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Jim Macdonald, Portland mayoral candidate, in an undated provided photo.
Courtesy of the candidate
About the candidate
Name: James Macdonald
Neighborhood: Candidate did not complete
Renter/homeowner: renter
Education: some college
Occupation: sales, management
How long you’ve lived in the city of Portland: 66 years
Age: 66
Pronouns: Candidate did not complete
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 mayoral 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.
Why are you the best candidate to serve as mayor at this time? Please point to specific accomplishments as part of your answer.
I have volunteered to help others my entire life. I have owned businesses, managed businesses for others and understand the inner working of human resources, planning and opening of said businesses. I have taken into my home many foster children from DHS and others not in the system. I have had many opportunities to find middle ground where there was none.
What are one or two issues that you’d like to draw attention to or champion as mayor that are overlooked or receiving less attention than they deserve?
We have in my opinion 3 main problems to solve. Homelessness, crime, taking responsibility. The candidates running for mayor and other offices all have different ideas how to get there but no idea is the same and each person in their past does what they want not what’s good for our city and its people.
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What specific examples do you have that demonstrate your competence to oversee a city with an $8.2 billion budget?
A government needs to project how to use funds needed toaccomplish its goals. Be able to be thrifty so the funds get spent wisely not just spend and ask for more. I heard a person in charge of a project in our government who said “Well let’s just add this much and it will cover it.” DID not say it would solve it.
What are your biggest concerns, if any, about the new form of government? What role do you think the mayor should play in it?
I think it will add to less accountability, the one thing voters don’t want. I have seen leaders trying new things more today than ever before but our government still divides itself how to tackle and accomplish goals never working together in the same project. I look forward to working with Tina Kotek on homeless issues. She has a large and bold idea that will help us for decades on housing.
How would you work to promote and boost Portland nationally as mayor and reinvigorate people’s sense of civic pride?
Our nation has not had a lot to smile about governing bodies are only taking care of themselves including our city government. When our citizens vote they vote to improve our lives and yet government leaders keep letting them down. Inflation is crippling the least advantaged people in our communities. But yet I see people who will get on board with the idea of making Portland a world destination for vacations, world class foods and tourism with many, many things to do here and see. Advertise this nationally and set up everything locally.
Mayor Ted Wheeler has already warned that next year’s budget will be a difficult one as costs rise and forecasts call for lower revenue. What would guide your decisions in developing a budget, what specific ideas would you explore to minimize service reductions and are there specific areas where you would look to make cuts?
People understand this if they are told up front. We need better planning a close look at what could be cut and continue to innovate new ideas that are easily implemented for our citizens to be able to take pride in what we do.
How can the city of Portland and Multnomah County improve their existing partnership to more effectively address the homelessness, addiction and behavioral health crises?
They have monies the county given from the city and many times that money just sits until it needs to be spent and it does not always get spent wisely. There needs to be accountability on all levels with follow through or someone keeping leaders on top of their commitments.
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If elected, you will oversee the police chief. What is your opinion of police bureau priorities and operations and what changes, if any, would you make? Would you push for the city to fund hundreds more police officers than the City Council has already authorized? If yes, where would you find the money?
I am not in our city government yet but we are way behind in having a police force that works to protect and serve. The tiny few they are hiring will not make a difference as they are so short staffed to even keep a bare minimum working to help fix our growing problems that the current government helped create.
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 have refused repeated offers of shelter, such as the option to sleep in a city-designated tiny home cluster?
I would not like that approach. I have many ideas that haven’t even been thought of or presented. In a way we have pushed many low-income people to the streets. I have a real plan called streets to prosperity.
Related: Listen to 'OPB Politics Now'
Have the problems impacting downtown Portland received too much or too little attention among current city leaders? Are there other specific neighborhoods in the city that have not received enough attention?
Our downtown used to be an envy. I miss many of the shops and businesses. We have to address the elephant in the room as it applies to the whole city. Applying our laws on the books and addressing the crime everywhere.
Do you support the decision to use millions from the Portland Clean Energy Fund to backfill budget holes in various city bureaus? Would you seek to continue, expand or halt that practice?
This is a good project with good goals but if we borrow from it that should be only temporary.
Do you support a potential change to the region’s homeless services tax that would direct some of the program’s unanticipated revenue to construct more affordable housing? Why or why not?
I have many ideas I wish to speak with Tina Kotek about on that topic.
Describe the qualities and experience you will seek in a city administrator. Describe the working relationship you plan to build with the top administrator and their half dozen deputies.
I hope that it becomes a tight-knit group of people that work well together to serve our voters.