People First Portland Citizen Initiatives on November 3rd Ballot.  All But Question E Passed Decisively by Portland Voters.  A Recount is Underway on Question E as Requested by Proponents of the Measure.

The Logo for the People First Portland Campaign  Designed to Correct the Failed City Council Policies.

“Wear a Mas” Messages are Popping up All Over Portland. They Were Created under the Auspices of Creative Portland.

The City of Portland staff continues to work on the implementation of the five citizen initiative ordinances that were passed by Portland voters during the November 3rd election.

Staff has completed its legal review of Questions A (minimum wage), B (facial recognition) F (marijuana) and has received Council guidance for implementing those ordinances.

Question A will go into effect in January 2022 and Questions B and F will become effective on December 6th.

The Portland City Council issued guidance on three of the five recently passed citizen initiative referendum questions following Executive Sessions on November 10 and November 16.  Following the November 10th Executive Session, the Council issued the following guidance on the minimum wage and marijuana referendums.

“Once policy is adopted, either by a vote of the city council or, in this case, by citizens at referendum, city staff works to faithfully implement the language of the ordinances,” said Mayor Kate Snyder.  “Corporation Counsel offers guidance when needed and the city manager has the responsibility for implementing and enforcing the new ordinances.”

The Council will go into another remote Executive Session with Corporation Counsel on Monday, November 23 at 5:00 pm.

Proponents of the marginally failed Referendum Question E (Short Term Rentals) requested a recount last week, which began today Thursday, November 19th and is expected to last three days. The cost is $15,000 and was rejected by Portland voters by 222 votes according to the city spokeswoman, Jessica Grondin.  The recount is happening at the Portland Expo on Park Avenue.

The Initiatives were initiated by the People First Portland campaign and supported by a large coalition of other non-profits in Portland.