QUESTION 1: How will you engage with voters in SW Portland if elected? Please provide specifics on how your constituents will be able to communicate with you and how you will communicate with us.

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CANDIDATE RESPONSE:

Accessibility is one of the distinguishing marks of our campaign. We’ve hosted more public events in more neighborhoods than any other candidate. If elected, I will continue to have regular public office hours in different parts of District 4. I also block out large chunks of time to meet individually with people and organizations who cannot make it to scheduled events. I plan to continue knocking on doors once elected - I can’t tell you how helpful it’s been to hear from thousands of Portlanders one-on-one that way.

 

For those who prefer to communicate via writing or over the phone, my inboxes are  always open. “Unreasonable hospitality” is my mantra as a business owner and I will carry that ethic over to City Hall. I’m also always excited to be invited to a neighborhood association meeting.

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QUESTION 2: The transition to a purely legislative city council with geographical representation is a major shift from the current structure in which councilors oversee city bureaus. Under the old government structure, concerns about transportation or traffic circulation issues would be addressed to the commissioner in charge of PBOT; concerns about parks would go to the commissioner overseeing the Parks bureau; etc. Given the shift away from administrative powers on the council, how will you make sure constituent concerns are addressed? 

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CANDIDATE RESPONSE:

The City has suggested that residents call 311 with concerns in our new system. I reject that as the solution to this problem. One of the key benefits to district representation is that your Councilors should be closer to you and the problems you encounter. I think voters should be able to judge me on whether or not I’m being responsive to the concerns they raise and I’m very comfortable being held accountable in that way. 

 

I don’t promise to solve every problem but constituents should feel that their issues are being addressed, as opposed to “dealt with.” I’m eager to provide constituent services and hope to work collaboratively with the other two District 4 Councilors to take calls for service roughly in line with the committees on which we each serve. 

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QUESTION 3: What role should neighborhood associations play in fostering residents’ engagement with city government and elected officials?

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CANDIDATE RESPONSE:

Our Neighborhood Association system is a literal textbook example of positive civic engagement, but it has grown creaky over the years. I think it’s time for us to update some of our thinking on this relationship to ensure that the neighborhood coalitions thrive for generations to come.

 

The City needs to better resource the neighborhood coalitions and provide clear avenues for them to give feedback. On the other side of the equation, neighborhood associations need to be held accountable for including a representative cross section of their neighborhoods by income, age, and homeownership. We also need to recognize that we are in a housing crisis and every neighborhood will need to thicken up a bit. No neighborhood should be subject to the extremes of becoming either a museum or a city planner’s experiment in rapid change.

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QUESTION 4: District 4 is large and covers many neighborhoods. What issues do you think are particularly important for SW Portland neighborhoods (not downtown)? What proposals would you make to address these issues?

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CANDIDATE RESPONSE:

Barbur Blvd. - We need to show progress in creating housing affordability and turning Barbur into a complete neighborhood where families can walk, ride, and support small businesses. I think pairing this with improvements on E 82nd and NE Sandy could be a productive way to help the council come together.

 

Alpenrose could become a complete and connected mixed-income neighborhood with diverse housing styles. Mid-sized apartment buildings, single-family homes, and every type in between, well-served by transit, and with commercial and shared neighborhood spaces. Instead, it’s going to be a completely car-dependent subdivision. This is why land-use decisions need to be made by Portlanders, not by corporate lobbyists hired by the Portland Business Alliance.

 

Sidewalks and street repairs - I think the new council presents an enormous opportunity for District 4 to make allies in District 1 (East Portland) and ask the city to repair and improve our streets.

 

Multnomah SRV - I strongly support the Multnomah Safe Rest Village.

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QUESTION 5: How do you plan to work with your District 4 colleagues to ensure productive outcomes on district issues? 

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CANDIDATE RESPONSE:

I will be an enthusiastic partner with anyone we elect from District 4. With only one staffer each to start with, I think pooling some district responsibilities (constituent services especially) might make sense. I know that if I help the other D4 councilors amplify their priorities that that will provide a good foundation of trust and goodwill upon which to build.

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QUESTION 6: Why should voters in SW Portland give you a vote? 

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CANDIDATE RESPONSE:

I have the breadth of experience and depth of connections to the district you don’t often get in local politics. While I earned a PhD in Leadership and Policy and taught leaders from around the world how to use data to make better policy decisions, I’m also deeply rooted in SW Portland’s neighborhoods and schools through the academy I founded.

 

I am the candidate who is most ready to champion our community in SW Portland. I am proud to live in Hayhurst. I am proud to send my kids to SW Portland public schools (Hayhurst, Robert Gray, ACCESS, and Ida B. Wells). I am especially proud that my small business, Rose City Chess, runs camps in Hillsdale and has after-school programs in nearly every public school in SW Portland (including Rieke, Markham, Hayhurst, Maplewood, Capitol Hill, Jackson, Robert Gray, and Ida B Wells). 

 

I am proud to have knocked on more than 10,000 doors in this district.

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