Thank you to everyone who came out to testify. During times like these, it takes courage to share your story publicly. And thank you @councilorepg.bsky.social for sponsoring this ordinance. This is important work.
SOAR has a huge case-by-case impact on our community by supporting immigrants who have lost their legal protections under the federal administration and advocating for them in the courts.
Yesterday, City Council voted unanimously to allocate $150,000 from the City’s Legal Priorities Reserve Fund to SOAR Immigration Legal Services.
If you’re a small business owner, I encourage you to share your story tomorrow during our City Council meeting from 9:30am to 12:30pm. You can submit testimony in person, on Zoom, or in writing.
The proposal raises the exemption to $75,000 in 2026 and $100,000 in 2027, giving small business owners more room to reinvest, hire, and grow. It also aligns the City with Multnomah County’s existing $100,000 threshold, making filing your taxes each year easier.
Tomorrow my Business License Tax exemption proposal goes before full Council, and I think that it’s exactly the kind of policy Portland needs right now because it will benefit 10,000 small businesses over the next two years.
February was a busy month! Highlights include a proposed small Business License Tax exception, Moda Center funding, City Club of Portland, and more.
Thank you, Ukandu, for the work you’re doing.
The Ukandu Loft will be opening soon and is actively looking for volunteers to help staff programs. If you’re interested in supporting families navigating pediatric cancer, I encourage you to follow Ukandu and reach out.
Ukandu invited past and current patients and their families to write their names and stories on the foundation walls, becoming forever part of the structure itself. It was both heavy and beautiful, a reminder that this space is being built by and for the families it serves.
They are creating room for grief, for mourning, and also for joy. The Loft will feature incredible amenities, including a rock climbing and bouldering wall, an art room, a rooftop lounge, a movie theater, and more. Every detail serves a purpose.
The Loft is designed to care for the whole family under one roof. The facility will include dedicated parent spaces, immersive guided journaling programs, on-site mental health care for all family members, and spaces intentionally built for both healing and connection.
Ukandu provides holistic support to children with cancer and their families. They understand that when a child is diagnosed, it doesn’t just impact one person, it’s felt by the entire family.
I stopped by the construction site for Ukandu’s new Loft, which will serve as the organization’s headquarters and year-round program hub.
Read it here:
The exemption threshold hasn’t been updated since 2007. It’s time for our tax policy to reflect nearly two decades of inflation and changing economic conditions for small businesses.
This is common-sense reform and a practical step toward rebuilding Portland’s economy from the ground up.
My proposal, co-sponsored by @mayorkwilson.bsky.social, to raise the City’s small Business License Tax (BLT) exemption passed Finance Committee unanimously and will now move to full Council for a vote.
Last week I joined Councilor Zimmerman and our staffs for lunch at Mother’s Bistro & Bar, which has been serving delicious comfort food downtown for 26 years. Executive chef and owner Lisa Schroeder has been a wonderful cheerleader for our small businesses, and it was a pleasure to show our support.
Stop by JoLa Cafe tomorrow morning and let’s chat over a cup of coffee.
JoLa Cafe | Coffee-Bar-Kitchen
5915 S Corbett Ave, Portland, OR 97239
Tuesday, February 24 at 8 a.m.
A full teardown isn’t the answer. We need to renovate, modernizing the facility with climate-friendly infrastructure while investing in local workforce development through high-quality construction jobs. Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) dollars are available for projects exactly like this.
Funding renovations to the Moda Center has broad support from City Council and the Mayor. Now we need the State on board.
The City should commit to an initial investment to retrofit the arena. After all, Portland owns the Moda Center—we purchased it for $1 in 2024.
The months that followed were challenging. Many of us didn’t know how it would end. But we exercised our First Amendment rights with discipline and resolve. We challenged the federal government in the courts—and we won.
Back in September, when reports first surfaced that the federal government was threatening to deploy federal agents and National Guard troops in Portland, our city stood united.
When Sophie Peel asked, “What is your proudest accomplishment from this last year?” my answer wasn’t something I can take sole credit for. It’s something all of Portland came together to accomplish.
Coffee Hour
JoLa Cafe | Coffee-Bar-Kitchen
5915 S Corbett Ave, Portland, OR 97239
Tuesday, February 24 at 8 a.m.
Brews with Eric
John’s Marketplace – Multnomah
3535 SW Multnomah Blvd Portland, OR 97219
Thursday, February 26 at 6:30 p.m.
With questions from Sophie and members of the audience, it was a great opportunity to address a wide range of topics and gain insight into your priorities for the city.
Thank you to City Club of Portland and to everyone who showed up to this year’s Meet Your District 4 City Councilors event.
