WILLAMETTE WEEK'S pick for
Portland City Council
From Willamette Week | Oct. 19, 2022
Voters must ask themselves: after four years of Hardesty being the loudest voice on the city council, are they better of?
At times, she’s been a voice for the voiceless, but she’s also dismissed those who’ve questioned her, alienated colleagues, and inflamed crises when Portland needed a unifying presence.
Hardesty championed the cutting of the Gun Violence Reduction Team in 2020, to lower racial disparities in arrests. As gun violence soared to record-high levels, especially in communities of color, Hardesty has been largely AWOL.
Portland has lost its way, allowing a note of despair to seep into our
politics…Gonzalez will help restore balance.
"Simply put, we are endorsing him because we think Hardesty can no longer be part of the solution."
WILLAMETTE WEEK'S pick for
Multnomah County Chair
Willamette Week
Oct. 19, 2022
We don’t often switch an endorsement from the primary to the general election. But these are unusual times.
Because of the authority vested in the position, the Multnomah County Chair is by far the most powerful elected official in Portland.
This year the Joint Office of Homeless Services budget will be $262 million, which means the county controls perhaps the largest pot of discretionary funding in the state. But after six years of increased budgets, which will continue to balloon because of the 10-year $2.5 billion Metro Homeless Service measure, this year’s point in time count of homeless residents found 5,228 people unsheltered. That’s a jump of 30% since the last count.
Amid such disappointing results, the Joint Office and its overseer, County Chair Deborah Kafoury, have refused to hear criticism...
Throughout, Vega Pederson has remained Kafoury’s loyal lieutenant indeed, the pair joined forces to oppose the effort by the auditor to enshrine an ombudsperson in the county charter. It’s hard to view such opposition as anything but resistance to having their work scrutinized.
By contrast, Meieran has been a thorn in Kafoury’s side, constantly pushing for more data and greater transparency form the Joint Office...She has regularly pleaded with her colleagues to treat conditions on Portland streets as a humanitarian crisis, not a situation that can be tolerated while the city awaits more housing.
We are persuaded she is the candidate most determined to bring change about. She has been crystal clear about the lack of rigor and urgency at the Joint Office.
On her website, Meieran has concisely laid out the choice voters face: “My opponent has supported the current Chair on all issues,” she writes. “If you want to continue the current path, hear the same talking points the next four years, and see the same results, then you should vote for her.”
We don’t want that.
Vote for Meieran.
These two key choices will shape Portland’s future:
City
Council
The City Council is in charge of public safety. Portland is 48th out of the top 50 largest US cities in police officers per capita.
STAND ON KEY ISSUES
Hardesty:
Led the effort to defund Portland Police by $15 million and to actually disband the Gun Violence ReductionTeam. Responsibile for the Portland Bureau of Transportation as our streets have become more and more unsafe.
Gonzalez:
Believes that rising crime, declining livability and ineffective ideologically-driven policies are ruining the city we used to proudly call home.
DEFINING ACHIEVEMENT
Hardesty:
Helped create new $300 million race-based clean energy program that has already wasted tens of millions through lack of fraud oversight.
Gonzalez:
Proven data-driven problem solver who led his company through Covid without laying off a single person. Now wants to help other families live here to use our parks and streets safely.
ENDORSEMENT INSIGHTS
Hardesty:
Oversees Fire Bureau as City Councilor, yet was surprisingly rejected for endorsement by Portland Association of Fire Fighters, who support Gonzales.
Gonzalez:
Oregonian endorsed, “Rene is clear about his goal to decrease unsanctioned camping and help restore the quality of life that Portland used to be known for.” (Oregonian 10/12/22)
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Hardesty:
Newsweek magazine quoted Hardesty saying, “I believe Portland Police are lying about the damage—or starting the fires themselves—so that they can have justification for attacking community members.”
Gonzalez:
“Unfortunately, my opponent chooses to frame local issues that ought to bring people together in polarizing terms that drive them apart. Voters can count on me to be a firm and constructive voice that balances the very real challenges of police reform with our ongoing public safety and health needs.”
County
Chair
The county spends over $250 million every year on homelessness, yet can’t shelter 5,000 people living on our streets.
STAND ON KEY ISSUES
Pederson:
Vega Pederson has prioritized rental assistance programs and building longterm housing over providing safe emergency shelters to get people off the streets and save lives.
Meieran:
“As an ER doctor...I know how to triage cases and work with multiple systems to get results, and right now we are facing multiple crises—homelessness, mental health, public health, and public safety— that require this unique skillset.” (Oregonian 5/1/22)
DEFINING ACHIEVEMENT
Pederson:
Worked with Socialist Party to create measure adding 3% to existing 9.9% tax bracket, giving top Multnomah County payers the highest tax rate in the nation, according to the State Tax Research Institute.
Meieran:
“Meiran is often unafraid to say what the hive mind of Democratic politicians in a one-party town are too cowardly to admit...She makes a compelling case that the county’s war on homeless lacks urgency, transparency and useful data.” (Willamette Week 4/27/2)
ENDORSEMENT INSIGHTS
Pederson:
Oregonian warns,“her signature accomplishment is exceedingly expensive...By 2026, the county initiative will have collected half a billion dollars in tax revenue but anticipates serving less than half the expected population of the county's preschoolers.” (Oregonian 10/2/22)
Meieran:
Portland Tribune: “Meieran is the Change Agent Multnomah County Needs.” (5/5/22)Willamette Week: “We are persuaded, she is the candidate most determined to bring change about.” (10/19/22)
ENDORSEMENT INSIGHTS
Pederson:
“We must understand that this crisis has been years in the making, and the solutions will not be quick...Developing relationships, trust, and ability to help these members of our community is not a simple task.” (Oregonian 10/13/21)
Meieran:
“I would say we are not using the dollars we do get in the most effective ways possible. We have tons of money right now. I feel like we’re not using it effectively in the Joint Office of Homeless Services in how we address homelessness.” (Willamette Week 10/5/22)
No more talking head politicians in Portland.We need to elect Real People to get Real Results.
Join us!
Fight for a brighter future for Portland: add your name!
We seek to help elect credible, accountable leaders to help move the Portland metro area forward in dealing effectively with issues related to its livability, community safety and social services.
Add your name and join us today!
WILLAMETTE WEEK supports Sharon Meieran:
"We don’t often switch an endorsement from the primary to the general election. But these are unusual times."
Join us in supporting Sharon Meieran!
Fight for a brighter future for Portland: add your name!
We seek to help elect credible, accountable leaders to help move the Portland metro area forward in dealing effectively with issues related to its livability, community safety and social services.
That's why we're supporting Sharon Meieran — and why you should too...
…an emergency room doctor who also goes out into homeless camps to give medical care, Meieran is frustrated with the lack of available shelters and services to get people off the street.
*…Meieran is a bold, straight-talking leader. As the Willamette Week proclaimed, she “is often unafraid to say what the hive mind of Democratic politicians in a one-party town are too cowardly to admit.”
*
*…Sharon will bring fiscal responsibility and focus to county services: “I would say we are not using the dollars we do get in the most effective ways possible. We have tons of money right now. I feel like we’re not using it effectively.”
*
ADD YOUR NAME:
help us elect Sharon Meieran to Multnomah County Chair!
Join us!
Fight for a brighter future for Portland: add your name!
We seek to help elect credible, accountable leaders to help move the Portland metro area forward in dealing effectively with issues related to its livability, community safety and social services.
Add your name and join us today!
Thank You!
Together, we will stand up and fight for a brighter Portland future.