Comments on the Mayor’s decision

Mayor Adams has posted the Press Release with his decision to return to work on Monday, on the front page of his City web site. Here is my response:

Yesterday, two young women were killed and seven people injured in gunfire on Portland’s streets. Recently, a man with no home froze to death in a cemetery, while hundreds of people live on our streets every day. Portlanders continue to lose their jobs due to the recession. The City Council must soon decide how to cut up to 7% from the City’s $3 billion budget, while maintaining and even improving basic services in all 95 neighborhoods and 35 business districts. Addressing these serious issues is part of my job as a City Commissioner.

I believe Sam Adams has skills and knowledge that Portland needs to face these difficult times. Mayor Adams has made his decision to stay in office. It is up to Sam to see if he can rebuild the trust which has been damaged, to allow him to be an effective leader.

The independent investigation by the Attorney General’s office will determine whether any unlawful actions occurred in the past three years. When that investigation is complete, the citizens of Portland and city leaders will have complete information to use to decide whether sanctions should be imposed. The citizens of Portland may choose to sign recall petitions, and to vote after June 30th on whether the Mayor elected in 2008 should remain in office. I trust these processes to work to find the best outcomes in this matter.

In the meantime, I will get back to work with Sam Adams as Mayor, to deal with the major challenges facing Portland today.