St. Helens is NOT Portland: Resisting Big City Bleed

St. Helens is one-of-a-kind, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. As residents, we’re proud of our small-town values and unique character. That’s why we’re fed up with the increase of Portland policies seeping into our local government. For too long, our leadership has allowed Portland policies to control our future rather than listening to what we, the people of St. Helens, have to say. St. Helens is NOT Portland, but Portland policies threaten our independence and identity. It’s time to put an end to big city bleed and stay focused on what makes St. Helens the best place to live.

Let’s face it. People in Portland don’t even like the city’s policies. Over the past few years, there’s been an exodus from downtown to surrounding towns like St. Helens due to the city’s deteriorating conditions. Crime is on the rise, drug use is rampant, living costs are out of control, and the government is completely detached from the will of the people. If that sounds familiar, that’s because our leadership has been flirting with Portland policies, and we’re starting to witness the consequences first-hand. Reviewing what’s gone wrong in Portland can remind us of what awaits on the other side of these policies and how we can stop the bleeding.

• Defunding the Police: Behind all of the flowery and inclusive language surrounding the push to defund the police is an unfortunate reality of increased lawlessness. While purporting to protect minorities and lower-income communities, these insane policies actually put these groups at greater risk. In St. Helens, we respect our brave men and women in blue and need to continue pushing to support fully funded and well-equipped officers.
• Soft on Crime Policies: If gutting police budgets wasn’t enough, Portland elites have wasted a tremendous amount of time and money NOT prosecuting criminals. Light sentences, bail reform, and other soft-on-crime policies are effectively get-out-of-jail-free cards. Criminals are emboldened, and, once again, the city’s most vulnerable suffer the consequences. St. Helens needs to reaffirm its commitment to law and order to protect all residents.
• Relaxed Drug Policies: Portland’s experiment with relaxed (read: zero) drug policies have been nothing short of a colossal failure. Drug addiction and overdose rates are skyrocketing while treatment is plummeting. It’s not uncommon to see open-air drug markets, homeless encampments, and needles strewn across sidewalks when walking around the capital. St. Helens needs to strike a firm balance between advocating for necessary rehabilitation and treatment programs and deterring drug use and related issues.
• Cost of Living: For decades, St. Helens’ was known as an affordable small town. Increasingly, residents are struggling to make ends meet and our current city leadership has no problem piling on Portland style taxes. Our residents are facing unprecedented tax increases and fees but just like Portland’s leaders, our leaders just keep bleeding us dry. I am the only Mayoral candidate in this race who has committed to no new taxes because I want residents to keep their hard earned money and make St. Helens affordable. 

I’m running for mayor to put an end to big-city bleed. The only way to maintain St. Helens’ local values, affordability, and quality of life is to openly reject these catastrophic policies. Unfortunately, our current leadership has bought into the propaganda and ideology, rather than focusing on what the people actually want. If you want to fight for a brighter future for St. Helens with me, consider volunteering or donating to my campaign.