ISSUES

Expanding Pathways to Addiction Recovery

Portland is experiencing an addiction crisis that impacts every part of daily life, from homelessness and public safety, to community livability and the reputation of our city. Widespread public drug use and the increase in overdoses prove the status quo cannot continue. As your City Councilor, I will: 

  • Work to create the Coordinated Office of Addiction Response (COAR). COAR would combine elements from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, the state, and behavioral health partners under one roof to implement and execute a coordinated response to the addiction crisis. We must pivot away from the failing fragmented and siloed approach currently in place. It’s time to collaborate to leverage resources to coordinate care and support recovery.

  • Push to open sobering centers with dropoff for emergency first responders, as this is an immediate need for Portland’s addiction crisis response.  

  • Fight for impactful utilization and wise spending of behavioral health funding. 

Working to Solve our Housing and Homelessness Crisis

Every Portlander deserves access to housing, and no one should be forced to live on the streets. Building more housing will help us improve affordability and accessibility, and thoughtfully minimizing obstacles to residential construction will help us catch up with community housing needs. Meanwhile, people living on the streets need help now. And importantly, we have to realize that our addiction crisis is making our homelessness crisis worse. City Hall needs a recovery champion to help clean up our streets, and make sure every Portlander can access the type of housing they need and deserve. As your Portland City Councilor, I will:

  • Work to streamline the city’s building permit process, and improve procedures for the approval of new residential construction to grow new housing. 

  • Expand capacity of our homeless shelters and shelter alternatives.

  • Prioritize support for recovery housing programs to make sure people struggling with homelessness and addiction have safe and stable places to live and recover.

Strengthening Public Safety

Portlanders deserve to feel safe in their communities, period. Prioritizing public safety helps provide everyone with a safe place to live, work, and play. In my vision for a better Portland, law enforcement and behavioral health specialists work in coordinated partnership to protect our communities. Public safety includes preventing and reducing crime, and working to ensure that those experiencing a crisis of any kind get the type of help they need and deserve. As your next City Councilor, I will: 

  • Reduce public drug use and work tirelessly to decrease drug overdoses.  

  • Push for the funding, resources, training, and support that Portland Fire & Rescue and Portland Police need.

  • Fight to lower gun violence. 

Fighting for Working Families

Workers built Portland, and workers keep it running. Portland is a proud Union town, and our city is the best version of itself when our working families thrive. But in recent years, affordability issues have hit Portlanders hard. Now more than ever, we need to make sure Portland workers can get good-paying jobs, earn raises, and keep up with the cost of living. Portlanders deserve an affordable city, and our working families need leaders who will oppose policies that make Portland a more expensive place to live. As a former Union member, and your next City Councilor, I will:

  • Champion policies that support workers and grow jobs that pay family wages, offer full family health care, and provide the opportunity to retire with dignity.

  • Fight for safe workplaces and protect workers’ rights. 

  • Support a moratorium on new taxes and fees, as per the recommendations of Governor Kotek’s Portland Central City Task Force.

Prospering Local Businesses and a Thriving Local Economy

I spent nearly a decade running my own business as a Portland Realtor, and I had the honor of serving the needs of Portlanders throughout our great city. Small businesses drive economic activity, and our local businesses are directly invested in Portland’s vitality. Small and local businesses pay taxes that fund essential services, and they provide jobs for workers who in turn shop, visit restaurants, and support arts and entertainment throughout Portland neighborhoods. I know from experience how challenging it is to be a small business owner, and we need city leaders to focus on improving Portland’s economic competitiveness. Portland can’t thrive without vibrant small businesses, and it’s time to position our city for success. As your next City Councilor, I will: 

  • Support targeted incentives designed to stimulate economic activity, including expanding the Business License Tax (BLT) downtown tax credit.

  • Work to form a Tax Advisory Group and identify improvements to our local tax structure that will strengthen Portland’s economic competitiveness.

  • Increase foot traffic and grow visits to local businesses by prioritizing public safety and clean streets.