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Multnomah County Chair
Jessica Vega Pederson
In a crowded race of experienced candidates for Multnomah County Chair, Jessica Vega Pederson stands out.
A county commissioner for the past five years, Vega Pederson has helped the county expand the region’s shelter beds, supported setting aggressive decarbonization goals, and prioritized rental assistance at the beginning of the pandemic. Prior to her role at the county, she was the first Latina elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, often fighting for increased access to healthcare regardless of immigration status, transportation safety in East Portland, and workers’ rights.
As the county grapples with how to best respond to the region’s increase in visible homelessness, Vega Pederson’s experience could be seen as a pro or a con. A frustrated voter might be drawn to political newcomer Sharia Mayfield, an attorney who believes the existing county commissioners have not moved quickly enough to advance behavioral health systems and access to housing. However, Multnomah County has made considerable investments in the expansion of shelter beds, rental assistance, and behavioral health services in the region over the past few years. Having a Chair who understands the state of the region’s resources—both good and bad—is critical at a time when the region needs to respond both urgently and strategically to its housing crisis.
While fellow commissioners Lori Stegmann and Sharon Meieran are also well-primed on the issues facing the county, Vega Pederson has shown her strengths as a collaborator. In 2020, two universal preschool measures were headed towards the ballot: one created by a community campaign, the other by a county-backed task force led by Vega Pederson. Instead of risking splitting the vote, Vega Pederson spearheaded the merging of the two proposals and the collaborative ballot measure passed with over 60 percent of the vote.
At a time when government leaders and houseless services experts are calling for increased collaboration across bureaus and government systems to create a continuum of care for unhoused people, Vega Pederson has the relationship building skills required to rise to the challenge.