In the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Revitalize Portland endorses Vince Jones-Dixon for District 4 and incumbent Julia Brim-Edwards for District 3.
Revitalize Portland reminds you to vote in the county primary by May 21st!
Vince Jones-Dixon
Vince has deep roots in Multnomah County, growing up in a large family and working during high school to support them. Before becoming a Gresham City Councilor in 2020, Vince worked deeply in the community ans a funeral director. He tragically lost his brother to gun violence in 2013 and has turned that grief into motivation for community service.
Vince's has local government experience in bolstering public safety, tackling the underlying issues contributing to community violence, and enhancing support systems for vulnerable populations. His strategy emphasizes collaboration, bridging various agencies, and nurturing transparent communication channels between the government and its citizens.
Vince walks the talk about the need for collaboration and working across barriers. We like that Vince believes in public private partnerships and will work collaboratively with the private sector in advancing the East County. We believe Vince will bring real-world experience, a strong motivation for inclusive economic and community development, and be a strong voice for the East County on the County Commission.
Julia Brim-Edwards
During her time on the County Commission, Julia has quickly established herself as the kind of tenacious & dogged leader we need. She asks the right questions and will be a strong voice for accountability on the next County Commission.
On homelessness, she has led the effort to establish appropriate facilities and programs to deal with root causes like mental health and addiction. Julia supports the full range of shelter and service opportunities in the County and the effort to bring Bybee Lakes Center into the long list of homelessness service agencies funded by the County.
On accountability and transparency, she says it as well as we could:
"Local residents voluntarily have supported taxes to support housing, libraries, expanded preschool, supportive services for the homeless, and infrastructure projects, such as the new county courthouse and the Sellwood Bridge. That generosity must be repaid with accountability to ensure that money is well spent, independently audited, and delivering effective public services. The independent audits by the Multnomah County Auditor provide a guide to how the County can improve services and most effectively deliver services. For example, the recent audit by the Multnomah County Auditor of the County’s Animal Services pointed to longstanding problems of overcrowding, staffing shortages, and a shelter struggling to provide basic care. The County needs to conduct a top to bottom review, AND implement the audit recommendations to ensure better treatment of animals at the County’s shelter and more supports for the shelter’s staff."
What threaten’s Portland’s future? Increased drug activity and use, addiction, the proliferation of unsheltered homelessness, significant structural challenges for law enforcement, & dirty, unsightly streets. Understanding and addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining the vibrancy and attractiveness of our city center. We believe that both of these candidates are equipped to challenge the status quo at the county.
These races may be decided in the May 21st Primary. In each district, if one candidate emerges with over 50% of the vote on 5/21/24, that person will become the next County Commissioner. Both of these races should be decided at the primary on May 21st. Election Info from the County.
See other Revitalize Portland Endorsements:
All RPC Endorsements
Multnomah County District 3
Multnomah County District 4
Why is Multnomah County government important? Why should I care about these candidates?
As RPC first pointed out in 2022, Multnomah County holds nearly all of the purse strings for local response to homelessness, behavioral health, substance & addiction treatment, and ambulance services. We deserve to know where our tax dollars are going, and how we can help revitalize the City we love.
As Jordan Schnitzer reminded the IREM Forecast Breakfast in 2022, 70% of people living on the streets of Portland have drug, alcohol, or psychological issues, who need "counseling, not a just a roof over their heads."
When Multnomah County opened their Behavioral Health Resource Center, downtown in the middle of eight hotels without a security or community outreach plan, it became painfully clear that the center was bringing unintended consequences to the area, as street camping and drug-dealing in the immediate vicinity soared. RPC joined with local businesses & residents and asked the county to put in place a security plan and a community agreement.
After we read the devastating audit results of the County's inability to spend all of its money AND to keep even basic client service data tracked, RPC and 160 co-signers called for a complete programmatic audit on the County’s expenditures and for the County to use a by-name list approach to improve and track homeless services.
The Oregonian agreed with us:
“Without leadership, a sound strategy and commitment to outcomes, we will be stuck in the same housing emergency” for years to come.
- The Oregonian
Finally, here, here and here, RPC has called for greater public/private collaboration to address these issues. It is our hope that the next Multnomah County Commission will act with greater urgency, transparency, and effectiveness to turn things around.
Want to join RPC members in taking action on these issues and more? Sign up here and we'll put you on our Action Team list.
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