Vadim’s Priorities

Let me be blunt, folks. Right now, too many of our local systems are broken.

People in our community can’t always count on a quick response from first responders when help is needed. We have the funding for first-rate behavioral health and addiction services, but implementation is lacking and too few people can actually connect to services. Unsheltered homelessness and housing affordability have reached emergency levels, and it's gone on far too long. Our public safety system is failing us too, without the resources to intervene before tragedy strikes, followed by a dysfunctional system for prosecuting and defending those accused of crimes.

This is unacceptable. 

• It is inhumane to leave people on the streets, cold, hungry, and facing danger every night.

• Too many families feel threatened when walking downtown or even in their own neighborhoods.

• Too many small businesses struggle because our government can't or won't clean things up.

• We have some of the highest personal income tax rates in the nation, but there’s little evidence our hard-earned investments are paying off.

• Too many of us see the quality of life that we expect in this community slipping away, and our elected officials seem slow to respond. 

It's time for our local leaders to step up – and deliver on promises of crime prevention, humane and effective solutions to homelessness, mental health and drug addiction treatment, economic prosperity, housing affordability, and the promise of a brighter future. Our elected officials must work together to deliver on that vision for you and your loved ones. 

I’m running to serve as your next Multnomah County Commissioner to create that better tomorrow for all of us. A future where every member of our community has a safe and affordable place to live, where people feel safe in their neighborhood and downtown, where economic prosperity is accessible to all, and we can count on basic public services to be readily available when we need them.

I know how to bring people together. My volunteer efforts, ranging from organizing neighborhood events to serving on boards of directors to being appointed to city-wide commissions and leadership positions, have instilled in me a unique perspective on how to listen, bridge divides and solve difficult problems together. 

On the County Commission, I will work to unite city, county, and state officials to stop the infighting and swiftly craft practical and proven solutions to the crises facing us. I will keep your government accountable for the money it spends – your hard-earned tax dollars. I will listen and be responsive to the residents of District 1 so that we all work together toward a shared vision of a better tomorrow.

We can do this—together.

Vadim