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Politics
Posted inNews

Dan Ryan Will Run for City Council in District 2

While his colleagues run for mayor, Ryan is aiming to continue serving as a city council member.
Avatar photo Taylor Griggs

Portland Commissioner Dan Ryan wants to continue serving on City Council. After months of silence about his political future— in contrast with his three fellow commissioners, each of whom have begun 2024 mayoral campaigns— Ryan announced today he plans to run for Portland City Council again this year. He will be vying for one of […]

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Portland’s Plan To Spur Housing Development by Relaxing Regulations Has Political Implications

The code change discussions underscored key differences amongst Portland City Council members— some of whom are competing for the mayoral seat this year.
Avatar photo Taylor Griggs

There’s no one magic bullet that will solve Portland’s housing crisis. But city leaders and developers think strict regulations are part of the reason local housing construction has slumped.  Housing construction across Oregon, and in the Portland metro area in particular, has fallen behind. Addressing Oregon’s housing shortage has been Governor Tina Kotek’s primary goal […]

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Auditor: County Contracting Rules Bent to Favor Seattle-Based Nonprofit

A Multnomah County auditor’s memo notes staff felt “pressured” by Susheela Jayapal, now running for Congress, to alter an application process to benefit Housing Connector, which later landed a lucrative contract.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Multnomah County auditors say a former county commissioner who’s now running for Congress pressured the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) to skirt contracting rules and create loopholes to benefit a housing services organization that wasn’t qualified to bid on county contracts. According to a memo released last week from the county auditor’s office, a […]

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Carmen Rubio Enters 2024 Portland Mayor’s Race

The city commissioner is the third person on council to launch a campaign for mayor under Portland’s new form of government.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

City Commissioner Carmen Rubio is running for Portland mayor. Rubio announced her mayoral campaign Tuesday morning, making her the fourth person and third current Portland City Council member to enter the mayor’s race. Rubio currently oversees the city’s housing bureau, development services, planning, and Prosper Portland, the city’s economic development agency. In a campaign announcement, […]

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Former City Commissioner Steve Novick Eyes Return to City Hall

Novick is running to represent District 3, after a former stint on Portland City Council.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Steve Novick says he’s ready to return to Portland City Hall. On Friday, the former city commissioner announced his campaign for District 3, representing a broad swath of inner Southeast Portland that stretches east to I-205 and south down to the Woodstock neighborhood.  Novick served on Portland City Council from 2013 to 2017. He lost […]

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Governor Kotek’s Central City Task Force Plan, Developed Behind Closed Doors, Gets Mixed Reviews

Task force plan recommends major public policy changes, but the public was barred from providing input or attending meetings.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Courtney Vaughn and Taylor Griggs

This story has been updated to include additional input from the governor’s office. A plan presented by the governor’s task force which was intended to revitalize downtown is getting mixed reactions, after its members recommended criminalizing public drug use, and relaxing business taxes, among other measures.  The meetings have also raised concerns that the public […]

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Rene Gonzalez Announces Bid For Portland Mayor

Known for his conservative policies, Gonzalez is the second on council to announce a 2024 mayoral campaign.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez announced Thursday morning that he is running for mayor. Gonzalez is the second person on Portland City Council to announce a mayoral bid for the 2024 council race, after Commissioner Mingus Mapps launched his campaign for mayor earlier this year. Gonzalez and Mapps join Durell Kinsey Bey, a youth coordinator […]

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Dan Ryan Rules Out Running for Portland Mayor

The city commissioner will decide whether to run for a council district by late January, as speculation swirls over who might challenge Mingus Mapps in 2024 race.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan has ruled out a run for mayor in 2024.  Ryan’s office made the announcement Monday, as filings for the 2024 City Council race have already surpassed 40 candidates.  None of the current city commissioners have announced plans to run, with the exception of Commissioner Mingus Mapps, who is running for […]

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Jewish Activists Blockade Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s Portland Office For Second Time in Two Weeks

Hours before an Israel/Hamas truce announcement, protesters pressured the Oregon congressman to follow Sen. Jeff Merkley’s call for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Avatar photo Kevin Foster

Jewish community members blocked all entrances to Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s office in Northeast Portland again Tuesday, in hopes of pressuring him to call for a cease-fire in Gaza. The action followed a similar sit-in two weeks prior. By the end of the day, with help from Qatari officials, a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas […]

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Protesters Picket Boeing Over Weapons Shipments to Israel

Activists blocked entrances at Boeing’s Gresham plant, saying the company needs to be held accountable for its role in the Hamas/Israel war that has killed thousands.
Avatar photo Kevin Foster

Police were called to a Boeing manufacturing plant in Gresham last week, after protesters picketed the site over the company’s supply of weapons to Israel. On Friday, November 17, Portland’s chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) organized a picket at Boeing’s aircraft manufacturing facility in Gresham. Following Hamas’ attack on October 7, […]

Posted inPolitics

Portland Activists Stage Sit-In at Rep. Blumenauer’s Office In Hopes He’ll Support a Cease-Fire in Gaza

Activists hope Blumenauer, a longtime progressive, will eventually be responsive to their demands.
Avatar photo Kevin Foster

On Wednesday, November 8, members of Portland’s Jewish community and allies shut down Rep. Earl Blumenauer’s office by blocking the entrance for over three hours. Neither Blumenauer or Oregon’s other U.S. Representatives have called for a cease-fire in Gaza, where more than 10,000 people have been killed by Israeli militants over the last month. While […]

Posted inPolice Oversight

City Council Approves Independent Monitor to Watch Over Cops

The monitor will determine if Portland Police remain compliant with the DOJ’s demands regarding the bureau’s excessive use of force.
Avatar photo Abe Asher

The Portland City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday afternoon to amend the city’s 2014 settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to select an independent monitor to oversee the city’s compliance with the settlement.  The amendments mark a milestone in the enforcement of the settlement: not only will the DOJ not be directly […]

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