portland Mercury is priceless:

“Dan Ryan was duplicitous and condescending (as usual); Carmen Rubio mostly just sat there, refusing to offer any full-throated opposition to this attack on democracy; Mingus Mapps was an energy vampire vomiting empty platitudes and meaningless word salads, Rene Gonzalez (with help his typo-ridden, malfunctioning slide show) embarrassed himself with the laughable, insulting assertion that Portland can't produce "12 quality candidates" to sit on Council; and most shockingly of all, Mayor Ted Wheeler was the only sane voice on Council who actually said out loud that this venture was a terrible waste of time, and that Council should be working to get charter reform implemented—JUST AS VOTERS TOLD THEM TO IN THE FIRST PLACE. "

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Voting Districts

Charter Reform: District Commission Moving Ahead With Voting Map Combining Sellwood With West Side (Portland Mercury)

Independent District Commission Meeting #12: Tonight at 6 pm! Tune in or attend in person for the Commission’s final meeting, where they’re expected to vote to adopt an amended version of the “Alder” map. Each of the four districts has roughly equivalent populations. The amendment will group Sellwood with the West Side in District 4. I’m in District 3, how about you?

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Salaries

I followed some of the outcry following the Portland Independent Salary Commission’s proposal, which was first released in June. While I understand the public’s reaction to high salaries for public officials, I generally support these pay increases. Their final proposal has decreased Commissioners’ salaries by about $10K from their initial recommendation.

The most important reason for offering a “thriving wage” is to make these jobs accessible to a broad spectrum of individuals. In cities, counties, and states across the country, many public offices pay so little that only people who are affluent, have a spouse to support them, or are retired can afford to serve. Low compensation excludes otherwise qualified candidates and discourages others unwilling to take a significant pay cut. We need only look to Salem to see how that’s been working out.

The wheels of progress may turn slowly, but that doesn’t mean that serving on City Council isn’t a grind. The job consistently requires well over 40 hours a week, and Commissioners are virtually never off the clock. For instance, I was frequently called on for evenings and weekend commitments during vacations (which were short and far between) and even while my son was hospitalized with a life-threatening illness.

Finally, because half of Americans are so poorly paid, we have a warped perception of what fair compensation is. I’m less concerned with Commissioners being paid a salary commensurate with their job requirements than I am with whether they support raising wages for the rest of us.

• Portland politicians will see pay hike after 2024 election (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

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How to Run

Here’s the official Candidate Guide for your perusal!

• City of Portland Candidate Guide November 2024 (PortlandOregon.gov)

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Who is running so far?

The first day to file to run for City Office is June 5th, 2024. However, a few names have emerged via the Small Donor Election Program, which requires a separate filing. I’ve also June 5thfrom a few other promising potential candidates, but they haven’t officially thrown their hats in the ring, so I’ll keep a lid on them for now.

• Steph Routh for District #1: I’ll be releasing a voter’s guide in September 2024—I want a chance to consider all candidates—but I have little doubt that Steph Routh, at turns a small business owner, nonprofit leader, community organizer, and teacher, will be in my top three. Go Steph!

• Sandeep Bali for District #2: Like every armchair activist, this pro-business, pro-cop candidate has a lot of feelings and opinions about what’s wrong with Portland but comes up short on analysis or policy solutions. Opposes right-sizing the police budget and investing in community initiatives, opposes inclusionary zoning.

• Chris Flanary for District #3: I think I know who Chris is (city worker and union organizer?), but I couldn’t locate a campaign website or page for them, so I’ll reserve comment until I can confirm.

• Mingus Mapps for Mayor: It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of my former opponent, so I mean this with all sincerity—have I missed something? What impressive administrative or legislative feats has he achieved that would warrant a run for Mayor? Exactly how long does one get to fail upwards and dine out on a Ph.D. in Political Science without accomplishing anything else of note? Besides the police union, big business advocates, and a certain demographic of neighborhood association members, who likes this guy? A mediocre bureaucrat turned mediocre Commissioner now wants to be a mediocre Mayor. I genuinely hope some stellar candidates step up. Portland deserves better.

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