City Council

Tell us one way you'd create more jobs in Portland.

Our elected officials can do better at supporting homegrown businesses and nonprofits by creating an environment for success and offering incentives to companies that do good work. Countless opportunities exist in Portland to create new jobs--the growing "sustainable development" industry is just one good example. Those are the kinds of jobs I'll work to create.

How have you been involved in the community?

As a volunteer commissioner on the Housing Authority of Portland, I worked hard to bring creative ideas to the table that would really improve people's lives. The new housing community at New Columbia in North Portland is a great example. This mixed-income community will reduce the concentration of poverty, make home ownership a reality for 230 families, and will bring over 1000 family wage jobs to Portland.

Brian Smith

City Council

How are you dealing with campaign contributions?

I'm pretty much running my campaign on no money right now. I got signatures to get on the ballot, so I didn't have to pay the $30 there. I like to think that there's always a different way to do something, that there's a better way to do everything.

Why are you running?

There was an incident on Burnside. I had a taser gun pulled on me by the police for no reason. When I asked the police [officer] why, he couldn't answer me. I talked to my dad about it and he said: "Run for public office. If you're living there and that kind of stuff is happening to you, you need to do something. Run for public office; get them where it counts."

What are you doing outside of your campaign for the community?

I'm working for a non profit that's helping soldiers out in Iraq to get the goods they need to survive over there, because the supplies they're getting are next to nothing. They're over there fighting this war without enough support.