Portland’s mayor wants to create special panel to consider systemic racism in the city’s budget and policies.
Kate Snyder says the panel would be made up of multiple stakeholders to be appointed by her.
“But it wouldn’t start with us, it would start with members of the community. And it would be a first step for how to discuss these issues that are really being brought to light at this time,” she says.
Snyder says the steering committee would be tasked with developing a community vision statement on systemic racism, a project that she says could take up to six months. She plans to present a formal resolution to the full city council next month.
Snyder is also proposing that the city hire a local artist to paint a Black Lives Matter mural on Portland’s Congress Street, near City Hall.