There’s been some anxious energy surrounding Portland’s 10-cent gas tax, which is on the ballot for renewal in the upcoming primary election. The tax funds the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Fixing Our Streets maintenance program, going toward street paving and safety projects like traffic signals, sidewalk installation and repair, and street lighting. And given PBOT’s precarious financial situation and major maintenance challenges, the bureau can’t afford to lose this income.

PBOT’s budget outlook isn’t as dire now as it was last fall, mostly thanks to a much-needed windfall from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). The bureau is also banking on some extra funds coming in from increased parking enforcement and parking meter inflation. But PBOT is still heavily reliant on the gas tax, which bureau leaders expect will take in about $75 million over the next four years.

Considering 77 percent of Portland voters endorsed the gas tax in the 2020 election, it should be a shoo-in for renewal, right? Well, it’s probably going to pass, having netted endorsements from across the political spectrum, including the Oregonian’s editorial board, the Portland Business Alliance, Willamette Week, all five members of Portland City Council, and us at the Mercury. Better yet, a city poll last fall found most Portland voters would say “yes” to the 10-cent-per-gallon renewal. 

Regardless, there appear to be growing concerns about the tax, and about our transportation funding system in general. Many of these concerns make sense. For instance, one big concern with the tax is that PBOT’s reliance on it makes it hard for the city’s transportation leaders to fully commit to weaning off fossil fuels, considering the effect that would have on the bureau’s income. It also fails to reap any earnings from the increasing share of Portlanders who drive electric vehicles. 

But some perspectives on the gas tax would benefit from deeper investigation. 

NEW OPENINGS 

Mole Mole Mexican Cuisine
The cult favorite mole specialist debuted a new cart within the Prost! Marketplace pod on Wednesday, with an extensive menu of burritos, tacos, enchiladas, nachos, flautas, quesadillas, chimichangas, and more.
Boise

Whether you're putting the finishing touches on your weekend plans or you have no idea what you're doing right after you shut your laptop on Friday, we're here to help. We'd like to suggest cheap and easy events from Oregon Rises Above Hate Kick Off Day to the Portland Cinco de Mayo Fiesta and from Free Comic Book Day to Crafty Wonderland's Spring Art + Craft Market. For more ideas, check out our guide to the top events of the week and our Cinco de Mayo guide.

FRIDAY

COMEDY

Swiped Out!
Because nothing's less funny than the prospect of eternal singledom, loneliness, and despair, Kickstand will snatch up real audience dating profiles and lend a helping hand with a team of "professionally trained dating experts" (aka improvisers) on stage. You'd have to be the perfect blend of brave and desperate to participate in such a thing, but I mean, "I'm sending this message with the help of nine comedians" is a hell of an opener, right? LC
(Kickstand Comedy, Ladd's Addition, $15 or PWYW)

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

GOOD MORNING, PORTLAND! Say goodbye to the morning sun, and say hello to the first day of a rainy weekend, with showers developing this afternoon and then continuing through Sunday, and highs in the upper 50s. The good news? Ummmm... you don't have to wash your car? 😬 And now here's the good news/bad news of... today's NEWS.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• GOOD NEWS! The Mercury's May Primary Endorsements have arrived, so you may now fill out your ballot. We worked our buttz off to bring you the best, most trustworthy endorsements in town, and... how do we know we're the best? Well, for one thing we didn't endorse Nathan Vasquez, Sam Adams, or Jessie Burke. (I understand that's a low bar.) Seriously though, our endorsements are great, and more importantly, CORRECT—so grab your ballot and let's get votin'!

• Six days after pro-Palestine protesters occupied the Portland State University library, police barged in and swept and evicted the building's occupants, not once, but twice on Thursday. While many escaped the first purge, riot clad cops arrested twelve demonstrators on their first pass, and after an afternoon of creating a human shield in front of the library and listening to hundreds chant (with very little signs of violence), the police departed in the late afternoon. Aaaaaand that's when protesters returned and re-occupied the library. Police moved back in, cleared the building, and by the time the night was through, had arrested 30 total for the day. Mayor Wheeler held a press conference to say that if the protesters thought that occupying a school building was an effective way of changing policy, they are "delusional." (But perhaps he's forgetting about the numerous times that campus occupation have been successful at changing policy. Tomato, to-mah-to, I guess! 🤷‍♂️) Our Courtney Vaughn has more!

• And the award for most "Overdramatic Telenovela" goes to....

Portland Police clear Portland State University Library - May 2, 2024 pic.twitter.com/TKDnqYu1uY

— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) May 2, 2024

[Hello! You know, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds]

Welcome to a very busy and spicy May primary election! And this one has it all—a battle for both the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners (which could have big-time future ramifications) and Multnomah County DA, two Dems fighting to regain Oregon's 5th Congressional District from Republican hands, a handful of measures, a crowded race to fill the seat of retiring US Rep. Blumenauer, and more!

"DANG," you might be saying to yourself, "How am I supposed to research all these races myself, and make a logical, ethical choice?" We'll tell you how... with the Mercury's May 2024 endorsements! We've been working our buttz off for months, interviewing candidates, digging deep into their pasts and voting records, and writing our fingers to the bone so we can present these endorsements—which we have to admit are pretty darn good and trustworthy.

[The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, News Reporter Taylor Griggs, Arts & Culture Editor Suzette Smith, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey. We do not endorse in uncontested races. Oh and by the way, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds]

Multnomah County District Attorney: Mike Schmidt

Since taking the reins at the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office in 2020, Mike Schmidt has faced a deluge of crises, and criticism. 

Schmidt took office in August 2020 amid a global pandemic and nationwide racial justice reckoning that spurred prolonged protests in Portland. Those external factors, coupled with a nationwide rise in crime during the pandemic (that has since fallen) painted the picture for many residents that Multnomah County was in dire straits. 

Unsurprisingly, residents placed the blame on those in power, and Schmidt, who got elected on a progressive campaign of criminal justice reform, was an easy target. 

By the summer of 2023, the DA’s face was plastered on billboards downtown that singled him out as the culprit of Portland’s problems. While the unsavory tagline may have been catchy, it was largely misleading.

[The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, News Reporter Taylor Griggs, Arts & Culture Editor Suzette Smith, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey. We do not endorse in uncontested races. Oh and by the way, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds]

Measure 26-244 Metro Zoo Bond - YES 

Choosing how to vote on the Oregon Zoo bond is complicated, but not necessarily because of the tax math. Despite the $380 million sticker shock, the cost to taxpayers does not look significant. This new, "phase 2" bond replaces $125 million in funds voters approved by healthy margins in 2008, which are set to expire in 2025. The "phase 2" zoo bond is projected to set Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas county residents back an estimated 8.5 cents per $1,000 of taxable property per year, which remains very similar to what taxpayers were already paying on the old bond, so—word problem time!—if my friend's house is assessed at around $500,000, he's going to fork over approximately $42.50 to otters every year. 

[The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, News Reporter Taylor Griggs, Arts & Culture Editor Suzette Smith, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey. We do not endorse in uncontested races. Oh and by the way, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds]

Oregon Attorney General: Dan Rayfield

Fun fact: According to state law, one does not have to be an attorney to be Oregon Attorney General... but it certainly can't hurt, which is why we're endorsing attorney and former House Speaker Dan Reyfield, purely on his wealth of experience. Apparently we're not the only ones who think so, as Rayfield boasts a truckload of endorsements from labor, educators, and health providers, and vows to focus on protecting Oregonians' reproductive health and combating threats to abortion, stopping gun violence, and holding corporate polluters accountable. So, yeah... vote for Dan Rayfield.

All that said, please take a good look at his primary competitor for this seat, Shaina Maxey Pomerantz, who is extremely impressive and someone we would love to endorse in the future for the appropriate office. While her legal background and legislative experience doesn't match that of Reyfield, she's kicked ass as a civil rights investigator and as a member of Portland's Office of Equity and Human Rights. She's also been the vice chair of the Citizen's Review Committee, and sat on the Police Bureau Equity Advisory Committee. So our question is, "Why isn't Pomerantz running for Portland mayor (which desperately needs this type of candidate) or city council?" That isn't a slam—we're begging for smart, progressive folks like Pomerantz to flex the muscles that will specifically help Portland. (Call us greedy, but we hope to see much more of Pomerantz in the future!)

[The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, News Reporter Taylor Griggs, Arts & Culture Editor Suzette Smith, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey. We do not endorse in uncontested races. Oh and by the way, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds]

Congressional Races

US Representative, 1st District: Suzanne Bonamici

A former consumer protection attorney, Suzanne Bonamici’s Congressional tenure began in 2012. She’s won each re-election bid since then, and there’s good reason for that.

Bonamici, who currently serves on the Committee for Education and Workforce, as well as the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, prides herself on policies that prioritize the wellbeing of the working class, families, and children. She’s also been a watchdog for her most vulnerable constituents. Most recently, she partnered with two other legislators to introduce a bill that would crack down on predatory debt collectors. 

You’ll also find her name attached to bills that strengthen the arts, secure worker protection, prioritize affordable housing and child nutrition, and work to tackle a national nursing shortage. Bonamici has also proven diligent in bringing important federal funding back to Oregon.

Nearly everything the congresswoman has done over the past 12 years has been geared toward improving lives. That said, Bonamici is a bit of an establishment candidate in the Democratic Party. At worst, her legislation can be milquetoast and ineffective, and Bonamici isn’t one to push back on her party’s agenda.

[The Mercury Election Strike Force is News Editor Courtney Vaughn, News Reporter Taylor Griggs, Arts & Culture Editor Suzette Smith, and Editor-in-Chief Wm. Steven Humphrey. We do not endorse in uncontested races. Oh and by the way, putting these endorsements together takes LOTS of hard work—and that's on top of our regular excellent reporting. Show your appreciation for the Mercury with a small contribution, please, and thank you!—eds]

Use the handy-dandy Mercury cheat sheet below to help you fill out your ballot, and hit the section links to see our full endorsements.

Multnomah County Board of Commissioners

District 1: Meghan Moyer

District 2: Shannon Singleton

District 3: TJ Noddings

District 4: Vince Jones-Dixon

This story has been updated with the latest number of arrests and additional details about Thursday's police response and an attack on protesters.

Police cleared Portland State University’s Branford Price Millar library this morning, three days after students and other activists broke in and began occupying the building, and six days since demonstrators erected tents on the university’s park lawns.

The ongoing occupation-style protest at PSU’s library mirrored the scene at university campuses across the US in recent weeks, as students and allies urge a cease-fire in Gaza and push for their colleges to divest from companies with ties to Israel.

Beginning at 6 am, officers with the Portland Police Bureau announced via loudspeaker that they would soon begin removing those inside the perimeter of the South Park Blocks or Millar Library—by 7:50 am that changed to charging those inside with second degree trespass. By 10 pm,  police reported at least 30 arrests were made, at least seven of which were PSU students.  

News of police action at the Millar library came as a surprise to students who had been told by the university that classes would resume Thursday morning. A little after 7am, PSU emailed students to advise them that the campus would again be closed. Buildings that would have normally opened to a PSU ID, including a dining hall, remained locked.

FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS

Conscious Sedation Beer Garden
Conscious Sedation, a beer garden specializing in micro- and nano-brews as well as wine and cider, will celebrate its second anniversary as well as Star Wars Day and Cinco de Mayo with a party on Saturday, featuring a selection of beer from the breweries Green Dragon and Labyrinth Forge. Labyrinth Forge will also release its new Mexican lager that day, just in time for all your Cinco-related festivities.
Vernon

The party’s not over! Billie Eilish is bringing her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour to the Moda Center this winter. Slipknot has also announced a tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut self-titled album. Plus, viral crooner Stephen Sanchez is coming to Troutdale this September. Read on for details on those and other newly announced events, plus some news you can use.

Tickets go on sale at 10 am unless otherwise noted.

ON SALE FRIDAY, MAY 3

MUSIC

2024 Americana Harvest Fest: Joy Oladokun
Topaz Farm (Tues Aug 27)

Allah-Las
Aladdin Theater (Sun Sept 22)

American Aquarium
Mississippi Studios (Sat Nov 9)
On sale at 7 am

Since it was invented on Bainbridge Island in 1965, pickleball has sought membership within the elite clique of what we consider common recreational sports. However, it wasn't until 2020 that pickleball finally moved beyond its lesser known contemporaries, like squash and curling, to join the company of good time tablemates, tennis and ping pong. If real-life activities can go viral, pickleball hit peak virality during the pandemic. Suddenly everyone was grabbing a paddle and a perforated ball and hitting the court.

According to the Association of Pickleball Players, more than 36 million people in the US played pickleball in 2023. As pickleball courts flourish across the city, it's no real surprise that someone in this rainy town thought: What if we let people play pickleball indoors?

The People’s Courts is a sprawling 48,000-square-foot recreation center, which used to be home to 82nd Avenue's finest indoor BMX track. It opened in August of last year, thanks to developers Dave Schrott, Dave Sacks, and his dad, Robert Sacks. The massive building fills not only the apparently insatiable desire for more pickleball courts, but also a city-wide need for active social space that is, you know, inside. (Sure, the weather was nice last week, but this week we got back to spring.) Also–not to kick off the Soho House debate again—but at the People’s Courts there’s no membership required, making it truly a place for the people.