League of Women Voters of Portland “The City That Works: Preparing Portland for the Future”

On Tuesday, November 12, the v will present a panel discussion about their two-year study of Portland's City government. The intent of the study was to provide meaningful direction on
how the city government can be improved to bring about the best possible outcomes for the people of Portland. The study may be read on the League’s website, lwvpdx.org/new-study-of-portlands-government/
The study focuses on:

• Strengths and weaknesses of the current City of Portland government
• Options for form, function, roles and responsibilities of city government
• Standards that should be applied to determine a government’s effectiveness in serving its constituents

The November 12 panel discussion on city government will explore and expand on the study's results. Thevspeakers are:

• Mike Gleason, speaking on Why Do Cities Matter? What Does It Mean to Be a Successful City? Gleason was a city manager in multiple communities in Washington, California and Oregon. He served for 18 years as Eugene’s city manager.
• Chris Tobkin, addressing the strengths of Portland’s commission form of government and why it has been a success. Tobkin served as Executive Director of City Club for 7 years and then worked for Bud Clark during his two terms as Portland Mayor.
• Julia DeGraw, looking at the weaknesses of the commission form, why it needs to change, and what should be changed. DeGraw has been an environmental activist and community organizer, and now is part of Portland Forward, which has the goal of “engaging the next generation, pair them with the specific experience they need and give them the tools to affect Portland’s future.” In 2018, she was a candidate for Portland City Commissioner.
• Betsy Pratt will conclude the panel presentation with additional information on Portland’s government structure and the Charter Review Process. Pratt was the chair of the League of Women Voters of Portland city government study committee. She has served previously as President of the League of Women Voters of Portland and as Education Fund Chair of the League of Women Voters of Oregon.

The League of Women Voters Civic Education programs are free and open to the public. Programs are designed to inform our community about current issues. Parking is available on the street. The Multnomah County Board Room at 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard also is easily accessed by public transportation. TriMet options include bus lines 4, 6, 10, 14, 15, and the Portland Streetcar

MetroEast Community Media records these programs for rebroadcast and online streaming from www.lwvpdx.org. The Carol & Velma Saling Foundation and Multnomah Bar Foundation have provided funding for the recordings.

For more information: Nancy Donovan, civiced@lwvpdx.org
Margaret Noel, communications@lwvpdx.org