Portland Mayor Kate Snyder said the city has made substantial progress on housing and other issues, but as local voters head to the polls next month, she said the city also remains sharply divided.
At her State of the City address on Monday evening, Snyder thanked leaders and city staff, who she says have helped Portland recover from the pandemic, launch new affordable housing projects, and work to find shelter for thousands of people. But Snyder said that on social media, city leaders are being portrayed as villains leading to a challenging political climate.
"We can experience these things as a community with that recognition, without people needing to tear each other apart and create an "us versus them" mentality that overrides our ability to come together as a community, to treat each other humanely, and to collaborate in productive ways, allowing for a wide range of viewpoints," Snyder said.
Snyder said the results of November's election could reshape the path of the city for years to come.
Snyder said she hopes to prioritize homelessness, asylum seeker resettlement, and cruise ships over the next year.
She also encouraged residents to vote on the 13 ballot questions next month that will shape the future of the city.
"I think that something we can all agree on, is this: the consequences of November's election are significant. Again, we are at a crossroads. The choices we make collectively will determine this next year's pathway and well beyond," she said.
Snyder said Portland has held off on hiring permanent appointed leaders because of potential changes to city governance on the ballot. That's expected to change after the election.
Snyder announced earlier this year that she would not run for re-election in 2023.
