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c3Category — Local & State Politics
Posted inNews

Rubio Campaign Didn’t Violate Election Rules, Auditor’s Office Says

Two complaints involving Carmen Rubio yielded no findings of wrongdoing, but the investigations highlight a rivalry between Rubio’s supporters and those backing Rene Gonzalez
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

In the lead-up to the November general election, Portland auditors have had their hands full with investigations into potential campaign finance violations. But the five investigations that have taken place since September center around just two candidates: Rene Gonzalez and Carmen Rubio, both current city commissioners running for Portland mayor. In the latest round of […]

Posted inCity Council Race 2024

Meet Your Portland 2024 Mayoral Candidates

Here’s who wants to be Portland’s next mayor.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Courtney Vaughn and Taylor Griggs

Updated: October 25 Under Portland’s revised city charter, the mayor will serve in a largely administrative role, overseeing day-to-day operations alongside a city administrator. The mayor will be voted on by all city voters, while the council will be elected by district. The charter change is a shift from Portland’s longstanding form of government, which […]

Posted inCity Council Race 2024

Meet the Portland City Council Candidates: District 4

These candidates are running in the district composed of Portland’s west side and some Southeast neighborhoods.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Updated: Oct. 22 Thanks to a charter reform measure passed by voters in 2022, Portland is getting a new form of government, and it will come with a brand new districting system. In November 2024, Portlanders will vote for City Council members in one of four districts across the city, with three councilors per district. […]

Posted inNews

Auditor’s Office: Gonzalez Violated Campaign Finance Rules and Tried to Obstruct Investigation

A re-determination by the Portland Auditor’s Office finds city commissioner used taxpayer funds to benefit his campaign. Investigators say Gonzalez and his staffers lied about key documents and tried to interfere with the investigation.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Updated: 11:18 am Monday, Oct. 22 Rene Gonzalez, one of three Portland city commissioners currently running for mayor, violated campaign finance laws by using taxpayer money for a consulting firm to help edit his Wikipedia page earlier this year, the Auditor’s Office says. The updated determination comes after a Portland Auditor’s Office investigation previously found […]

Posted inNews

In a Stealth Move, Portland City Council Signals Intent to Sever Homelessness Agreement With Multnomah County

Without buy-in from Commissioner Carmen Rubio or Mayor Ted Wheeler, three city leaders asked for an ordinance to cancel a recently renewed intergovernmental agreement.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

Note: This story has been corrected to fix a typo in the amount of Supportive Housing Services tax revenue taken in. It was supposed to be a routine update with no vote.  A week after a joint meeting between Portland City Council and the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, the City Council met to outline […]

Posted inElection Guide 2024

What to Expect From Portland’s New Government

How will Portland’s new crop of leaders tackle a revamped system and problems that have been building for decades?
Avatar photoAvatar photo Taylor Griggs and Courtney Vaughn

Portland City Council will never be the same. Literally.  You probably already know that voters will soon elect an entirely new legislative body to lead the city. Come January, Portland’s 12 new city councilors will represent four geographic districts, with three people from each district on City Council. A new city administrator will, along with […]

Posted inElection Guide 2024

Small Donors, Big Changes

With a Government Transition, More Candidates Tapped Into Public Campaign Funding Than Ever—Here’s How It Works.
Avatar photo Abe Asher

Portland has been helping fund campaigns for its city offices for years, and its impact this year has been especially significant: In an election with more than 100 candidates, the Small Donor Elections program has doled out more than a million dollars and served as a lifeline for candidates without the financial means to get […]

Posted inElection Guide 2024

Commissioning Change

How did Portland decide to adopt its unique commission form of government? You can blame a hurricane.
Avatar photo Joe Streckert

After more than a century, Portland is transitioning away from a commission form of government. Compared to other major cities, it’s been an unusual method of governance, with each member of the Portland City Council running for at-large positions and then taking on roles as the head of different city bureaus. But it wasn’t always […]

Posted inNewsblast!

YOUR SUNDAY READING LIST: Another Gonzalez Goof, the Snacks You Crave, and People for Portland Dies an Embarrassing Death 🤗

Avatar photo Wm. Steven Humphrey

GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It’s the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being “the last to know,” then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to […]

Posted inNews

Portland Elections Division Issues Warning Letter to Gonzalez Campaign Over Political Sign

A large sign supporting Rene Gonzalez for mayor left out a fine print financial disclosure. A separate investigation into his use of taxpayer funds was recently reopened.
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

The Portland Auditor’s Office is issuing Rene Gonzalez’s campaign a warning letter after the campaign displayed a campaign sign without disclosing who paid for the political sign. In response to a Sept. 2 complaint submitted to the Elections Division about the non-conforming sign near the Vista Bridge in Southwest Portland, the Auditor’s Office concluded it […]

Posted inNews

Portland Auditor’s Office Will Take Another Look At Gonzalez’s Potential Campaign Finance Violation

Citing new information, auditors will revisit their prior determination of insufficient evidence of illegal activity related to Wikipedia edits
Avatar photo Courtney Vaughn

The Portland Auditor’s Office is reevaluating the circumstances surrounding City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez’s use of taxpayer funds to edit his Wikipedia page. Last month, the Auditor’s Office announced that despite “an exceedingly close call” it didn’t find enough evidence to suggest Gonzalez, who is running for mayor, violated Portland’s campaign finance laws by using taxpayer […]

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