Up for Debate: Portland City Commission, Position 3

With long-serving City Commissioner Dan Saltzman retiring, voters in the City of Portland have the opportunity to select his successor from an open field of candidates. Join us to meet the candidates, hear more about their positions on core issues, and ask your questions.

The Candidates

Stuart Emmons came to Portland in 1976 from Philadelphia as a woodworker. He attended Portland State University in Brooklyn, and then went to Pratt Institute. He received his Master’s in Architecture from Harvard and worked in NYC and LA before returning to Portland with his family in 1995. He started his Architecture and Planning firm in 1997 in his basement and it grew from there, specializing in affordable housing and planning livable neighborhoods. He still designs innovative housing projects at Emmons Design and continues his advocacy for schools and Portland’s kids.

Jo Ann Hardesty is most known for her 1995-2001 term as Oregon state representative (formerly Jo Ann Bowman), her weekly Thursday morning radio segment on KBOO, and her former role as NAACP Portland President. Ms Hardesty is a community leader and activist with a long history of standing for the city’s most disadvantaged communities. She firmly believes that opportunities to thrive in Portland should not depend on someone’s zip code or background.  Her campaign platform focuses on access to government, green and living wage jobs, affordable housing, and police reform.

Loretta Smith is a two-term Multnomah County Commissioner and has made working on behalf of our most vulnerable communities her priority. With three decades of experience fighting for real results, having worked for 22 years for Senator Ron Wyden and the past 7 years as a City Commissioner, Loretta Smith is committed to making Portland a city that works for everyone.

Andrea Valderrama’s family fled political violence, then survived domestic abuse and both housing and economic instability. She helped her family by cleaning houses after school and put herself through college. Andrea started her career in the social justice movement, fighting for undocumented students and to protect day laborers from wage theft. She then went on to be the first person of color to serve on the David Douglas School Board and has served as a Senior Policy Advisor in City Hall for the past 5 years.

Felicia Williams is an Air Force veteran, civil rights historian, biotech business manager, and avid volunteer. She has extensive real-world experience on issues of emergency preparedness, housing, and public safety. Most importantly, she has a passion for doing the work necessary to make Portland an affordable, safe, and thriving place for everyone.