LWVPDX Podcasts

This webinar highlights the ways Portland Public Schools is moving forward in the face of many challenges. Four panelists, who are leaders in the administration of Portland Public Schools, discuss both  PPS's successes and challenges.  The panelists are:Dr. Sandy Husk, Portland Public Schools Interim SuperintendentMichelle DePass, Portland Public Schools Board of Education William Fernandez, Senior Professional Development Officer, Office of Research, Assessment and Accountability Kristina Howard, Interim Chief Academic Officer, Senior Director, Teacher Professional Learning, Office of Teaching and Learning The panelists also answer questions asked by the live audience when this podcast was recorded. This podcast was produced by the League of Women Voters Education Fund in cooperation with MetroEast Community Media. 

In March 2024, the League of Women Voters  of Portland held a Community Education program, “Solutions to our Affordable Housing Crisis.” Portland  and Oregon are experiencing a dire lack of affordable housing. The causes include limited rental vacancies and housing costs rising faster than wages.  This program focuses on what is being done to help solve our housing crisis. PANELISTSState Representative Mark Gamba represents Portland neighborhoods. He advocates for actionable solutions and investments in affordable housing and housing for the unhoused.Brian Hoop, Executive Director of Housing Oregon. Housing Oregon is a statewide association of affordable housing organizations.  They convene the 90 member organizations to develop and advance policy, organize a conference and other educational events, support peer groups, and communicate industry news to members.Dominique Merriweather (Dom), Executive Director, Proud Ground.  Proud Ground brings permanently affordable housing opportunities to first-time homeowners using a land trust model.  

This  is a podcast of a November 2023  webinar on some of the most urgent challenges facing transportation in Portland, Oregon, and the surrounding Metro area. The panelists are:Moderator: Chris Smith, a transportation policy expert and a long-time community volunteer. Chris  explained how Portland’s transportation system fits into Metro regional transportation planning.Millicent Williams,  Director, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) discussing funding concerns. Funding is a major challenge confronting multiple government transportation agencies. In part, this is due to less revenue from gas taxes. However, Portland also faces other revenue and expense concerns. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) must deal with this issue now as the City of Portland is developing budgets for its next fiscal year. Zachary Lauritzen, Interim Executive Director, Oregon Walks, discussing transportation safety. Safety on, and alongside, our roads continues to be a difficult problem with consequences that can be deadly. Addressing safety concerns requires action by multiple agencies– not just the transportation sector. Jana Gastellum, Executive Director, Oregon Environmental Council, discussing climate concerns. Transportation is Oregon’s largest source of carbon emissions, so it is an important factor in addressing climate concerns. Options to reduce driving and the transition to electric vehicles reduce gas tax revenues. This requires consideration of additional state-level funding approaches.

In this podcast, members of a volunteer Police Accountability Commission (PAC) describe their proposal for a new Community Board to review complaints of police misconduct. The PAC spent thousands of volunteer hours planning the details of how this new community board will operate. The final plan carries out the requirements in the charter amendment that Portland voters passed in November 2020 by almost 82%.  A representative of the U.S. Department of Justice  also explains the role of the U.S. DOJ in reviewing this proposal.

A panel of leading experts discusses the work accomplished through September 2023 and work that is underway to ensure effective and fair implementation of the  charter reforms that Portland voters approved in November 2022.  The panelists are:Melanie Billings-Yun, Charter Review Commissioner, 2020-22 (Moderator) Shoshanah Oppenheim, Charter Transition Project ManagerMarcus Mundy, Executive Director, Coalition of Communities of ColorLeah Benson, Co-Chair, Government Transition Advisory Committee (GTAC)Alex Zielinski, Reporter, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB)

This Voter Information Forum features two candidates running in May 2023 for a position on the Portland Oregon Public Schools Board of Education. The candidates, Derrick Peterson and Patte Sullivan explain their experience, why they are running and answer questions about the policies they would support. 

This is a recording of an interview with Joyce Rosenau, who is running in the May 2023 Special District Election for the Reynolds School District Board of Education.

This is a recording of an interview with Patte Sullivan, who is running in the May 2023 Special District Election for a position on the Portland School District Board of Education. All voters living in all zones of the Portland School District can vote in this election.

This is a recording of an interview with Derrick Peterson, who is running in the May 2023 Special District Election for the Portland School District Board of Education. All voters living in the Portland School District (all zones) can vote in this election.

This is a recording of an interview with Kris Howatt, who is running in the 2023 Special District Election for position 2 on the Gresham-Barlow School District Board of Education.

This is a recording of an interview with Deian Salazar, who is running in the May 2023 Special Election for position 7 on the David Douglas School District Board of Education.

This is a recording of an interview with Barry Fox-Quamme, who is running in the May 2023 Special Election as a candidate for the Mount Hood Community College Board of Education.

This podcast is a recording of an interview with John Masterman, who is running for the Multnomah Education Service District, Position 1, Zone 5. The MESD serves students in Multnomah County, Oregon. 

This is a recording of an interview with Ana del Rocio, who is running in the May 2023 election for the District 3 position on the Multnomah County Oregon Commission.

This podcast is an interview with candidate Albert Kaufman, running for the District 3 position on the Multnomah County Oregon Commission. 

This is a recording of a brief interview with Julia Brim-Edwards, who is running to fill the District 3 position on the Multnomah County Oregon Commission. 

This Election Forum features speakers  representing the supporters and the opponents of Measure 26-238. The measure would create a new county tax of 0.75% (0.0075) on capital gains income (profit) from the sale of property. The revenue from this tax would be used to pay for a new Tenant Resources Program and provide free legal services for residential tenants faced with eviction.

This Election forum features three candidates who are running in the May 2023 Special Election to fill a vacant seat on the Multnomah County Commission. The candidates, Julia Brim-Edwards, Albert Kaufman, and Ana del Rocio, explain why they are running and answer questions about the policies they believe are needed for Multnomah County. 

A panel of community leaders from Portland Oregon discuss chronic homelessness as a public health issue. They explain how they are working to provide services and shelter to people with mental illness and/or addiction, and the need for more shelters, and supportive affordable low-income housing.  The speakers are: Jill Kahnert, Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, retired from Central City Concern. Jason Renaud, LWVPDX League member, and Voluntary Managing Director of the Mental Health Association of PortlandScott Kerman, Executive Director, Blanchet HouseRachael Duke, Executive Director of Community Partners for Affordable Housing 

The League of Women Voters of Portland and four expert speakers talk about policing in Portland, including police training, progress and problems with police compliance with the US Department of Justice Settlement Agreement and the creation of groups of unarmed professionals to handle nonviolent confrontations.