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Name: Sam Sachs
Neighborhood: Irvington
Are you a renter or homeowner? Renter
Education: Bachelor of science in Black studies with a focus in African American History, Portland State University.
Occupation: Since 1992, I have worked for the City of Portland, Multnomah County, The State of Oregon and the private sector. I have worked as a corrections deputy, Portland Park Ranger, security at a local hospital, juvenile group life coordinator for the Oregon Youth Authority at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility and at Donald E. Long School and as a loss prevention officer at Nordstrom.
How long have you lived in the city of Portland: I was born in Portland in 1968 and lived here until age 3. I returned in 1992, so all together 25 years.
Age: 56
Pronouns: He/him
Sam Sachs, candidate for Portland City Council District 2, in an undated photo provided by the candidate.
Courtesy of the candidate
For each of the following questions, please limit your answer to no more than 150 words. If you run over, we will at our discretion cut your response to meet that limit.
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.
We must find the funding to continue to support and buildup 1) the Office of Violence Prevention and 2) non-profits led by Portlanders of color who have lived experience to address gun violence in Portland.
Funding OVP is crucial to addressing the amount of violence and specifically homicides by firearms that impact communities of color. I selected these two budget items because I have lobbied for these items for several years, and this is something near and dear to my heart as a Portlander. Over the past decade, 40-60% of homicides in Portland involve a person of color and the majority of those are young Black boys and men. This is not a time to cut costs, but to invest. I plan to use facts, data, proven outcomes and community voices and stories to advocate to other council members for the importance of this issue and gain their support.
What previous accomplishments show that you are the best pick in your district? Please be specific.
- 30 years experience in law enforcement and public safety
- Degree in Black Studies from Portland State University
- Served as an intern with former state Sen. Avel Louise Gordly
- Led the unionization and organization of Portland’s Park Rangers
- Served as a Human Rights Commissioner, chair of the Community and Police Relations Committee
- Son of a parent who struggled with addiction and mental health issues
- Authored and helped pass legislation on state, city and county level that requires the inclusion of qualified people of color, women and people with disability when hiring for leadership positions
- Appointed to and served on the Portland Committee of Community Engaged Policing
- Founded and operate the The No Hate Zone nonprofit focused on ending hate and racism in our community through education, community engagement and advocacy
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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?
I think Portland needs a marketing plan overhaul. Right away we need to form an alliance among all 12 council members and prioritize making Portland a destination place, which right now it is not. Addressing public safety issues must be a priority. Reforming the permit system and making it easier will help, but we have to encourage people to want to live here and build more units, and more importantly understand what the hurdles are. We are losing too many Portlanders to other cities and their investment, i.e. taxes. I don’t believe this will be a dramatic or quick fix, but we can begin to move the needle and set a course that is sustainable for growth and building a better Portland together.
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?
I believe we need to invest in the basics first, in no certain order: mental health, drug addiction, police and fire, non-emergency, Portland Street Response, sobering centers and other services. Again, we must create the Portland we want, and that is a Portland where people feel safe.
We have to prioritize funding for mental health, homelessness and gun violence prevention. I believe we have the funds to make this happen, but that means spending it wisely. I will wait until elected to make any unified decisions on how to sustainably fund these areas.
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?
I will not commit to eliminating, renewing, supporting or creating any taxes until we (all 12 City Council members) have been elected and can begin to assess those together and with our constituents in our districts. I will serve Portlanders and work with them to address these issues as their District 2 representative. I am open to hearing varied and diverse perspectives. I will be focused on addressing, empowering and supporting communities of color in whatever decisions I make.
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 don’t have any concerns. Yes, it will be different, and we will have to adjust, but Portlanders are resilient, creative and determined. I know that my goal will always be to be a bridge-builder and to find balance among and across all lines. We have enough change currently with this new system and voting that I’m not going to suggest changing anything else. Let’s focus on getting this right first and then see what if anything we need to adjust or change.
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For the five remaining questions, please 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?
No, I worked as a corrections deputy for six years. Jails are not a place for the homeless, mentally ill or addicts. It’s not a long-term solution. I do support jailing those who commit crimes. For those who refuse help, I support them being cited or booked and then released.
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 need more officers to address numerous safety issues in our city and to truly support and embrace the community policing model and to ensure officers aren’t being overworked. Their mental and emotional health is important. I’m open to creative ideas towards funding.
Do you support putting the Clean Energy Fund measure back on the ballot? What, if any changes, would you support?
No. I have no ideas of changing the current system but would be open to the discussion.
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Which would you prioritize: Creation of more protected bike lanes and priority bus lanes or improved surfacing of existing degraded driving lanes?
I think all can be true and supported. Whatever we can do to make the roads, bike lanes and sidewalks safer for Portlanders. I do think fixing the roads and potholes must be a priority.
Have the problems impacting downtown Portland received too much or too little attention from current city leaders? Why?
I don’t think it’s too much or too little attention, but I do believe there have been too few solutions from current leaders to address problems impacting downtown Portland. You would have to live on Mars not to know downtown revitalization must be a priority — so far it hasn’t.
