Election day is May 16! The Mercury carefully considered three ballot measures Portlanders will be asked to vote on. Listen or don’t, but be sure to vote either way (and visit this article for our full reasoning).

MEASURE 26-193—$790 Million Schools Bond: YES

Portland Public Schools are in disrepair. Sure there are leadership questions, and mismanagement has been uncovered with shocking regularity. But that doesn’t change the fact we need to put more money into fixing our aging schools (see: sewage in the Cleveland High School cafeteria).


MEASURE 26-189—Increased Independence for the City Auditor’s Office: YES

Auditor Mary Hull Caballero is pushing for changes to the city charter that will clear up some thorny potential conflicts of interest that her employees encounter on a regular basis. It makes sense.


MEASURE 26-194—Tweaks to Transient Lodging Tax: YES

Short-term rental platform HomeAway is being a jerk and refusing to pay the six percent tax the city slaps on lodging stays. Courts have ruled the city needs to change its charter to force HomeAway to pay up. That’s what this does.