Over the past five years, Portland has faced a cascading series of crises that have measurably damaged our city’s reputation and spurred the realization that the condition on the streets is simply not consistent with Portland’s values. After decades of growth, Portland began to lose population. With one of the largest unsheltered homeless populations in the nation, record levels of gun violence, rampant public drug use, and record high taxes, Portlanders began to ask existential questions about our local government’s ability to meet these challenges.
In recent years, voters have sent a clear message that they expect our elected leaders to return to the basics and restore Portland’s greatest asset: livability. A new city council and county leadership were elected, pledging to address these issues. Governor Kotek promised to address these same issues and clean up Portland. In 2023, this new generation of leaders with a clear mandate and shared agreement on their priorities got to work on this agenda. After a year of working closely with business and community leaders, Portland is making measurable progress. The 2024 legislature continued this momentum by recriminalizing possession of fentanyl, meth, and heroin, and funding a deflection system to get people into treatment faster. If we stay on track, Portland’s future will be bright. The Chamber published our 2024 policy agenda, which serves as a roadmap to keep Portland’s recovery moving forward.
The candidates the Chamber endorsed are driven by a passion to completely change the way our local governments do business. Most importantly, we have an opportunity to elect new leadership that promise to usher in a new era at Multnomah County, the local agency responsible for moving our houseless residents into services and shelter. Portlanders are completely fed up with the finger pointing, mismanagement, inaction, and stone walling at the County. They want results. This group of candidates promises to usher in major change by demanding more accountability, transparency, urgency, and collaboration.
To put it simply, if our city is to more urgently end widespread street camping, move addicts into 24 hour sobering centers and services, reduce violent crime, solve our housing crises, and restore public confidence in our local government, these are the candidates to support.
The Portland Metro Chamber urges you to support the campaigns below by making a donation, talking with your friends, engaging on social media, knocking on doors, making calls, and returning your ballot by May 21.
Multnomah County Elections
This year the Chamber joined the United for Portland coalition and encourages you to support their endorsed candidates. United for Portland has brought together a diverse cross section of organizations and leaders committed to rejecting divisive ideological performers by electing pragmatic problem-solvers to lead our county and city governments.
For Multnomah County, the Chamber endorses:
Multnomah County District 1: Vadim Mozyrsky
Multnomah County District 2: Sam Adams & Jessie Burke
Multnomah County District 3: Julia Brim-Edwards
Multnomah County District 4: Vince Jones-Dixon
Multnomah County District Attorney: Nathan Vasquez
In the Oregon Legislature, the Chamber endorses:
- House District 33: Pete Grabiel
- House District 46: Mary Lou Henrich
For Clackamas County Commission, the Chamber endorses
- Position 3: Martha Schrader
- Position 4: Tina Irvine
For Washington County Commission, the Chamber endorses
- District 1: Nafisa Fai
- District 3: Jason Snider
For Metro Council, the Chamber endorses
- District 3: Gerritt Rosenthal
- District 5: Mary Nolan
- District 6: Duncan Hwang
Ballot Measure Endorsements
- Vote Yes on Measure 26-243, Flood Safe Columbia River Levees Bond
In endorsing Measure 26-243, the Chamber chose to make a rare exception to our no new or increased taxes position. We reached this decision after the Chamber collaborated with key stakeholders like the Columbia Corridor Association, members of the Multnomah County Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District Board, and other measure supporters to develop a less costly measure that ensures the region meets federally mandated funding deadlines and funds the projects necessary to maintain federal accreditation. The district also committed to honor the three-year moratorium on new taxes called for by Governor Kotek’s Central City Task Force by delaying the date that the new bond will hit tax bills as long as possible. The Chamber strongly believes this new tax is necessary to the long-term safety and economic health of the Portland region and encourages its members to vote yes and support the measure.
- Vote Yes on Measure 26- 244, Oregon Zoo Bond
- Vote Yes on Measure 26-245, Fixing Our Streets
- Vote Yes on Measure 26-246, Portland Teachers Levy
We urge you to vote and encourage your friends and family to vote on May 21.
Thank you for our members unwavering partnership and devotion to Portland and the economic prosperity of our region. Together, we are stronger!