Editing Portland, Oregon (section)

==Government==
[[File:PortlandCityHall2025 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Portland City Hall (Oregon)|Portland City Hall]]]]

===City hall===
{{See also|Government of Portland, Oregon|Mayor of Portland, Oregon|Portland City Council (Oregon)}}

Since January 1, 2025, the city of Portland is governed by a [[mayor–council government]] system. Elected officials include the [[List of mayors of Portland, Oregon|mayor]], a 12-member city council, and a city auditor. The city council is responsible for legislative policy, while the mayor appoints a professional [[city manager]] who oversees the various bureaus and day-to-day operations of the city. The mayor is elected [[at-large]], while the council is elected in four geographic districts using [[single transferable vote]], with 3 winning candidates per district. Portland's current form of government was approved by voters in a 2022 ballot measure, with the [[2024 Portland, Oregon municipal elections|first elections]] under the new system [[2024 Portland, Oregon City Council election|held in 2024]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-09 |title=Portland voters approve charter reform, city launches transition {{!}} Portland.gov |url=https://www.portland.gov/transition/news/2022/11/9/portland-voters-approve-charter-reform-city-launches-transition |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=www.portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=2022-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109171124/https://www.portland.gov/transition/news/2022/11/9/portland-voters-approve-charter-reform-city-launches-transition |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Portland Office of Community and Civic Life]] (formerly Office of Neighborhood Involvement)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.portlandoregon.gov/civic/28363|title=Inside Civic Life {{!}} The City of Portland, Oregon|website=portlandoregon.gov|access-date=March 3, 2019}}</ref> serves as a conduit between city government and Portland's [[Neighborhoods of Portland, Oregon|95 officially recognized neighborhoods]]. Each neighborhood is represented by a volunteer-based [[neighborhood association]] which serves as a liaison between residents of the neighborhood and the city government. The city provides funding to neighborhood associations through seven district coalitions, each of which is a geographical grouping of several neighborhood associations. Most (but not all) neighborhood associations belong to one of these district coalitions.

Portland and its surrounding metropolitan area are served by [[Metro (Oregon regional government)|Metro]], the United States' only directly elected [[metropolitan planning organization]]. Metro's charter gives it responsibility for [[land use]] and [[transportation planning]], [[solid waste management]], and map development.

The [[Multnomah County, Oregon|Multnomah County]] government provides many services to the Portland area, as do [[Washington County, Oregon|Washington]] and [[Clackamas County, Oregon|Clackamas]] counties to the west and south.

Fire and emergency services are provided by [[Portland Fire & Rescue]].

=== Courts and law enforcement ===
{{see also|Multnomah County Circuit Court|Portland Police Bureau}}

Law enforcement is primarily provided by the [[Portland Police Bureau]] (PPB). The [[Multnomah County Sheriff's Office]] (MCSO) provides law enforcement on the city's [[TriMet|transit system]] through their Transit Police division which is supplemented from officers from all local law enforcement agencies that fall within [[TriMet|the transit authority's]] boundaries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Security on TriMet |url=https://trimet.org/about/security.htm |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=trimet.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Pioneer Courthouse Portland.JPG|thumb|left|Built in 1869, the [[Pioneer Courthouse]] is the oldest federal building in the Pacific Northwest.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pioneer courthouse's bare earth will soon sprout native plants|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/portland_news/1160432721261470.xml&coll=7|work=The Oregonian|date=October 12, 2006|access-date=January 21, 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110032321/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/oregonian/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fportland_news%2F1160432721261470.xml&coll=7|archive-date=November 10, 2006}}</ref>]]

===State and national politics===
Portland strongly favors the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]; registered Democrats (51.2%) outnumber [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] (10.5%) nearly 5 to 1. All city offices are [[non-partisan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.portlandonline.com/Auditor/Index.cfm?a=9178&c=27481|work=Portland Online|title=City Government Structure|author=Caballero, Mary Hull|access-date=October 30, 2015}}</ref> However, almost all of the city's elected officials are known to be Democrats. [[Fred L. Peterson]] in 1952 is the city's last elected Republican mayor, and no Republican has served as mayor even on an interim basis since [[Connie McCready]] held the post from 1979 to 1980.

Portland is split among three of Oregon's U.S. [[congressional districts]]. Most of the city is in the [[Oregon's 3rd congressional district|3rd District]], represented by [[Maxine Dexter]] (D-Portland). Most of the city west of the Willamette River is part of the [[Oregon's 1st congressional district|1st District]], represented by [[Suzanne Bonamici]] (D-Beaverton). A small portion of southeastern Portland is in the [[Oregon's 5th congressional district|5th District]], currently represented by Democrat [[Janelle Bynum]]. [[Lori Chavez-DeRemer]] was the first [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] to represent a significant portion of the city in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] since 1975, from 2023 to 2025. Both of Oregon's senators, [[Ron Wyden]] and [[Jeff Merkley]], are progressive Democrats from Portland.

In the [[United States presidential election in Oregon, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democratic candidate [[Barack Obama]] easily carried Portland, winning 245,464 votes from city residents to 50,614 for his [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] rival, [[John McCain]]. In the [[United States presidential election in Oregon, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democratic candidate [[Barack Obama]] again easily carried Portland, winning 256,925 votes from Multnomah county residents to 70,958 for his [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] rival, [[Mitt Romney]].<ref>{{cite web|work=The Oregonian|title=Oregon 2012 Election Results for Multnomah County|access-date=April 1, 2018|url=http://gov.oregonlive.com/election/2012/Multnomah/|archive-date=December 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229022748/https://gov.oregonlive.com/election/2012/Multnomah/}}</ref>

[[Sam Adams (Oregon politician)|Sam Adams]], the former mayor of Portland, became the city's first openly gay mayor in 2009.<ref>Mary Judetz, "[http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2008581877_portlandmayor02m.html Portland: Largest U.S. city with openly gay mayor] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117051513/http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2008581877_portlandmayor02m.html |date=January 17, 2013 }}" (January 2, 2009). Associated Press. ''The Seattle Times''. Retrieved January 11, 2013.</ref> In 2004, 59.7 percent of Multnomah County voters cast ballots against [[Oregon Ballot Measure 36 (2004)|Oregon Ballot Measure 36]], which amended the [[Oregon Constitution]] to prohibit recognition of [[same-sex marriage]]s. The measure passed with 56.6% of the statewide vote. Multnomah County is one of two counties where a majority voted against the initiative; the other is [[Benton County, Oregon|Benton County]], which includes [[Corvallis, Oregon|Corvallis]], home of [[Oregon State University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2004&off=60&elect=0&fips=41&f=0|title=Oregon Measure 36 Results by County|publisher=Uselectionatlas.org|access-date=October 16, 2010}}</ref> On April 28, 2005, Portland became the only city in the nation to withdraw from a [[Joint Terrorism Task Force]].<ref name="ACLU20050428">{{cite web|url=http://www.aclu-or.org/content/fbis-joint-terrorism-task-force|title=FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force|publisher=ACLU Oregon|date=April 28, 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025081430/http://aclu-or.org/content/fbis-joint-terrorism-task-force|archive-date=October 25, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="WashExam20101128BY">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2010/11/politically-correct-portland-rejected-feds-who-saved-city-terrori|title=Politically correct Portland rejected feds who saved city from terrorist attack|work=San Francisco Examiner|date=November 28, 2010|archive-date=May 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522114907/http://www.sfexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/2010/11/politically-correct-portland-rejected-feds-who-saved-city-terrori}}</ref> As of February 19, 2015, the Portland city council approved permanently staffing the JTTF with two of its city's police officers.<ref>{{cite web|title=After 10-year hiatus, Portland OKs cops for FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2015/02/after_10-year_hiatus_portland.html|work=The Oregonian|author=Schmidt, Brad|date=February 19, 2015|access-date=September 7, 2015}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable style=margin:auto
! colspan = 6 | Voter registration and party enrollment {{as of|2022|January|lc=y}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://multco.us/file/35875/download|title=District Voter Counts|work=Multnomah County|date=January 6, 2022|access-date=November 22, 2022}}</ref>
|-
! colspan = 2 | Party
! Number of voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 253,789
| style="text-align:center;"| 55.55%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;"| 36,763
| style="text-align:center;"| 8.05%
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| Unaffiliated
| style="text-align:center;"| 138,751
| style="text-align:center;"| 30.37%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| Libertarian
| style="text-align:center;"| 2,752
| style="text-align:center;"| 0.60%
|-
| {{party color cell|Green Party (United States)}}
| Pacific Green
| style="text-align:center;"| 2,298
| style="text-align:center;"| 0.50%
|-
| {{party color cell|Constitution Party (United States)}}
| Constitution
| style="text-align:center;"| 298
| style="text-align:center;"| 0.07%
|-
| {{party color cell|Other parties (United States)}}
| Other
| style="text-align:center;"| 22,245
| style="text-align:center;"| 4.87%
|-
! colspan = 2 | Total
! style="text-align:center;"| 456,896
! style="text-align:center;"| 100%
|}

===City planning and development===
[[File:Urban Growth Portland Oregon.ogv|thumb|Video of Portland's urban growth boundary. The red dots indicate areas of growth between 1986 and 1996.]]

The city consulted with urban planners as far back as 1904, resulting in the development of [[Washington Park (Portland, Oregon)|Washington Park]] and the [[40-Mile Loop]] greenway, which connects many of the city's parks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2009/09/the_40-mile_loop_more_than_a_b_1.html|work=The Oregonian|title=The 40-Mile Loop: More than a bike trail, and more than 40 miles|access-date=April 1, 2018|date=September 30, 2009}}</ref> Portland is often cited as an example of a city with strong [[land use planning]] controls.<ref name="smartplan">{{cite web|date=May–June 2003|title=The 'Smart Growth' Debate Continues|url=http://www.innobriefs.com/editor/20030423smartgrowth.html|access-date=November 7, 2006|publisher=Urban Mobility Corporation|archive-date=March 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306011023/http://www.innobriefs.com/editor/20030423smartgrowth.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> This is largely the result of statewide land conservation policies adopted in 1973 under Governor [[Tom McCall]], in particular the requirement for an [[urban growth boundary]] (UGB) for every city and metropolitan area. The opposite extreme, a city with few or no controls, is typically illustrated by [[Houston]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2007/10/how_houston_get.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306050645/http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/hotproperty/archives/2007/10/how_houston_get.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 6, 2008|title=How Houston gets along without zoning – BusinessWeek|work=Bloomberg Businessweek|access-date=October 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/cityguides/houston/2003-10-07-spotlight-zoning_x.htm|title=Houston: A city without zoning|work=USA Today|first=Sherry|last=Thomas|date=October 30, 2003|access-date=January 11, 2013|archive-date=January 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116141557/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/cityguides/houston/2003-10-07-spotlight-zoning_x.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DEFDB103FF934A2575BC0A960948260|title=Focus Houston; A Fresh Approach To Zoning|work=The New York Times|author=Reinhold, Robert|date=August 17, 1986|access-date=October 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2006/04/10/editorial1.html|title=The only major U.S. city without zoning|work=Houston Business Journal|date=April 9, 2006|access-date=October 20, 2008|first=Bill|last=Schadewald}}</ref>

[[File:PDX1966PGEplant.jpg|thumb|left|1966 photo shows sawdust-fired power plant on the edge of downtown that was removed to make way for dense residential development. High rises to left in background were early projects of the Portland Development Commission]]

Oregon's 1973 "[[urban growth boundary]]" law limits the boundaries for large-scale development in each metropolitan area in Oregon.<ref name="metro_ugb">{{cite web|title=Urban growth boundary|url=http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id/277|publisher=Metro|access-date=February 26, 2013}}</ref> This limits access to utilities such as sewage, water and telecommunications, as well as coverage by fire, police and schools.<ref name="metro_ugb" /> Portland's urban growth boundary, adopted in 1979, separates urban areas (where high-density development is encouraged and focused) from traditional farm land (where restrictions on non-agricultural development are very strict).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/Pages/goals.aspx|title=Statewide Planning Goals|work=Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> This was atypical in an era when automobile use led many areas to neglect their core cities in favor of development along [[interstate highway]]s, in suburbs, and [[satellite city|satellite cities]].

The original state rules included a provision for expanding urban growth boundaries, but critics felt this was not being accomplished. In 1995, the State passed a law requiring cities to expand UGBs to provide enough undeveloped land for a 20-year supply of future housing at projected growth levels.<ref>{{cite web|title=Comprehensive Land Use Planning Coordination|work=Legislative Counsel Committee of the Oregon Legislative Assembly|url=https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors197.html|access-date=January 28, 2019}}</ref> In 2007, the legislature changed the law to require the maintenance of an estimated 50 years of growth within the boundary, as well as the protection of accompanying farm and rural lands.<ref name="pt_growth" /> The growth boundary, along with efforts of the Portland Development Commission to create economic development zones, has led to the development of a large portion of downtown, a large number of mid- and high-rise developments, and an overall increase in housing and business density.<ref name="ssp_portland">{{cite web|title=Portland – SkyscraperPage|url=http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?cityID=29|access-date=June 4, 2008}}</ref>

[[Prosper Portland]] (formerly the Portland Development Commission) is a semi-public agency that plays a major role in downtown development; city voters created it in 1958 to serve as the city's [[urban renewal]] agency. It provides housing and economic development programs within the city and works behind the scenes with major local developers to create large projects. In the early 1960s, the Portland Development Commission led the razing of a large Italian-Jewish neighborhood downtown, bounded roughly by I-405, the Willamette River, 4th Avenue and Market street.<ref>{{cite web|work=Willamette Week|url=http://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2017/08/22/portland-once-had-a-thriving-little-italy-what-the-hell-happened/|title=Portland Once Had a Thriving Little Italy – What the Hell Happened?|access-date=April 1, 2018|author=Korfhage, Matthew|date=August 22, 2017}}</ref> Mayor [[Neil Goldschmidt]] took office in 1972 as a proponent of bringing housing and the associated vitality back to the downtown area, which was seen as emptying out after 5 pm. The effort has had dramatic effects in the 30 years since, with many thousands of new housing units clustered in three areas: north of Portland State University (between I-405, SW Broadway, and SW Taylor St.); the RiverPlace development along the waterfront under the Marquam (I-5) bridge; and most notably in the Pearl District (between I-405, Burnside St., NW Northrup St., and NW 9th Ave.).

Historically, [[Environmentalism|environmental consciousness]] has weighed significantly in the city's planning and development efforts.<ref name=topgreen>{{cite web|work=Reuters|title=Top 5 greenest cities in the world|date=March 1, 2010|via=GlobalPost|url=http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2010/03/01/top-5-greenest-cities-in-the-world/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304030648/http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2010/03/01/top-5-greenest-cities-in-the-world/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 4, 2010|access-date=March 31, 2018|author=Hogdson, Beth}}</ref> Portland was one of the first cities in the United States to promote and integrate alternative forms of transportation, such as the [[MAX Light Rail]] and extensive bike paths.<ref name=topgreen/> The Urban Greenspaces Institute, housed in [[Portland State University]] Geography Department's Center for Mapping Research, promotes better integration of the built and natural environments. The institute works on urban park, trail, and natural areas planning issues, both at the local and regional levels.{{sfn|Platt|2006|p=43}} In October 2009, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted a [[Individual and political action on climate change|climate action]] plan that will cut the city's greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=57411|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921125734/http://portlandtribune.com/component/content/article?id=57411|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2013|title=Council adopts aggressive Climate Action Plan|author=Law, Steve|newspaper=[[Portland Tribune]]|date=October 27, 2009|access-date=July 6, 2013}}</ref>

As of 2012, Portland was the largest city in the United States that did not add [[fluoride]] to its public water supply,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-portland-fluoridation-protests-20120912,0,619554.story|title=Portland joins fluoride bandwagon, will add it to water supply|work=Los Angeles Times|author=Muskal, Michael|date=September 12, 2012|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> and [[water fluoridation|fluoridation]] has historically been a subject of [[Water fluoridation controversy|controversy]] in the city.<ref>{{cite web|author=Williams, Heidi|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/09/portlands_fluoride_debate_hist.html|title=Portland's fluoride debate: History, timeline and official positions|date=September 12, 2012|work=The Oregonian|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> Portland voters have four times voted against fluoridation, in 1956, 1962, 1980 (repealing a 1978 vote in favor), and 2013.<ref>{{cite web|author=Blumgart, Jake|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2013/05/portland_fluoride_vote_will_medical_science_trump_fear_and_doubt.html|title=What's the Matter With Portland? The city has been fighting fluoridation for 50 years. Will facts trump fear this month?|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=May 17, 2013|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> In 2012 the city council, responding to advocacy from public health organizations and others, voted unanimously to begin fluoridation by 2014. Fluoridation opponents forced a public vote on the issue,<ref>{{cite web|author=Slovic, Beth|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/09/portland_votes_to_add_fluoride.html|title=Portland votes to add fluoride to its drinking water as opponents vow to stop the effort|work=The Oregonian|access-date=April 1, 2018|date=September 12, 2012}}</ref> and on May 21, 2013, city voters again rejected fluoridation.<ref>{{cite web|author=Kost, Ryan|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2013/05/portland_fluoride_for_the_four.html|title=Portland fluoride: For the fourth time since 1956, Portland voters reject fluoridation|work=The Oregonian|date=May 21, 2013|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref>