Government of Portland, Oregon
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The Government of Portland, Oregon, a city in the U.S. state of Oregon, is based on a city commission government system. Elected officials include a Mayor, a City Council, and a City Auditor. The mayor and commissioners (members of City Council) are responsible legislative policy and oversee the various bureaus that oversee the day-to-day operation of the city.[1] The auditor is responsible for ensuring that the government operates in good faith.
Each elected official serves a four year term, without term limits.
Current City Commissioners are: Dan Saltzman and Erik Sten (both re-elected in 2006), along with Sam Adams, Randy Leonard, and Mayor Tom Potter (all of whose terms expire in 2008.) The Auditor is Gary Blackmer.
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[edit] Form of government
In May 2007, Portland citizens rejected a ballot measure which would have changed city government to a strong mayor system. Similar changes have been proposed and rejected several times over the years.
[edit] Notable former commissioners
- Jim Francesconi, defeated in his bid for Mayor in 2004, was appointed to the Oregon Board of Higher Education in February 2007. He has also reopened his private law practice, notably representing Warner Pacific College.[2]
- Gretchen Kafoury[3]
- Congressman Earl Blumenauer served on the Council before running for the House.[4]
[edit] Elections
City Council seats, as well as the City Auditor, are non-partisan, elected positions; each carries a four-year term. As with all non-partisan positions in Oregon, candidates face off in a primary election (typically in May of even-numbered years); if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers face off in a runoff election (typically the following November.) Three Council seats, including the Mayor, will up for election in 2008; the other two seats, and the Auditor position, are up for election in 2010.
Portland recently adopted a publically-financed election system for all six positions. This law allows candidates to qualify for public funding of $145,000 if they can gather 1000 contributions of five dollars each by a certain date. (Amounts are slightly more for Mayoral races.) In 2006, the first year the law went into effect, two candidates availed themselves of this system: incumbent Erik Sten, and Amanda Fritz (in her challenge to Dan Saltzman.) Sten won in the primary, barely clearing the 50% threshold; Fritz lost in the primary.
Emilie Boyles also qualified for and received public financing, but was found to have gathered the qualifying funds improperly, and misspent the public funds.[5]
[edit] Related government entities
Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, and the core of Metro, a regional government primarily concerned with land use planning. Both of these government entities have a strong impact on Portland policy. Portland is also governed by the government of Oregon and the federal government of the United States.
[edit] References
- ^ list of bureaus
- ^ Moore, Scott. "David vs. Goliath:The Battle for Mt. Tabor Heats Up", The Portland Mercury, November 23, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-08.
- ^ Leeson, Fred. "Kafoury's youngest opponent is 28, oldest 80", The Oregonian, May 10, 1994. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
- ^ Learn, Scott. "EPA challenges Portland sewer effort", The Oregonian, October 15 2002.
- ^ Griffin, Anna. "Political novice testifies: Fundraiser misled her", The Oregonian, June 27, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
- list of notable Commissioners from Willamette Week's 25 year anniversary issue (1999)
