Dear Community Members,
Thank you for your continued engagement with charter review. As part of the Charter Commission’s phase II work, the Commission had its final Charter Commission meeting this last Saturday. Phase II concluded with nine proposals referred to voters and six proposals recommended to City Council.
Phase II Update
The Charter Commission voted to refer nine proposals to Portland voters in November 2024, and recommended six proposals to Portland City Council. The proposals referred to the November 2024 election will appear in the form of five or six ballot measures, pending further review by the City Attorney’s Office. With the proposals being referred to City Council, Council will decide whether to refer those recommendations to the ballot as-is, modify them, or do nothing.
Proposals referred to the November 2024 election:
- Delete the prohibition on mandating the weatherization of structures built before September 1, 1979.
- Create an Independent Portland Elections Commission.
- Clarify language to reflect the City’s existing role to protect recreational and natural resources.
- Clarify language to reflect the City’s existing role to protect and manage water, sewage, and stormwater.
- Delete outdated, burdensome, and redundant requirements for franchise agreements.
- Delete vague and archaic language: “roaming the streets at unseasonable hours”.
- Delete vague and archaic language: “offensive” businesses.
- Update, and make consistent, references to “protected classes”.
- Replace “disability” with “incapacity” when referencing an elected official’s inability to perform their duties.
Proposals recommended to City Council:
- Remove the 5% cap on the City’s transient lodgings tax.
- Create an article dedicated to environmental issues that includes environmental justice as a core value of the City, requires the City to assess the climate impact of its decisions and establishes a right to a clean and healthy environment.
- Establish meaningful public engagement as a core value of the City.
- Require the City to create by ordinance a participatory budgeting program open to all residents.
- Expand right to vote in City elections to the fullest extent allowed by law.
- Create an Office of the Transparency Advocate.
Next Steps
On January 19, the Charter Commission and staff will be presenting a report to City Council. Community members are welcome to join and give testimony— information on how to share or sign-up to give testimony coming soon.
We will release a final progress report on the Commission’s work in early January.
Phase I Updates
The City of Portland currently has two transition-related job postings, please help us spread the word!
Applications are open for a Strategic Projects Manager to develop the City’s implementation plan for delivering ranked choice voting for the 2024 election and to support the Independent District Commission’s work to establish districts for the election of City Council.
- Application & more information available here. Applications are due December 12.
Applications are open for the Transition Content and Media Coordinator who will be dedicated to informing Portlanders and city employees about the transition and engaging them in shaping the future of their new form of government.
- Application & more information available here. Applications are due December 14.