Multnomah County District 2 voters have two very solid choices on May 21st for their County Commissioner and our board ultimately decided two give the nod to TWO candidates: Sam Adams & Jessie Burke. With both candidates, we believe they will be agents for the kind of urgent, pragmatic, and outcomes-oriented leadership Multnomah County needs.
What threaten’s Portland’s future? Increased drug activity and use, addiction, the proliferation of unsheltered homelessness, significant structural challenges for law enforcement, & dirty, unsightly streets. Understanding and addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining the vibrancy and attractiveness of our city center. We believe that both of these candidates are equipped to challenge the status quo at the county.
Jessie Burke
Sam Adams
Vote on May 21st for Multnomah County Commission District 2 Election Info from the County
There are five people vying for this seat during the May 21st Primary. If NO ONE can emerge with over 50% of the vote on 5/21/24, the general election in the Fall will determine the winner between the top two primary finishers. This race looks like it is, indeed, headed for a General Election clash in the Fall.
Why is Multnomah County government important? Why should I care about these candidates?
As RPC first pointed out in 2022, Multnomah County holds nearly all of the purse strings for local response to homelessness, behavioral health, substance & addiction treatment, and ambulance services. We deserve to know where our tax dollars are going, and how we can help revitalize the City we love.
As Jordan Schnitzer reminded the IREM Forecast Breakfast in 2022, 70% of people living on the streets of Portland have drug, alcohol, or psychological issues, who need "counseling, not a just a roof over their heads."
When Multnomah County opened their Behavioral Health Resource Center, downtown in the middle of eight hotels without a security or community outreach plan, it became painfully clear that the center was bringing unintended consequences to the area, as street camping and drug-dealing in the immediate vicinity soared. RPC joined with local businesses & residents and asked the county to put in place a security plan and a community agreement.
After we read the devastating audit results of the County's inability to spend all of its money AND to keep even basic client service data tracked, RPC and 160 co-signers called for a complete programmatic audit on the County’s expenditures and for the County to use a by-name list approach to improve and track homeless services.
The Oregonian agreed with us:
“Without leadership, a sound strategy and commitment to outcomes, we will be stuck in the same housing emergency” for years to come.
- The Oregonian
Finally, here, here and here, RPC has called for greater public/private collaboration to address these issues. It is our hope that the next Multnomah County Commission will act with greater urgency, transparency, and effectiveness to turn things around.
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