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Taylor Griggs

Taylor Griggs is a news reporter for the Portland Mercury. She is interested in all of your ideas, comments and concerns, particularly those related to transportation, climate, labor, and Portland city government. Send Taylor an email at tgriggs@portlandmercury.com, and find her on Bluesky @taylorgriggs. 
Posted inNews

Rogue Commissioners’ Plan to Subvert Voters With New Charter Reform Measure Falls Flat—For Now

Commissioner Dan Ryan backpedals on most of the new policies he and Commissioner Rene Gonzalez promoted in a proposal to overhaul the original charter reform measure—but is more interference with progressive policies on the way?
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A little over a week after the public found out about the plan, most elements of Commissioners Dan Ryan and Rene Gonzalez’s proposal to overhaul Portland’s government transition have lost steam. Advocates for the original measure that voters approved last November came out strong against the new changes, and a Tuesday work session on the […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: A New Day for Portland Street Response, The Future of Oregon’s Gun Control Measure, and There’s a New Billionaire in America

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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! It’s Thursday, the air quality in the Portland area is […]

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Commissioners Push for Last-Minute Charter Reform Changes in Chaotic Work Session

Pro-charter reform advocates showed up en masse to the meeting, decrying Commissioners Rene Gonzalez and Dan Ryan’s proposed overhaul of the voter-approved measure.
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Proponents of Portland’s ongoing charter reform effort were thrown for a loop last week when news broke that some Portland City Council members were working on their own, new charter reform proposal that would change significant aspects of the policy 58% of Portland voters approved in November 2022. Portland’s government transition has been officially underway […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: 82nd Ave Plan Update, Advocates Decry Proposal to Usurp Charter Reform, and Surfing Sea Otters

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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! Weather report: it’s going to be a little hotter […]

Posted inNews

Updated: Commissioners’ Proposal Could Throw a Wrench in Voter-Approved Charter Reform Plan

Commissioners Gonzalez and Ryan want to make substantial changes to the charter reform measure passed last November. Proponents of the initial measure say the move is a power play that could threaten the entire plan.
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UPDATE: July 13, 5:00 pm Portland City Council will hold a Charter Reform Amendments Referendum Work Session on Tuesday, July 18, from 9:30-11:30 am, to discuss the proposed ballot initiative altering aspects of the voter-approved charter reform measure. Proponents of the original charter reform measure are planning a rally at City Hall at 9:00 am […]

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Pete Buttigieg’s Tour of 82nd Avenue Underscores Opportunities, Ultimatums For One of Portland’s Busiest Corridors

With $80 million in federal funds, transportation leaders must move quickly to enact projects before a 2026 deadline. They’ll also need to hash out a greater vision for transforming the corridor.
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East Portland boosters and transportation advocates celebrated when 82nd Avenue was transferred to the city of Portland last year. The move enabled work to begin on a plan to turn the major arterial into a “civic corridor” complete with improved transit service, active transportation access, housing development, and landscaping. The idea? Fix longstanding safety issues […]

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In His Mayoral Run, Mingus Mapps Wants to Lead “Portland 2.0”

After perceived policy missteps and previous opposition to new government structure coming in 2025, Mapps now wants to lead the “new Portland.”
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Portland’s next general election in November 2024 will herald the beginning of a new form of local government, wiping the current City Council roster clean. Since the charter reform measure passed, many Portlanders have wondered what current City Council members would do, come reelection time. The first to answer that question has been Commissioner Mingus […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Portland Camping Ban Starts Tomorrow, Mingus Mapps Running for Mayor, and Toxic Water

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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! It’s hot out there. Not as hot as yesterday, […]

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CAT in Crisis: Financial Trouble Threatens Future of Portland’s Community Alliance of Tenants

The nearly three-decade old nonprofit plans to lay off most staffers until it secures more resources. Employees say the problem goes even deeper, alleging mismanagement and union-busting.
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In a time when many Oregonians are experiencing financial precarity and can barely afford to pay rent, a Portland-based tenant aid organization is on the brink of financial collapse.  The Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) has served as a tenant advocacy group for people across Oregon since its formation in 1996, offering resources like a […]

Posted inGood Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Slushies, New Secretary of State, and Black Holes

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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! Has this ever happened to you? You’re at a […]

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Without Tolling Revenue, ODOT Puts the Brakes on Two Portland-Area Freeway Projects

As state transportation agency stretches to find funding alternatives, watchdogs rejoice over reevaluation of plans to widen I-205 and I-5.
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The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has been relying on plans to toll Portland-area highways in order to pay for large capital projects on its roster. In particular, ODOT has counted on future tolling revenue while planning the I-5 expansion at the Rose Quarter in Portland and the second phase of its plan to widen […]

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Skaters Renew Pressure on Portland City Leaders to Build Steel Bridge Skatepark

With a quarter million dollars for design from Prosper Portland set aside, skatepark advocates say new park could play key role in downtown revitalization.
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In honor of this year’s international Go Skateboarding Day, some of Portland’s most dedicated skating advocates took a message to City Council: It’s time to build the Steel Bridge Skatepark.  “Skateboarding is about taking risks and embracing the dance between pleasure and pain. And more than that, it’s about community,” Portland skate enthusiast Katherine Rose […]

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