Meet Melodie Beirwagen, candidate for Portland City Council District 3

Editor’s note: Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Stay informed with OPB on the presidential race, key congressional battles and other local contests and ballot measures in Oregon and Southwest Washington at opb.org/elections.

Name: Melodie Beirwagen

Neighborhood: Arleta

Renter/homeowner: Homeowner

Education: B.S., Chemistry (PSU)

Occupation: Guitar and Amp Repair

How long you’ve lived in the city of Portland: 33 years

Age: 51

Pronouns: Did not respond

Portland is facing an historic election involving a new voting system and an unusually high number of candidates. Journalists at The Oregonian/OregonLive and Oregon Public Broadcasting share a goal of ensuring that Portland voters have the information they need to make informed choices, and we also know candidates’ time is valuable and limited.

That’s why the two news organizations teamed up this cycle to solicit Portland City Council candidates’ perspectives on the big issues in this election. Here’s what they had to say:

For each of the following questions, we asked candidates to limit their answers to 150 words.

Related: What you need to know about voting in Oregon and Southwest Washington

Name two existing city policies or budget items you’d make it a priority to change. Why did you select those and how do you plan to line up at least seven votes on the council to make them happen? Please avoid broad, sweeping statements and instead provide details.

The first policy/budget item I’d like to change is the Small Donor Elections program. I recently withdrew from the program because it became apparent that other candidates’ actions were going against the spirit and intent of the program. (They were making contributions to one another to falsely inflate their donor lists and qualify for funding). It seems wasteful and a misuse of tax dollars.

Secondly, I don’t believe the city leadership is involved enough in fighting the tolling of I-205. Construction has continued and the implementation of the toll is only paused — the city must fight this inequitable tax on the working poor. A toll on I-205 will result in huge increases in congestion throughout District 3 and Portland.

My efforts would focus on lifting our hard-working Portlanders’ voices regarding these and other important issues so other city councilors could understand the plight of struggling taxpayers and small businesses.

Related: Issues important to Oregon voters

What previous accomplishments show that you are the best pick in your district? Please be specific.

I have years of experience working within a small budget, both personally and professionally, and I understand the value of Portland taxpayers’ money. I raised three kids as a single mom and didn’t have the luxury of wasting money.

Also, my long history of playing in the Portland music scene has introduced me to a lot of working-class people who work in the private sector and are under-represented in city government. These people are the backbone of the Portland economy. They’re authentic, hard workers with jobs like grocery clerk, landscaper, cook, server, small business owner and many more. They pay their taxes and aren’t getting things like good roads and safe streets in return.

Portland is on track to permit the fewest number of multifamily units in 15 years and remains thousands of units below what’s needed to meet demand. What steps would you take to dramatically and quickly increase the availability of housing?

We must reduce regulatory obstacles to converting empty commercial space into residential housing that is both affordable and quickly available. In terms of new construction, I’d suggest we use the famously short-lived example of Vanport for an historical example of the private sector and government quickly building affordable housing in a time of need. While addressing this dire need, we must also remember that our infrastructure needs much attention and contributes greatly to our collective quality of life.

Related: Listen to 'OPB Politics Now'

The next City Council is going to have to make some very difficult decisions regarding what to fund and how. What essential services must the city provide and how should the city sustainably fund them?

We need to find out what areas of the city budget show the most wasteful spending. I’d support comprehensive audits of all spending and focus on outcomes — we are collecting enough tax dollars but tolerate too much waste and bloat. Additionally, I would like to ensure that funds to fill potholes and deal with the homelessness/addiction crisis are prioritized (the two main concerns of the working people I have spoken to).

Portlanders have approved many tax measures in the past decade – supporting affordable housing, free preschool programs and green energy initiatives. Are there specific taxes or levies you want eliminated or would choose to not renew? Are there specific taxes or levies you would support creating? Why?

At this time, I support more efficient, frugal use of the tax dollars that are currently collected and generally believe that Portlanders are taxed at too high a rate. I would strongly endorse a comprehensive audit of every tax and levy with an eye on performance and outcomes. After this analysis, I could better advocate for elimination of specific taxes.

Do you have any concerns with the changes coming to city elections and city governance? If so, what would you like to see change?

We need to reform the small donor program. There is no reason we have to match funds, at least for city council. It doesn’t cost that much to run a campaign for city council and it concerns me that money, even from small donors, is again corrupting the process.

For the five remaining questions, we asked candidates to answer in 50 words or fewer:

Do you favor arresting and jailing people who camp on public property in Portland who refuse repeated offers of shelter, such as the option to sleep in a city-designated tiny home cluster?

Yes.

Would you vote yes on a proposal to fund hundreds more police officers than the City Council has already authorized? Why or why not? How would the city pay for it?

At this time I have promised to vote “no” on any new tax increases until we get spending and accountability under control. I think more law enforcement is likely needed, but would not support more funding unless it is reallocated from another city funding source — not the taxpayer.

Do you support putting the Clean Energy Fund measure back on the ballot? What, if any changes, would you support?

Not at this time. I believe this type of tax can negatively affect businesses, including those deciding whether to locate in Portland. I’d very much like to first see how the city uses this revenue influx, and, especially, see how it affects struggling smaller businesses who must pay.

Which would you prioritize: Creation of more protected bike lanes and priority bus lanes or improved surfacing of existing degraded driving lanes?

I would prioritize the improved surfacing of existing degraded driving lanes. The lifeline of Portland’s business and workers involves moving goods and services throughout our City. Portland needs much better transportation infrastructure to thrive for all Portlanders.

Have the problems impacting downtown Portland received too much or too little attention from current city leaders? Why?

The problems impacting downtown have received too little attention (and less action) from current city leaders. I don’t understand why we have allowed homelessness, crime, and open drug use to take over. We must reclaim our city’s core and become the wondrous regional magnet we’ve always been.