OUR PORTLAND DEMOCRATS CITY COMMITTEE PLATFORM
Final Platform
10.12.17
HUMAN & CIVIL RIGHTSWe support a democratic local government that:1. Respects the dignity of all persons as foundational to human and civil rights.2. Acknowledges and addresses systemic discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity,nationality, language, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, and legal andeconomic status.3. Promotes and enforces laws that guarantee equal opportunity in the pursuit ofemployment, entrepreneurship, housing, food, water, energy, healthcare, education,environmental protection, security, privacy, justice, arts, culture, and identity.4. Recognizes that racial equality does not exist when life outcomes vary based solely onskin color and ethnicity.5. Promotes inclusive discussion and education of human and civil rights.6. Condemns expressions of discrimination, marginalization, and disregard of persons.7. Promotes rehabilitation as a preferable alternative to incarceration.8. Welcomes newcomers and embraces diversity.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Funding police and municipal employee training on diversity, sensitivity, and implicit bias.B. Ensuring that the Portland Police Department does not coordinate with FederalImmigration enforcement as a matter of policy.C. Requiring that developers demonstrate commitment to diversity in hiring practices.D. Requiring gender neutral bathrooms in public spaces, including municipal properties andbusinesses which serve the public such as restaurants and performance venues.E. Establishing zero tolerance for violations of human and civil rights, restorative justiceprocedures when violations do occur, and a public education program regarding these.F. Establishing targets for increased diversity of representation on City boards and taskforces.1ECONOMIC JUSTICEWe support a democratic local government that:1. Promotes policies that establish a living wage for all people.2. Vigorously enforces laws against all forms of wage theft or the denial of wages orbenefits that are rightfully owed to an employee.3. Strengthens laws, including equal pay for equal work , t hat protect employees fromintimidation, retribution, and discrimination.4. Supports fair workplaces that guarantee the right of all workers to organize unions,bargain collectively, and strike without replacement or reprisal.5. Establishes policies and promotes programs that fight the root causes of poverty,homelessness, and hunger.6. Supports the aspirations of working families through the provision of employmentpolicies which provide supports for their economic security and well-being.7. Protects the most vulnerable and provides an adequate safety net from poverty,homelessness, and food deprivation.8. Promotes and enforces laws that guarantee equal opportunity in the pursuit ofentrepreneurship and business ownership.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Promoting a livable minimum wage in Portland.B. Requiring projects provided with TIFs (tax increment financing) to employ somepercentage of Portland residents and pay competitive wages.C. Giving assistance to senior citizens and those on fixed incomes to stay in their homesthrough property tax relief.D. Requiring the provision of guaranteed benefits, including paid sick leave, vacation,workers’ compensation, family leave and health care.E. Instituting or supporting programs that assist parents or guardians with dependentchildren by providing flexible work hours, affordable quality child care, and universalpre-K.F. Encouraging and providing incentives for the business community to implement anearned sick day policy for workers in Portland.G. Expanding jobs programs that address panhandling by offering work opportunities andsupport services to this population.H. Prioritizing Economic Development loans and grants to funding of worker-ownedcooperatives and businesses with other democratic ownership structures.I. Ensuring “Fair Chance Hiring” practices for previously incarcerated individuals for Cityemployment and encouraging private business to do the same.ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT2We support a democratic local government that:1. Prioritizes locally owned businesses that contribute to Portland’s unique character andprovide good-paying jobs.2. Invests in 21st century city infrastructure, including free or low-cost high-speed internetaccess, high quality carbon-neutral public transportation, up-to-date learningenvironments, and well managed and programmed public spaces to encourage equity ofopportunity unconstrained by income level.3. Supports Portland’s trade and maritime industry, which is central to Portland’s uniquevalue as a port city, by ensuring that Portland’s working waterfront continues to besupported and thrive.4. Develops innovative programs that connects job seekers with job opportunities.5. Builds a stronger partnership with Portland’s higher education and healthcareinstitutions.6. Commits to Increased access and transparency of City services regarding economicdevelopment, small business supports, and city planning with greater outreach to diversestakeholders.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Investing in public transportation improvements to bus and ferry service.B. Investing in city-wide free or very low-cost, affordable high-speed Internet access,through fiber optic service, public WiFi, or a combination of these.C. Modernizing zoning regulations so that development is in the interest of Portlanders as awhole, ensuring the widespread distribution of accessibility to goods and services, andthe integration of various income levels and diverse groups throughout Portland.D. Creating a small business startup guide and hosting information sessions to assistentrepreneurs who wish to start their own businesses or cooperatives.E. Working to assure a viable pier structure that supports local fisherman and a market fortheir catch.F. Expanding Portland Adult Education and other job training and apprenticeship programs.G. Preferencing City purchases from, and contracts with, local businesses, and enactingpolicies that encourage City partners (such as Portland Housing, Avesta, Metro) to dothe same.H. Committing to greater public participation in City economic development decisionmaking, wider dissemination of RFP’s to new businesses and diverse communities, andmore public education regarding City requirements of, and supports to, new anddeveloping businesses.DEMOCRACY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNANCE3We support a democratic local government that:1. Welcomes and encourages increased civic engagement in city planning, policy creation,budget setting, and decision making.2. Is accessible, responsive, and fully transparent to all constituents at every level, fromelected representatives to citizen boards and City staff.3. Solicits greater citizen input through more frequent neighborhood meetings, widerdissemination of information, greater solicitation of input from neighborhoodorganizations, and residents.4. Encourages the full participation of all citizens and strives for representation of allcommunity members.5. Assertively promotes civic awareness and voter education across media and digitalplatforms and through the use of interactive technology.6. Ensures barrier-free and increased access to voting for all citizens.7. Maximizes decision-making and governance powers to those elected and accountable toPortland voters.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Providing adequate public notice of meetings and agendas and timely public access tomeeting minutes.B. Providing access to FOIA documents free of charge.C. Incorporating a user-friendly, searchable, and fully informative improved 21st centurywebsite with accessible minutes of all meetings, attendance and voting records, and fullytransparent accounting of campaign contributions to our representatives.D. Improving government accessibility through contact information being widely andprominently featured on the website, ensuring officials return phone calls and emails andcallers do not regularly encounter full voice mailboxes.E. Annual polling of constituents so that they feel consulted about the policy decisions oftheir elected representatives.F. Ensuring city boards and panels reflect Portland’s diversity with a wider-reachingrecruitment effort.G. Providing greater flexibility in public meeting times to accommodate workingpeople/parents, including access to meetings via Skype for public comments.H. Improving access for people with disabilities to public meetings including the provision ofan ASL interpreter at council meetings and comments via Skype or related technology.I. Providing rides to the polls on Election Day through a public-private partnership withtaxis, RTP, Uber and Lyft.J. Providing an Election Day “holiday” to City employees and encouraging local businessesto do the same;4K. Working with the schools to make Election Day a school holiday while promoting it as a”day of service” for students so they can participate in the electoral process starting inmiddle school.L. Including youth on every committee and providing every youth leader with a mentor anda service learning co-curricular guide.M. Increasing voter education and outreach through a concerted media and digitalcampaign regarding registration, voting times, places, and absentee ballot availability.N. Creating weekend or Sunday early (in-person absentee) voting dates at City Hall.O. Lobbying the State legislature for great ballot accessibility through changes to State lawfor-vote-by-mail (VBM) or automatic mail-out of absentee ballots to all registeredvoters,-automatic voter registration through DMV contacts and other means, and-online voter registrationP. Providing the right to vote in municipal elections to non-citizen Portland residents whoare legal immigrants.HOUSINGWe support a democratic local government that:1. Understands and respects the value of the unique character of the city of Portland andthe importance of maintaining it.2. Takes concrete, immediate action to address what now is a housing, real estate, andcultural crisis in the city, as evidenced by rapidly escalating rent increases unaffordableto current (and recently former) tenants, an unprecedented rise in no-cause evictions, arise in homelessness, and a labor shortage due to displacement.3. Acts to ensure that market conditions don’t price out long-time residents, working people,and vulnerable populations.4. Supports Portland’s cultural, ethnic, and economic diversity through ensuring anadequate and affordable housing supply dispersed equitably throughout allneighborhoods.5. Ensures through targeted policies that a sufficient variety of affordable housing choicesare available such that no one should have to spend more than 30% of their income forhousing (as expressed as a goal in the 2002 Portland Comprehensive Plan).6. Commits to providing sufficient clean, safe, and accessible shelter for 100% of thehomeless population in Portland, together with increased support for transitional housingand accompanying support services.7. Adopts a housing-first policy for residents dealing with homelessness.8. Supports a progressive property tax.9. Encourages year-round residences in existing and new housing on Portland’s islands,while maintaining their unique character and environment.10. Recognizes that housing is a human right.5We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Establishing a target of at least 20% of new housing units to be subsidized forhouseholds earning average area income or below.B. Significantly increasing the share of the City’s annual HUD funding used for affordablehousing, by supporting programs that assist with land acquisition, construction,mortgages, infrastructure, and conversion of non-residential buildings to housing. *C. Establishing an accessible means-adjusted system of legal representation for tenantsfacing eviction, whether through the direct provision of an attorney or a legal fund.D. Banning no-cause evictions.E. Banning mass evictions.F. Implementing rent stabilization until the market cools.G. Adjusting the income level targeted in the Inclusionary Zoning rental rule to renter AreaMedian Income (AMI), a substantial increase in the opt-out fee, and an increase in therequired number of units to be affordable to 20%.H. Using neighborhood tax incentives to counter NIMBYism toward affordable housingdevelopment.I. Requiring City property sales directly benefit affordable housing creation, through thecondition that either the property itself, or the proceeds of its sale, be used for thispurpose.J. Giving cooperatives and community land trusts preference for purchases of city ownedproperties.K. Implementing 21 st century changes to outdated residential zoning restrictions whichsupport the growth of housing supply, including reducing parking requirements alongmajor transit corridors, providing greater flexibility to height and density limits, andcreating a tiny house policy.L. Supporting the creation of Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing through zoning andfunding supports for vulnerable populations such as those who are homeless, recentlyincarcerated or recovering from substance abuse.M. Removing zoning barriers to rental housing and accessory units in single-family homesand accessory units. *N. Combining housing and economic development strategies to create high-densityhousing and mixed-use developments in business zones. *O. Banning non-resident owned short-term rentals (STR’s) such as Air BnB, and requiringthat upon receipt of an STR license, the property so licensed be immediately scheduledfor property tax assessment.P. Requiring that landlords’ annual license forms be expanded to include data on rents sothat trends can be more accurately assessed.Q. Improving the rental inspections program to make it more tenant centered, accountableand transparent, including the provision of online, anonymous reporting, tracking oftenant complaints, prohibition of landlord contact prior to inspection, whistle-blowerprotection against landlord retaliation, and rigorous follow-up and oversight.6R. Providing property tax relief to limited income seniors to support Aging In Place, andother limited income homeowners to slow displacement of long-time residents.S. Lobbying for a change to state law to allow for the implementation of a progressiveproperty tax in Portland.* from the 2002 Comp PlanENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITYWe support a democratic local government that:1. Protects Casco Bay and Portland’s fisheries, beaches, estuaries, rivers, wetlands,islands, and woodlands.2. Improves public awareness of and involvement in preserving and protecting Portland’snatural resources.3. Actively prepares for the local effects of climate change by improving infrastructure inanticipation of the rising sea level of Casco Bay, which has already begun at anunprecedented rate and is already leading to flooding in some areas of the city.4. Commits to moving to 100% clean energy and dramatically reducing our carbon footprintwith the establishment of benchmarks and timelines.5. Recognizes the importance of Portland’s parks, scenic views, public gardens, and greenspaces to our quality of life, and preserves, protects, and expands them.6. Develops local infrastructure that promotes walking, biking, and other modes of transportnot reliant on fossil fuels.7. Ensures that all residents have safe, clean, and affordable public water.8. Works to ensure that all residents have clean air to breathe.9. Does not tolerate its residents’ exposure to known carcinogens and other toxicchemicals.10. Commits to reducing pollution of all types in Portland and to reduce, reuse, and recyclewhenever possible.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Providing tax incentives for energy efficiency improvements to homes and conversion toalternative renewable energy sources.B. Implementing policies and benchmarks toward meeting the standards set by the ParisClimate Agreement.C. Improving public transit in terms of geographical coverage, frequency, and accessibility,including bus shelters at all stops.D. Providing WiFi and charging outlets in public transit vehicles to make their use moreattractive.E. Creating a goal of a zero-emissions City fleet within 10 years, including including lightduty vehicles, Public Works, police, emergency and fire department vehicles, and allpublic transit vehicles.7F. Integrating commuter parking lots on city periphery traffic corridors with shuttles into thecity center.G. Creating more walkable areas throughout the city.H. Improving and adding more bike lanes as well as bike racks throughout the city.I. Implementing a City-sponsored bike share program.J. Creating a municipally run city-wide compost program, including composting at theschools.K. Protecting pollinators, Casco Bay, our fisheries and public health by banning syntheticherbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers.L. Implementing dark sky lighting to limit light pollution.M. Improving building codes to improve air and water quality and mitigate negativeenvironmental impacts.N. Fast-tracking substantial Improvements to the energy efficiency of city and schoolbuildings.O. Beginning the process of converting our schools and municipal buildings to solar energyor other renewable energy sources.P. Requiring that all new building subsidized by TIFs or other city programs (including oncity-property being sold for development) be built according to a higher level of GreenBuilding standards than current state law provides.Q. Minimizing impacts to the City’s waterways by reducing combined sewer overflows andimplementing stormwater best management practices.R. Creating city owned solar facilities.PRESERVING AND ENHANCING PORTLAND’S UNIQUE CHARACTERWe support a democratic local government that:1. Recognizes what makes Portland unique, including our architecture, vibrant artscommunity, strong local business presence, food and beverage industry, robust parksystem, diverse population, and strong nonprofit sector.2. Strives to protect and enhance those characteristics.3. Recognizes that the arts spaces for which Portland has been acclaimed, includinggalleries, studios, rehearsal spaces, theaters, and performing venues, are rapidlydisappearing under the pressure of rising rents, and works to reverse this trend.4. Understands that Portland’s unique character is driving the development boom andembraces a bold vision and inclusive open process for urban planning that demandsquality architecture, a variety of housing for all incomes, plentiful open space, and awalkable, livable city.5. Places a high value on our publicly owned assets and is thoughtful and thorough aboutassuring maximum public benefit regarding their use before selling publicly ownedproperty.86. Understands that creative, local entrepreneurship and small business is a major driver ofthe appeal of our City to both the tourist economy and the new people and companieswanting to locate here, and creates policies that support this.7. Appreciates the unique value of our coastal waterfront resources, and recognizes thatour proximity to the water is a public asset and that we all deserve access and views.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Protecting our working waterfront through continuation of strict use guidelines.B. Preserving public recreational access to the waterfront as well as water views throughoutthe city.C. Providing tax breaks and other financial supports for the infrastructure required for athriving arts and cultural community.D. Maintaining and extending the vibrancy and walkability of our neighborhoods byprioritizing mixed-use (business/residential) and mixed income development throughzoning provisions.E. Preserving and protecting our parks and other green spaces from development whileextending the walking trails system throughout.F. Respecting and maintaining the integrity of existing neighborhoods and their residentswhen permitting development.G. Prioritizing the granting of TIF’s and other economic incentives to local, independentlyowned businesses over large out-of-state corporations.H. Incorporating creative design, public art, and placemaking wherever possible to enhanceaesthetic value.EDUCATIONWe support a democratic local government that:1. Guarantees an equitable, universal, quality public education system that spans earlychildhood through adulthood, including college and graduate school, adult education,and workforce training, and is inclusive of our diverse population and large population ofimmigrant and refugee students.2. Prioritizes educating the whole individual through academic rigor, social and emotionalskill development, athletic competition, artistic endeavor, and career and technicaltraining.3. Ensures that all students can choose from multiple educational pathways that meetindividual learning needs, and that they graduate from high school prepared for college,career, and citizenship.4. Supports education initiatives that can train a future workforce for high tech and high skilljobs that will create a workforce for new employers to come to the city.95. Adjusts its curriculum to address previously under-recognized diverse populations andtheir contributions to Maine’s history and culture.6. Ensures that everyone who works within the field of public education earns a livingwage, has the right to organize, and has access to mentoring and professionaldevelopment to improve instructional skills and expand cultural competence.7. Guarantees safety and equity in school facilities, including school environments thatsupport learning for all students.8. Ensures that the food that is served in our public schools is healthy, sustainable, andethically sourced.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Implementing City-wide public pre-K, linked with a public before and after-schooldaycare program.B. Increasing employee diversity in our school system.C. Ensuring that the curriculum specifically addresses the integration of New Mainers.D. Expanding the Deering Initiative to provide accommodations for Muslim students insports.E. Creating a fiscally responsible comprehensive plan for the upkeep and maintenance ofschool facilities, including guaranteeing a set percentage of annual CIP (CapitalImprovement Plan) funding be dedicated to renovation, repair, and improvements ofschool facilities.F. Ensuring that adult education teachers, who are doing crucial work to help the city’seconomic development, are compensated fairly.G. Developing a stronger link between the district’s adult education program, andappropriate city agencies, and the private sector.H. Increasing funding for vocational programs at the high school level.I. Ensuring fully staffed schools, including librarians and art and music teachers.J. Integrating more education into the curriculum about Maine’s unique cultural history withgreater attention to its indigenous history and culture, as well as Franco- Americans,African Americans, and immigrants.K. Requiring that teaching staff receive training on diversity issues annually, with anemphasis on cultural competence and educating the “whole student.”L. Prohibiting public funding of private schools and charter schools except as a partnershipwith the public school system, with the public school administration receiving anddetermining equitable distribution of commingled private and public funds to promoteequitable educational advancement for all children in the city.M. Improving integration of city life with USM, possibly with a negotiated discounted tuitionfor Portland graduates and a city aspirations loan/grant for Portland students.N. Aligning the start times of our schools with the academic literature on adolescent sleepand development.HEALTH CARE10We support a democratic local government that:1. Understands that health care is a right, not a privilege, and supports public financing ofhealth care for all.2. Recognizes that our health system should focus proactively on wellness, through a focuson primary care, preventive medicine, disease prevention, and public health.3. Believes health care includes all aspects of health, including mental health, substanceabuse treatment, vision, hearing, dental care, sexual health services, and end of lifecare, and believes that all Portlanders should have access to quality and affordable care.4. Supports reproductive rights and full access to sexual and reproductive health services.5. Respects the dignity of all individuals impacted by mental illness and/or substanceabuse, which are public health issues, and believes that these individuals have the samelegal and societal rights as those who are not so impacted.6. Supports health care and community benefits to help enable people with disabilities tolive independently and work productively.7. Supports equal access to quality health care with protections from discrimination fortransgender and gender nonconforming individuals.8. Supports access to quality and affordable elder care.9. Works to provide a full range of services to combat the opioid crisis.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Providing better access to mental health services for vulnerable populations, includingtreatment and caseworkers, through a coordinated effort by Elder Affairs, the PublicHealth Division, School-Based Health Centers, and the Minority Health Program.B. Aggressively seeking funding sources for the creation of medical detox beds.C. Increasing access to medication-assisted treatment for opiate addiction.D. Working with non-profit partners and self-help groups to increase the availability oflong-range treatment options and sober housing options for recovery from addiction.E. Providing free distribution of nalaxone (Narcan) for overdose emergencies in partnershipwith pharmacies.F. Expanding dental care services in Portland’s free clinic, and include providing thoseservices to those on SSDI and SSI.G. Ensuring access to a full range of reproductive health care in the city for all people,including unhindered access to no co-pay birth control and abortion, and safe and easyaccess for Planned Parenthood patients.H. Supporting and lobbying for statewide Medicaid expansion.COMMUNITY FOOD AND FISHERIESWe support a democratic local government that:111. Supports all people in accessing safe, healthy, and nutritious food.2. Cultivates thriving food and fishing economies that include sustainable food-sectorbusinesses and jobs .3. Uses its institutional purchasing power to support local food producers and sustainableseafood providers.4. Supports the elimination of food waste through the creation of policies that allow for safedistribution to people or institutions in need.5. Provides access to city-owned land for the growing and harvesting of edible plants.6. Supports policies that allow for the safekeeping of small livestock on personal property.7. Supports fair wages for people that work in the food economy and fair prices for foodproducers and fishermen.We advocate for these principles to be put into action through the following policies:A. Planting fruit and nut trees on city property available to be harvested by residents or bythe city and donated to local food assistance programs.B. Setting up more community garden space, equitably distributed through the city.C. Establishing an accessible community garden of raised beds dedicated for the use ofpeople with disabilities.D. Providing low interest loans to small businesses that are involved in the local foodeconomy via growing, production, or fisheries.E. Supporting aquaculture farmers based in Portland both on the working waterfront and atsea.F. Creating a city-wide composting program.G. Creating and improving opportunities for additional year-round public markets.H. Ensuring that the food that is served in our public schools is healthy, sustainable, andethically sourced, with a goal of increasing the percentage of locally-sourced food to thegreatest extent possible.I. Protecting our coastal waters, aquifers, groundwater and soil from contaminants througha pesticide ban to ensure our local food sources are healthy and safe for consumption.J. Requiring that City run or funded public health centers, including within the schools,screen for food security and provide options for food access for people who areidentified as food insecure.K. Increasing funding for Double-up-SNAP benefits that can be used at farmer’s markets.L. Increasing promotion of Portland’s local food products, food producers and foodeconomy.12
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