The Mercury Election Strike Force

Mercury Staff MAN THIS WAS A FUN mayoral primary. Late last year, this race looked like a sleepy, run-of-the-mill contest between two white, Ivy League, Lincoln High grads trying (largely in vain) to pinpoint a difference between themselves. But then the race got messy, turning into an old-school populist scrum. Mayoral forums were interrupted—repeatedly, by […]

THERE’S SO MUCH ANGER and mistrust around transportation cash in this city, but the fact is, nothing substantial has been done to help fix Portland’s deteriorating roads in decades. The mercurial street fee Mayor Hales and Commissioner Novick tabled in early 2015 got a lot of people upset, but the needs it sought to address […]

THE COUNTY COMMISSION’S always been that important, boring provider of justice and social services whose political intrigues—absent the occasional bout of sheriff incompetence or sex scandal—are often overlooked. Ever seen some of the resolutions they bring up at those commission meetings? Countless hours of the public’s time each year are spent declaring things like “Volunteer […]

A THEME came up in nearly every one of the Mercury‘s endorsement interviews: housing. Something else came up, too: housing. And every once in a while, a candidate would mention one of their pet projects: housing. Those running for office in Portland know what voters are interested in. And Portlanders—many of whom are facing the […]

LEO ZAROSINSKI IF YOU’RE STILL SHOCKED by the emergence of formerly dark horse candidates like Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, you shouldn’t be. Their campaigns were brought to life by millions of Americans who are tired of toiling under politics as usual, while change inches forward at a snail’s pace. And if you haven’t noticed, […]