+1 to everything RED_PDXer said.
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Originally Posted by RED_PDXer
Let's just focus on the obvious - homelessness, drugs and crime. Those are particularly bad in west coast states. The city of Portland and Multnomah County are particularly lousy at addressing these issues, which could explain the net loss of population in the last couple years for Multnomah County.
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100,000,000% THIS. It's fixable, but not until we have leadership with the commitment and ability to do so. Here in Portland, we don't. Hopefully, that's a temporary problem. I'm literally counting the days until Ted's term ends. Portland has a weak mayor system, but a weak mayor system with an especially weak mayor is a recipe for disaster. Ted literally got tear gassed during the 2020 protests, and he immediately responded by... doing nothing.
I voted for the guy twice, but both times I knew I was just choosing the least awful choice. He seems like such a nice guy, but his leadership skills are less than zilch.
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Originally Posted by RED_PDXer
Cultural wars have nothing to do with this.
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Again, absolutely, agreed.
Yes, some cities in red states are seeing business booming, but they're also seeing talent leaving. Teachers can't get out of Florida and Texas fast enough. The brain drain they're beginning to see is unprecedented. Over the past 20 years, Portland saw the opposite. And once we get our homelessness and crime situation under control (like it or not, the two are linked) we will again be a place where creatives flee to, not from.
If we can just get some leadership in city hall, which means in city council but especially in the mayor's office, I strongly believe Portland's future will be very bright. And the more red states push the bigotry culture wars, the more cities like ours will benefit as talented people seek quality of life, which also includes quality of heart. Corny as it may sound, Portland is a city with a big heart.