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March 7, 2020 By michelle_admin

Loretta Smith

DECRIMINALIZE HOUSELESSNESS

Voting: Yes

Reason: I believe one of the ways we end up with overrepresentation in the criminal justice system is by the targeting and over policing of people experiencing poverty. One of the tenants of my campaign is the fact that poverty is not a crime. People should not be penalized and criminalized because they are struggling to find their way. The Right 2 Rest Ordinance should be the standard for how we approach the houseless members of our community - a standard that we must always uphold and seek to expand.

FOR A FAIR POLICE CONTRACT THAT SERVES THE PUBLIC

Voting: Yes

Reason: I believe that a fair and just police force is a benefit to healthy communities, not a liability. We can only truly create a fair and just police force by providing broad transparency and true community oversight and accountability for public servants who are meant to protect and serve Portland. The division that now exists is the result of a long and storied history of bigotry, racism, and overt violence against vulnerable communities in Portland - specifically people with mental health and communities of color. That history doesn't have to dictate our present and future, but it also can't simply be forgotten as a sign of good will by the community. There is no reasonable explanation as to why the community shouldn't have an active and significant role in how policing powers are utilized in our local community. The hard work ahead of us has to begin with a fair police contract that serves the public.

OREGON DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR THE PEOPLE

Voting: Yes

Reason: As you've stated, District Attorneys are the most powerful players in the criminal legal system. For far too long, we've paid too little attention to that office and that must change if we mean to be proactive and preventative in our work for criminal justice reform. If we elect District Attorneys that represent our community values for a fair and just approach to prosecution, we will see our largest gains ever in the fight against a biased and discriminatory legal system.

TENANT PROTECTION ORDINANCE

Voting: Yes

Reason: The lack of regulation of the relationship between a landlord and tenant has played a major role in the housing instability we see across our region. Without proper education, advocacy, and protections, many tenants are unable to advocate for themselves or devise a plan to allow them to remain in their homes. We can't just pass new protections and expect things to get better. As we've seen with the protections that are already codified into law, most tenants don't know what their rights are or how to navigate the complexities of fighting discrimination, illegal evictions, and poor habitability standards in the rental market. I support a strong Tenant Protection Ordinance that also fully funds tenant education, advocacy, and enforcement.

UP NOW! UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL IN MULTNOMAH COUNTY

Voting: Yes

Reason:I have always fought to create opportunities for our youth and believe that universal preschool will be a game changer for families in our city. I would be excited to work with advocates to make sure we can make universal preschool a reality for every young child in our region.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM

Voting: Yes

Reason: I have learned the importance of ensuring that candidates are able to focus on having authentic interactions with voters versus focusing on raising money. Campaign contribution limits and other campaign finance reform will create a new wave of people-centered politics here in Oregon.

MUNICIPAL BANK

Voting: Yes

Reason: I believe having a municipal bank that would prioritize the short and long term benefits of our community, especially when considering the transparency that should follow public dollars.

MUNICIPAL BROADBAND

Voting: Yes

Reason: I worked hard as a County Commissioner to ensure that underserved families and communities had access to technology that would make their lives easier and provide opportunities for advancement. I believe that municipal broadband is a big step in the right direction in closing the digital divide for low-income families and communities of color.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT (CBA) FOR THE SUPERFUND CLEAN-UP OF THE WILLAMETTE RIVER

Voting: Yes

Reason: Community Benefits Agreements should be a universal standard for all contracts and projects that involve public funding. CBAs are an absolute necessity in ensuring that the community greatly benefits across various functional areas from our investment of public dollars. I also believe we must look for opportunities to enhance compliance and enforcement of CBAs.

Filed Under: CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM-yes, COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT (CBA) FOR THE SUPERFUND CLEAN-UP OF THE WILLAMETTE RIVER-yes, DECRIMINALIZE HOUSELESSNESS - yes, FOR A FAIR POLICE CONTRACT THAT SERVES THE PUBLIC -yes, MUNICIPAL BANK -yes, MUNICIPAL BROADBAND -yes, OREGON DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR THE PEOPLE-yes, TENANT PROTECTION ORDINANCE-yes, UP NOW! UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL IN MULTNOMAH COUNTY-yes

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