![]() This would create a 12-member City Council, a figure that expands the council to better match Portland’s current population and updates it from the mere five councilors (including the mayor) it has comprised since 1913. A bigger council to serve the growing Portland population, in 4 geographic districtsĮach councilor would represent one of four geographic districts, and each district would elect three councilors. In place of individual commissioners running different departments, the mayor would supervise a professional city administrator (confirmed by City Council) to run the bureaus. Portland is the only large American city that uses this style of government (called the “commission form”), and critics decry it for a lack of efficiency, accountability, transparency, and cooperation. Portland’s current system is kind of like if your US Representative was also in charge of running the IRS every day, taking away time from their work passing bills and responding to people in their district. Most importantly, councilors would no longer directly supervise individual government bureaus’ day-to-day operations. This would let councilors focus on making laws, connecting with residents, and addressing constituents’ concerns. Portland’s current system is kind of like if your US Representative was also in charge of running the IRS every day, taking away time from their work passing bills and responding to people in their district.Ĭity Council would become a true legislative body instead of mixing council work with the daily duties of running city departments. City departments run by a mayor-appointed professional administrator, not city councilors ![]() But when they do, they’ll see this question : “Should Administrator manage city government, 12-member Council (three from each district) make laws, voters elect officials using ranked choice process?” This is measure 26-228, an opportunity to change the city’s charter in three key ways : 1. Portland voters will have to look well down their ballots this fall, past numerous other races for federal, state, and local offices to find any local ballot measures. What would ballot measure 26-228 deliver? Below we review what the measure contains and the last few months’ developments you may have missed as you were enjoying your summer. Since Sightline’s last update on the effort to change Portland’s city charter, campaigns have geared up both for and against the measure, and news has proliferated around lawsuits, alternative reform proposals, and opposition figures. With six weeks until the November 8 Election Day, Portlanders are gearing up to vote on a ballot measure that would transform the city’s system of government and elections so that they better serve and represent the people of Portland. Read on for some details about the measure and highlights of our research. Author’s note: Based on our research into the proposal’s effects, Sightline Institute has endorsed ballot measure 26-228.
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