The city’s campaign finance program is facing something of a housing crisis.
While the City Auditor’s Office oversees local elections, it has refused to take in Portland’s new system for funneling public money to candidates for city office. Multnomah County elections officials have declined as well.
And now, in a situation that’s raising questions about chaos and conflicts of interest, even the bureau that’s been assigned to deal with the Open and Accountable Elections program has washed its hands of the matter.
Under an ordinance that Portland City Council passed in an unexpected maneuver on March 8, the system–which will give money to future candidates for city commissioner–is now under the direct control of a sitting city commissioner.
“I think we all agree that’s not a perfect solution,” Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a tense hearing on the concept last Wednesday, March 7. “In the short term I’m supporting this, because the program has to go somewhere.”
“I can’t support this in its current form,” Commissioner Dan Saltzman said at the meeting. “It just doesn’t look right.”