District 4 Candidates forum
One word answers hold the key
19 candidates participated in the “debate.”
District 4 City Council candidates will have the chance to differentiate themselves on policy issues in a novel debate format sponsored by the NW Examiner and the District 4 Coalition of neighborhood associations.
The forum will be held on Monday, Sept. 9, 5:30 p.m., at Lincoln High School, Southwest 18th and Salmon streets. The date has been changed to avoid the national presidential debate.
At least 20 of the 28 officially declared candidates plan to appear.
To accommodate the large number of contenders and to focus on issues, most of the forum will involve about 30 policy statements and questions to which candidates will indicate their support or disagreement by standing.
The statements will include:
Saving existing housing is preferable to new housing construction.
Dining shelters are a good use of the right of way.
Portland neighborhood associations reflect their communities.
The city should do more to accommodate bicycles.
Given a choice, would you increase funding to the Portland Police Bureau or Portland Street Response?
The program will begin at 6 p.m., with 30 minutes before and after the forum for “tabling” and one-to-one conversations with candidates.
This will be the first election under the city’s new charter, which has three seats in each of four districts. District 4 encompasses all of the Westside of the city and a section of Southeast Portland.