Why I’m Voting for Rene Gonzalez

Submitted by a Portland Party member / volunteer

The 2022 election will be critical to Portland’s future. I’m voting for Rene Gonzalez because he brings the skills, experience, courage, and disciplined leadership our City Council needs to transform Portland from its current status as a place of rampant crises, into a civil city that all Portlanders are proud to call home.

Will Portland move forward with accountability, urgency, clear priorities, effectiveness, and a sense of community? Or, will our city leaders continue stuck — overwhelmed by political infighting and the challenges of unprecedented levels of gun violence, citywide crime, addiction, mental illness, and homelessness, all during a period of (at best) economic uncertainty?

Gonzalez is a business owner, attorney, and long-time community organizer who makes decisions with an analytical bent. He understands that affordable housing alone will not solve the current homeless crisis. Rampant mental health issues and serious drug addiction solutions will require teamwork within and across agencies, and new approaches based on effectiveness supported by data. For example, we have had behavioral health and substance abuse services in Portland for years, but have lacked leadership commitment to intra- and inter-agency coordination, value-based tracking (of funding, outcomes, and service quality), and analytical decision-making.

Regarding Gonzalez’s community-building skills, he is a Portland public school parent who was frustrated by pandemic school closures that kept students out of school and off sports fields longer than needed for health and safety — to the detriment of student learning. In response, he co-founded Oregon’s ED 300, organizing parents statewide and helping develop data-driven, persuasive arguments to pressure state and school leaders into school re-opening.

Rene’s priorities are guided by livability: restoring public safety and civility, cleaning up the city, providing safe and supportive temporary shelters, increasing affordable housing, and providing effective, equitable services.

I’m voting for Rene Gonzalez because he’s the best candidate to ensure a thriving future.