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: Deian Salazar
Neighborhood: Hazelwood
Renter/homeowner: Renter
Education: David Douglas High School, postgraduate programs
Occupation: Policy advocate, community advocate
How long you’ve lived in the city of Portland: 12 years
Age: 24
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Portland is facing a 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.
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 7 votes on the council to make them happen? Please avoid broad, sweeping statements and instead provide details.
The Joint Office of Homelessness Services and Homelessness Policy implementation. I would have Portland create a Department of Housing and Homelessness (and/or Public Works), and nonprofit board to streamline our different programs and invest in getting people off the streets and transporting them quickly to designated shelter and camping and (Temporary Alternative Shelter) sites where they are at these locations, provided mental health care, job training, sobering, identification and employment opportunity services through public private partnerships, collaboration with existing school funded programs and more. I would also support rolling Portland Street Response into the county’s Project RESPOND and CHAT to eliminate overlap. These are the key to making our services operate faster, quicker, and more efficient and accountable. I will persuade everyone that this is the most effective solution as my policy knowledge is well respected, and I have a track record of coalition building in my Democratic Party and government service experience.
Related: What you need to know about voting in Oregon and Southwest Washington
What previous accomplishments show that you are the best pick in your district? Please be specific.
I have successfully pushed for my priorities — increased access to mental health care, alternative career pathways, job training services, housing tax credits for developers — to be adopted and prioritized, especially in funding in my work on the Oregon Commission on Autism as social services co-chair, Portland Children’s Levy, and more. I was instrumental in persuading my legislators to vote for participatory budgeting in my area. ... I have a record of getting my side victories in debates about resolutions even when in the initial minority. I pushed a voter education process in the county party successfully that stalled after I reduced my involvement. And I am well liked and also represent the district in my unique identity that speaks to a lot of our district constituents.
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 need a dedicated permitting office and need to streamline the system and simplify the city code in order to reduce waiting times. We also need to cut fees that are harming investments into our community and invest in better bonuses for constructing multi-family homes. We also need to make intergenerational, shared, mixed income, and even experiment with new or even older types of homes, while reforming the zoning code — such as making it easier for businesses to exist under housing making it more attractive. And lastly, a city run venture capital firm to invest in small business in exchange for small stakes alongside a small business office could help us reinvest that money into housing.
Related: Issues important to Oregon voters
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’ve fractured our government apparatus. So while streamlining, we must continue to provide rental assistance, small business support through above policies, and a nonprofit board (in addition to a consolidated Portland nonprofit information platform and empowering the city auditor and city controller) so we know where every dollar is spent, and can know where our money is best spent for the best results. We can be fiscally responsible and compassionate, as long as we create the systems to allow that. Of particular importance is rental assistance reform ... (to help more) people ... who need it. The fact that it expires after one year has added a lot of stress to the system. We need to make this program more sustainable and work for working families.
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 not to renew? Are there specific taxes or levies you would support creating? Why?
The Arts Tax was well intended, but it has been a complete disaster. It is regressive and not well structured or designed. We need to cut it to put more money into people’s pockets. Not every tax is a good tax. As someone who is active in a tax levy myself, that is very important for people to understand.
Do you have any concerns with the changes coming to city elections and city governance? If so, what would you like to see change?
I’m concerned that people are going to be walking into the halls of power with very little idea of what to do, how to do it, and lack the real interconnected and grassroots perspective necessary to govern effectively. Government requires compromise and regularly gaining support from a supermajority even when you only have a majority. Pushing for only a faction to take control are setting us up for more gridlock and failure. Policies can get done by narrow majorities, but true governance can’t. We must elect people who have clear policy plans that are flexible enough to pass, and who can work with a wide variety of people. As someone who does that frequently, as well as having a unique interconnected perspective of tackling many issues at once and rejecting false choices, I believe I’m well-suited to preventing or bridging such a divide and delivering results for Portlanders.
Related: Listen to 'OPB Politics Now'
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. Portland must define “adequate shelter,” streamline services, and reform permitting to speed shelter construction. Expanding Portland Street Response integration with Project Respond and CHAT can address crises more efficiently. Bottle drop sites need reform to prevent drug use and enhance security. Autistics in Oregon suffer under the current model.
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?
Yes. We must maximize spending efficiency and consider alternatives like renegotiating contracts and oversight. A bond measure is an option, but I’m open to a ballot initiative if other efforts can’t secure funding.
Do you support putting the Clean Energy Fund measure back on the ballot? What, if any changes, would you support?
I support transparency, audits, and potential reforms but support it being rolled into a Green New Deal and net-zero investments by 2030. A ballot measure should only be considered if absolutely necessary for these purposes.
Which would you prioritize: Creation of more protected bike lanes and priority bus lanes or improved surfacing of existing degraded driving lanes?
We need to improve the surfacing of degrading driving lanes most. East Portland looks like Youngstown, Ohio — if I wanted to live with U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, I’d move there! This is not Portland quality. It’s time to make driving lanes clean and safe again. I still like bike infrastructure.
Have the problems impacting downtown Portland received too much or too little attention from current city leaders? Why?
Both too much and too little attention. We need real solutions, including more police, blue collar and trades-based jobs, small business investment, getting people working downtown including city employees, and tech/music industries downtown.