Dear Community Members,
The Charter Commission would like to thank everyone who took the time to vote on Measure 26-228. Community input and participation was at the core of the Commission’s work and voting is one valuable tool for community to engage directly with their government.
Because Measure 26-228 passed, the City of Portland launched a website for the transition and opened recruitment for the Independent District Commission. Applications for the Independent District Commission are due December 1, 2022.
The work of the Charter Commission didn’t stop with the election.
Phase II: Ongoing Work of the Charter Commission
In summer 2021, the Charter Commission decided to approach the charter review process in two phases – meaning two sets of issues and potentially two election cycles. The Commission is currently in the second phase of the charter review process with dedicated phase II meetings having begun on June 30, 2022. Phase II is focused on three areas: climate and environmental justice; bureau and office proposals; and expansion of voting rights.
On October 18, the Charter Commission voted to advance 15 proposals for public comment. Eleven of the 15 proposals advanced for public comment were initiated by City bureaus and offices.
Phase II Progress Report
Today, we are releasing the second phase II progress report. The purpose of the progress reports is to provide Portlanders with a general sense of where the Charter Commission is headed and provide information on the policies under consideration in a transparent and accessible way. The report represents preliminary agreements made by the Charter Commission on its phase II recommendations.
For each of the 15 advanced proposals, the report includes a brief impartial narrative and redline of the charter (prepared by the City Attorney’s Office), financial impact (prepared by the City Budget Office), and a description of the proposal’s background and related engagement.
Phase II Public Comment Period & Public Hearings
The Charter Commission wants your input on the phase II proposals.
There are two public hearings taking place via Zoom on Thursday, November 17, at 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 19, at noon. Sign-up here to provide testimony.
Can’t attend the public hearings? Community members can submit public comments in a variety of other ways:
- Online comment form
- Email to ail to CharterReview@portlandoregon.gov
- Phone call to 3-1-1
- In writing to the: Office of Management and Finance, Charter Review, 1120 sw 5th Avenue, Room 901, Portland, OR 97204
The public comment period for phase II closes at 7:00 am on Monday, November 28, 2022.
Upcoming Commission Work Sessions
After the public comment period, the Commission will reconvene on November 29, 2022, 6:00–8:30 pm. The Commission will meet for its final work session on December 3, 2022.