Meet Michael Trimble, candidate for Portland City Council District 4

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: Michael Trimble

Neighborhood: Goose Hollow

Renter/homeowner: Renter

Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science attained from Duquesne University ,2009

Occupation: Low-income property management

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

Age: 38

Pronouns: He/him

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.

Implement income-based rent at any residential multi-unit apartment property (not private/home residences) along with a renters’ bill of rights (banning all rent-related nonrefundable fees, such as the application itself, pet charges, the background and credit check, no evictions during the school year for families with children or during acutely cold or hot days due to climate change). Capping rents to 35% of renters earning below $50K

TriMet needs to be fare free, running all of their max lines, including the most ridden frequent buses, 24/7.

I selected these two issues as housing is a human right as is the right to equitable transportation. I have met many of the other candidates who share my ideals of a more democratic Portland that works.

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

The first thing someone might notice about me as one of Portland’s more unlikely district four city council candidates, is not the fact that I lack arms — or the fact that I am usually wearing a bike helmet as I commute almost exclusively via a modified/adaptive bicycle — but my enthusiasm. I am a very much the odd man out in this already rather crowded city council race.

I even took on a corporation when they wrongfully terminated me over the use of my adaptive bike.

I would like to extend that fighting spirit as a city councilor and fight for those who can’t or don’t fight for themselves. My lived experience, along with my 15+ years of customer service background in healthcare and communication, has given me the advantage of perspective.

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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 overhaul and streamline not only zoning but permitting as well to ensure construction of housing units can begin no later than 30 days from the initial application. Portland can purchase many abandoned hotels and buildings to convert them into income-based housing.

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?

Above all else, affordable housing must be a top priority, never cut or underfunded. Mental health comes in a close second, followed by the decommissioning of the CEI Hub. We fund affordable housing with tax credits/incentives while transitioning the residential rental market into a below-market European-styled housing order where most renters live affordably, with the government owning more residential multi-unit apartment properties. The county can subsidize most of the mental health expansions as the city steers into its own city-operated healthcare system. The decommissioning will be paid with bonds and punitive fees on bad fossil fuel players like Zenith.

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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?

Portlanders’ tax measures should be respected and not changed. It is the height of hypocrisy and undemocratic despotism reversing ballot initiatives enacted by voters.

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 do not have any concerns per se. We cannot fear the unknown. Rather, we should embrace it and work to fix what isn’t working instead of doing away with it without a substitution in place.

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?

I do as it gets them into the system where they receive medical care, meals, and a roof over their heads, and can get connected with social services to transition them into housing and job placement. Many of them can opt into deflection.

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?

I most certainly will vote yes with caveats of police reform and requiring all officers to live within city limits. The federal government can pay for it under the DOJ case against Portland.

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

I do not, as it is funding many programs combating climate change.

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

I will prioritize the creation of more protected bike lanes and priority bus lanes to further discourage vehicular usage as we fight to protect our environment.

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

They have received attention, but not the kind to warrant ending unsheltered housing and attracting and retaining businesses. Current city leaders have instead prioritized pushing out the middle class in favor of the wealthy living in posh upscale housing.