The Commercial Association of Brokers is a local organization who posted their election summary, here are the highlights below:
CAB continually monitors local, regional, and state governments for any action or proposal that might impact commercial real estate. The organization also closely watches races for city, county, and Metro elective offices, and for the last nine months we have spent extensive time researching, meeting with, and providing financial support to numerous candidates.
CAB is also monitoring the ongoing issues affecting downtown Portland, including property damage and homelessness. Thank you to those who volunteered at the SOLVE event last Friday, the event removed over 3,645 pounds of trash by 317 volunteers.
Obviously, the General Election earlier this week was one of the most far reaching ever—the following races and statistics were the most significant for commercial real estate:
- STATE LEVEL
- Voter turnout in Oregon, at 81.59%, reached its highest level since the 2012 presidential election when it hit 82.80%; this highest turnout of all time was in 1960 at 86.51%
- Democrat Shemia Fagan beat Republican Kim Thatcher for the Secretary of State’s office 51-43% and will play an important role in redistricting all legislative districts next year. She gained a reputation in the State Legislature as an anti-landlord tenant activist.
- Democrats have retained super-majorities in both houses of the Legislature in Salem, meaning that they can increase taxes without the need for any Republican votes.
- CITY OF PORTLAND
- The Portland City Council will look very different in January with CAB-supported Mingus Mapps handily defeating incumbent Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and Carmen Rubio, who swept to victory in May, both being sworn into office. Commissioner Dan Ryan, who prevailed in a special August election to replace Nick Fish, was inaugurated in September and has been assigned the Bureau of Development Services.
- In one of the most closely watched races of the night, Ted Wheeler became the first Mayor in twenty years to win re-election for a second term.
- METRO
- Metro’s proposed $5 billion transportation funding measure failed as polling predicted. The measure’s .75% employer payroll tax attracted the opposition of major companies Nike, Intel, and The Standard, as well as numerous smaller businesses. It represents a significant defeat for Metro which had been on a long streak of gaining approval from voters for large regional tax measures for affordable housing, homeless services, and the zoo. Metro Council President Lynn Peterson has signaled that the agency may act soon to develop a replacement effort.
- SUBURBAN CITIES
- Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle, who had served in the office since 2009, was defeated handily by Councilwoman Lacey Beatty, 53-46%.
- Business consultant Travis Stovall is hanging onto a narrow margin (less than 200 votes) in a multi-candidate race Mayor of Gresham Mayor. In a recent interview, Stovall indicated support for more industrial development, including UGB reserve areas along Highway 26.
- New mayors will also take office in Wilsonville (Julie Fitzgerald) and Lake Oswego (Joe Buck).
- WASHINGTON & CLACKAMAS COUNTY
- After serving on the Board of Commissioners for more than twenty years, Dick Schouten chose not to pursue re-election this year, opening up a seat that was won by Aloha small business owner Nafisa Fai.
- Clackamas County Chair Jim Bernard lost in a surprise upset to former legislator and commissioner Tootie Smith in the May Primary election. Incumbent Commissioner Martha Schrader won re-election in May and it appears that her fellow incumbent Commissioner Ken Humberston will eke out a very tight race with challenger Mark Shull (543 votes separate them).
