City Government

Adopted 1961. Updated 1963, 1965, 1991.

The League of Women Voters of Portland, Oregon finds that the present commission form of city government is accountable, flexible and responsive to citizens.

Therefore, we support the commission form of city government as it exists in Portland.  We do not support a council-manager or a weak mayor-council form of government.

Under the commission form we support both increased long-range planning and regional cooperation.

We support the continuation of city-wide elections for the offices of commissioners and mayor and no limit on the number of terms these elected officials may serve.  We support the mayor’s prerogative of appointing council members to be in a charge of city bureaus for any length of time.