PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — With less than six weeks to election day, tensions are rising over the campaign to reform Portland’s form of government.
Opponents of the proposed reform are pulling out of a debate hosted by the Portland City Club over the club’s support for reform, saying that they are worried that they won’t get a fair shake. The City Club tells KOIN 6 News they’ve held debates like this for over 100 years, no matter their stance on a matter.
“We know, as is obvious by this situation that this is highly political and very charged,” said city club board member Julie Davis.
The current proposed reform would create 12 city councilors in four districts, a mayor overseeing but with less power and ranked-choice voting. Vadim Mozyrsky with the Partnership for Common Sense Government has been one of the loudest critics.
“I think this is the most important vote in the history of Portland,” Mozyrsky said.
Portland City Club announced its support of the reform last July. The club still intended to host Mozyrsky and another opponent for a debate until an email announcing the debate was sent.
“They basically advocated for one side in the guise of explaining how this was a fair and honest debate,” added Mozyrsky.
The City Club’s president Caitlin Baggot Davis has stepped away to work on supporting the proposed reform, another piece Mozyrsky took issue with in the email.
Julie Davis disputes the intention of the email to members was to sway support in one way or another.
“We have a history of holding fair debates, equal time, everybody gets equal opportunity. And so, we’re very disappointed that the no campaign has really chosen not to do this and robbed voters an opportunity to hear from both sides on this issue,” she said.
A poll conducted by DHM Research and reported by The Oregonian shows that 63% of people surveyed support the current proposal and 21% oppose it. It also shows that 60% would also vote for an alternate proposal, showing an appetite for change in the Rose City.
“I think that demonstrates there is a hunger for change in Portland in terms of the way our government is structured,” Davis said.