“The goal of being on the City Council was not originally on my bingo card,” said elected District 2 Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney during her visit to BWNA’s August 10 general meeting. However, she explained to board members and residents gathered at Sylvan Learning and on Zoom, when a redesigned council structure was enacted by Portland voters, she thought her experience with labor organizations, state government, and as a small business owner could make a positive contribution.
After brief remarks, Pirtle-Guiney said, “I’d mostly like to hear from you.”
On the Moda Center
Taking center stage was the controversial issue of dedicating public funds to a Moda Center upgrade without any participation from the Trail Blazers. Pirtle-Guiney noted that not only the Blazers use the facility, but it is also host to the WNBA Portland Fire and other events that are its largest revenue generators, particularly sports tournaments and music concerts.
She explained that the city has three possible scenarios to address the arena’s future: 1) with $400 million in state and county funds committed, pay its portion of the stadium revamp; 2) not meet all the Blazers’ demands, causing the team to leave town, and the city would need to spend money to keep other events at the center; and 3) spend no money, at which point the team would leave town, and the area would likely run the risk of the Rose Quarter becoming a dead zone with resulting public safety and equity concerns.
Given all three of those less-than-perfect possibilities, the councilor appeared to tentatively support the city’s addition of $100 million to the state and county funds in exchange for a binding 20-year non-relocation commitment and other concessions from the Trail Blazers. Soon after the BWNA meeting, the city voted to put $120 million toward the project.
On Stolen Cars
Another issue was raised by a resident who spoke about recent car thefts at the east end of Beaumont Village. The councilor spoke of her work to increase the number of Police Bureau detectives and Public Safety Support Specialists in the upcoming budget.
NE Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard Renaming Process
Asked about the irregular approach to the renaming of NE Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard, Pirtle-Guiney noted she was the only member of the City Council who’d talked with residents of the street; she found no clear consensus among them.
Inner Eastside for All
To a query over concerns about the impending Inner Eastside Zoning Project, the councilor said she believes infill is needed to drive down housing costs and make the city more affordable for young people and families but acknowledged that “this change period could really suck” if there is not enough parking and public transit to accommodate greater density. Her hope is that new housing will be concentrated on feeder corridors and will make for a more vibrant city in the long run.
Pirtle-Guiney finished by thanking BWNA for having her at the meeting. “It is a privilege to get out of City Hall and hear what is on your minds.”
Pirtle-Guiney’s outreach aide for constituent concerns, Faisal Osman, can be contacted at faisal.osman2@portlandoregon.gov.
by Tim Gillespie, BWNA Vice President and Newsletter Team Member