In 2022, the Portland Metro Chamber endorsed Measure 114, a law that would ban high-capacity magazines and require people purchasing guns to pass a background check. This state measure was passed by voters, with 75% of voters in Multnomah County supporting the measure. Since that time, Measure 114 has been challenged in the courts even though this measure reflects the will of Oregon voters, and the vast majority of Portland citizens, to regulate firearms in the interest of public safety.
On June 14 Portland Metro Chamber submitted an amicus brief to show support for implementation of Measure 114, stating the following points:
- Portland has struggled since the pandemic and recovery has been slow. This is due in no small part to the public’s perception that Portland has become unsafe. This perception is supported by data: between 2019 and 2022, Portland experienced a 30% increase in violent crime.
- The number of shootings in Portland have more than doubled since 2019, as has the rate of homicide by firearm.
- Gun violence in Portland disproportionally impacts people of color. Nearly half of the victims of non-fatal gun violence in Portland are Black, although that group makes up only 5.9% of the city’s population.
- The increase of gun violence in Portland has negatively impacted the economic health and vitality of the region. As residents and businesses have left the region, so has that tax revenue, leaving the city with a shrinking operating budget to deal with a growing problem.
The Portland Metro Chamber will continue to support this common-sense gun control law that the citizens of Oregon, and Portland voters, passed to help make our community safer for everyone.