Portland, the city widely regarded as a poster child for progressive policies, has recently faced an onslaught of challenges, prompting Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to announce the Portland Central City Task Force (PCCTF).
The issues Portland faces, from street crime to homelessness, have been exacerbated by the global pandemic, and rising concerns about the city have become a statewide economic issue. The PCCTF is being formed to address these ongoing problems and will seek to gain input from diverse voices to form more equitable solutions.
Dan McMillan, President and CEO of StanCorp Financial and Standard Insurance Company, will co-chair the PCCTF. The task force will hold regular meetings throughout the summer and fall to develop solutions, which it will present at the Oregon Business Plan Leadership Summit in December.
According to the latest census data, Portland’s population has declined in recent years. This has come with a cost to the county of over $1 billion. As of January through June this year, crime statistics show that although there has been a slight decrease in overall crime in Portland.
There were still over 10,000 violent offenses against people and nearly 60,000 property crimes. Additionally, there have been over 1,600 societal-related crimes, most concerning drug offenses.
“Pedestrians who pass near a longtime #homeless camp in #Portland, #Oregon, are being threatened or even assaulted by those who live in the camp…” #pdx #crime #drugs #violence #MentalIllness #CriticalCriminology #multco #orpol https://t.co/JoFBLKi2Mi
— Oregon Tea Party 🇺🇲 (@OregonTeaParty) July 31, 2023
Homelessness continues to be an issue in Portland as well. According to Multnomah County’s point-in-time count, the homeless population increased by 20 percent from 2022 to 2023, with an estimated half of the population living in Portland.
Last fall, Mayor Ted Wheeler reported a 50 percent increase in homelessness from 2019 to 2022, which prompted the city council to vote to ban homeless encampments. Despite the ban taking effect last month, the mayor stated he wouldn’t direct enforcement until after the city educated the homeless on the new ban.
Portland Oregon
– September 2019
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– September 2022cc: @OregonGovBrown pic.twitter.com/owBxdYzEZu
— Portland, Oregon (@pdxccura) September 16, 2022
Portland needs help. Governor Kotek’s task force is a good start in addressing this issue, and one can only hope that the recommendations will result in positive change.