Looking Ahead: 2024 LWV Work & Fun

2024 will be a busy year for LWVPDX. We start with important planning for next year and a luncheon.
Engaging League Members
    • Program Planning: We gathered in groups to plan the projects and priorities we will focus upon in 2024-25. This activity is exclusively for League members. Local Leagues throughout the U.S. do “program planning” in January every year. You can read more about this here.
    • The Media Luncheon: On February 14, the anniversary of the League’s founding, members enjoyed a luncheon together. We listened to a panel of journalists discuss our city – the things we value and a vision for the future of Portland. Registration closed on February 9, but you can read more about the event here.

 

Engaging the Public on Voting and Community Issues
    • Voter Service: For the upcoming elections, we will provide plenty of nonpartisan voter information to the people of Multnomah County. We will register voters and produce our usual print and online voting guides, and recorded candidate interviews and forums. Find out more on our 2024 Primary Voters’ Guide page.  
    • City Government Changes: As Portland’s city government and elections method change in the coming year, LWVPDX will be active in educating our members and the public. We are committed to ensuring that every Portlander knows how to use ranked choice voting and engage with their local government. View our City Charter Reform page for the latest.
    • Community Education: Our usual panel discussions of current issues in our communities will be presented in March and April. Our spring panels will address housing and education. These, along with our voting resources, will be recorded for viewing and listening. Look at our Public Events page for more information.

Webinar: Transportation Challenges

Recorded Zoom webinar: Transportation Challenges for Portland and Beyond

Click on the arrow below to view the video of this webinar, which was recorded November 15, 2023.

This LWV of Portland Zoom webinar featured a panel of government and nonprofit leaders who discussed several of the most urgent challenges now facing our transportation sector. These challenges directly affect our communities.

The panelists:

    • Moderator: Chris Smith, a transportation policy expert and a long-time community volunteer. Chris also explained how Portland’s transportation system fits into Metro regional transportation planning.
    • Millicent Williams,  Director, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) discussing funding concernsFunding is a major challenge confronting multiple government transportation agencies. In part, this is due to less revenue from gas taxes. However, Portland also faces other revenue and expense concerns. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) must deal with this issue now as the City of Portland is developing budgets for its next fiscal year. 
    • Zachary Lauritzen, Interim Executive Director, Oregon Walks, discussing transportation safety. Safety on, and alongside, our roads continues to be a difficult problem with consequences that can be deadly. Addressing safety concerns requires action by multiple agencies– not just the transportation sector. 
    • Jana Gastellum, Executive Director, Oregon Environmental Council, discussing climate concerns. Transportation is Oregon’s largest source of carbon emissions, so it is an important factor in addressing climate concerns. Options to reduce driving and the transition to electric vehicles reduce gas tax revenues. This requires consideration of additional state-level funding approaches.

This program was recorded by MetroEast Community Media. It is also available as a podcast here.

Funding for production of this program is provided by the League of Women Voters of Portland Education Fund and the Carol and Velma Saling Foundation. 

Replay dates and times on cable TV are shown below.

Webinar: Police Oversight Update

Watch the video of our webinar on the new Community Board to investigate police misconduct

On  October 11, the League of Women Voters of Portland presented a Zoom webinar on “A new Community Board for Police Accountability.” The speakers and the moderator were members of the Police Accountability Commission (PAC). The PAC spent thousands of volunteer hours planning the details of how this new community board will operate. The final plan carries out the requirements in the charter amendment that voters passed in November 2020 by almost 82%.  A representative of the U.S. Department of Justice  also spoke.

Listen to the  podcast of this event by clicking here.

Schedule for replays of this program on cable TV:

LWV Info on Charter Reforms

By M.O. Stevens – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10470949

The League is working hard to make sure the charter reforms that voters passed in November 2022  will make Portland’s government and elections better.

Our new page on City Charter Reform links to resources explaining ranked choice voting and the decisions being made now about our 2025 city government. We’ll be adding more resources as these decisions are finalized. Stay tuned!

Comment on Portland’s Proposed Council Districts

Portland’s City Council is expanding in 2025! In November 2024, we’ll elect three city councilors from each of four new Council Districts. You can help decide on the boundaries of your district.

The Independent Districting Commission has proposed three different maps for the new Council Districts. They want to hear from as many Portlanders as possible. Please comment to let them know what you think.

Click here to view a presentation about these three possible district maps. Learn about how each district was designed and the pros and cons of each design. Decide which you like best. Then, attend a hearing (schedule below) or submit comments.

    • Weds, July 5, 6-8 PM, East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106th
    • Thurs., July 6, 6-8 PM, Taborspace, 5441 SE Belmont
    • Sat., July 8 12-2 PM,  APANO, 8188 SE Division
    • Sun., July 9, 1-3 PM, SW Community Center, 6820 SW 45th
    • Weds., July 12, 6-8 PM, Portland Building, 1120 SW 5th
    • Thurs., July 13, 6-8 PM, Self Enhancement Inc., 3920 N. Kerby Ave
    • Fri., July 14 from 12-2pm hosted virtually via Zoom 
    • Sat., July 15, 12-2 PM, Charles Jordan Community Center, 9009 N Foss
    • Sun., July 16, 1-3 PM, Youth PDX, 16126 SE Stark

OR submit comments by July 22, 2023 in one of the following ways:

    • Fill out the IDC’s public comment form
    • Call 3-1-1 and share your comments verbally
    • Email your comments to: DistrictCommission@portlandoregon.gov
    • Mail comments to the Office of Management and Finance, Independent District Commission, 1120 SW 5th Ave., Room 901, Portland, OR 97204

For more information, see the District Commission’s webpage here.

Thank you for helping to shape Portland’s new Council districts!

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial