Embattled Clackamas County commissioner Mark Shull makes bid for reelection after controversial term
A Clackamas County commissioner whose first term has been marked by controversy and a failed recall is running for reelection — but declining to raise any money for his campaign.U.S. Army veteran Mark Shull, who was condemned by his fellow commissioners in 2021 for Islamophobic social media posts and comparing vaccine restrictions to Jim Crow laws, among other things, is being challenged by three local business leaders in the May primary.Commission Chair Tootie Smith, a fellow Republican to Shull on the commission, is also up for reelection. Clackamas County commissioners are elected countywide, as opposed to being elected in separate districts, like in Multnomah County.Shull faces challenges from business professionals Melissa Fireside and Tina Irvine, as well as former county employee Rae Gordon, who worked in tourism for 10 years. Fireside has taken the lead in campaign financing and lists endorsements from U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and former Clackamas County Chair Charlotte Lehan. Irvine carries the endorsements of Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth, the Portland Metro Chamber and the Clackamas County Peace Officer Association.Irvine, former managing partner of Express Employment Professionals’ Oregon City branch, wants to improve public safety, lower the cost of living and expand affordable housing to address homelessness. A daughter of a police officer, Irvine said she is a strong supporter of local law enforcement.Irvine does not have previous government experience, but she has served on the board of Oregon City-based Children’s Center, a nonprofit that offers child abuse and neglect evaluations, and as chair, secretary and treasurer of nonprofit Clackamas Workforce Partnership, which aims to create equitable and inclusive work environments.Tina Irvine, former managing partner at Express Employment Professionals, poses at work site in Clackamas County.Courtesy of campaignShe’s raised $49,700 for her campaign.“I am a well-respected and a trusted leader within the county,” Irvine wrote in response to a questionnaire from The Oregonian/OregonLive. “Over the past 20 years, I haven’t just talked about the issues; I have rolled up my sleeves and done the work to help make families, businesses and nonprofit organizations thrive.”Fireside, endorsed by the Democratic Party of Oregon’s gun owners caucus in the nonpartisan race for Position 4, is the owner of a construction management consulting company and a former member of Clackamas County’s advisory Mental Health & Addictions Council. She also chaired the county’s board that recommends pay levels for elected officials. In 2020, Fireside ran unsuccessfully for the Lake Oswego City Council.“As a small business owner, educator, and working mom, I believe we need leaders that value and champion our workers, families and communities so everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive,” Fireside wrote in a response to an Oregonian/OregonLive questionnaire.Melissa Fireside, owner of a construction consulting business, speaks about her goals if elected.Courtesy of campaignHer campaign focuses on economic development, community health and increasing housing availability. Fireside has raised $67,600 for her campaign and is endorsed by Democratic state Rep. Jules Walters of West Linn as well as the Democratic Party of Clackamas County.Gordon, the third challenger, worked for the county’s tourism and cultural affairs department for a decade. She left that role in 2015, but returned on a one-year contract in 2021 to help manage the county’s COVID-19 response, which included overseeing supplies and working as an analyst for vaccine clinics. She previously owned a marketing company in Oregon City and serves as president of two nonprofits, including the Cascade Blues Association, a low-budget nonprofit that promotes blues music.Gordon’s bid focuses on developing wrap-around mental health and substance use treatment and family mediation services. She also highlighted a need for effective public safety responses and accountability. Her campaign has raised $15,400.“What we need now in Clackamas County and frankly throughout our nation are community-driven leaders who are approachable, bring people together and are advocates for every voice,” Gordon wrote. “I have honed these skills.”Rae Gordon, a blues singer and former Clackamas County employee, hands a flier to a voter.Courtesy of campaignShull, who declined an opportunity to respond to questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive, ran into controversy soon after winning office for the first time in 2020. He defeated incumbent Ken Humberston in a runoff, 50.6% to 48.7%. In January 2021, backlash erupted in the county after residents discovered Shull had posted derogatory comments about Islam and Muslims as well as transgender people and the Black Lives Matter movement on social media.Less than two weeks after he took office, he faced calls to resign.In a commission meeting, Smith, the chair, read aloud a resolution that condemned Shull for “bigoted statements” and called for his resignation.He apologized and voted for the resolution but remained on the board. Legally, the board could not force a resignation.Outrage resurfaced again six months later, when Shull compared COVID-19 vaccine passports to Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation. Smith and the other three commissioners at the time voted to strip Shull of all liaison duties and committee assignments.In September 2021, Shull shared a meme on Facebook that appeared to compare COVID-19 health restrictions to the Holocaust. The post, which was quickly taken down, once again drew disapproval from members of the Clackamas County board. Shull defended his actions, saying the post was sent to him by community members who were concerned about potentially losing their jobs if they did not get vaccinated.Although his actions caused rifts with fellow commissioners, his policy stances have not always been so divisive. Like most Clackamas County officials, he was a strong opponent of plans to toll improved Oregon interstates. Gov. Tina Kotek paused those plans last month but tolling is sure to resurface in 2025 as state lawmakers debate how to finance needed transportation improvements.Shull is calling for an audit of the Oregon Department of Transportation to find solutions that don’t involve tolling. He has also vowed to fight any new taxes on Clackamas voters.Shull was a leading force in dismantling the county’s Equity and Inclusion Office last year. He voted to strike the office’s nearly $830,000 budget. Shull did not respond to calls, messages or emails for comment.Due to Shull’s controversial term and his opponents’ inexperience in elected office, the race could go into a run-off. If one candidate does not secure at least 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will move on to the November ballot.Below are answers from Fireside, Irvine and Gordon to five key questions posed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Some responses have been lightly edited for style or to comply with word limits.Tell us three concrete goals you have for Clackamas County in the next two years if elected or reelected.Irvine: Permanently stop tolling: We simply cannot put more financial burden on the backs of our constituents. Even with the governor’s pause to a regional tolling plan, we need to stay diligent on this issue. I do not support tolling now and I will not support tolling in the future. Drive economic development: We must be strategic to attract, retain and grow our employer base. Build stronger community: Working families need quality child care. Developing an early child care business accelerator program will do just that. This program assists aspiring child care providers to build business plans to open neighborhood centers.Fireside: Enhance labor and economic development: Create union (jobs) and living wages across Clackamas County through partnerships with the trades, community colleges and business while enhancing opportunities for career bound youth. Diversify housing options: Get our (Metro homelessness tax) dollars out the door and build to scale supportive and workforce housing. Everyone deserves to have access to the generational wealth, mobility and security homeownership provides. Protect our natural resources: Our workforce must be empowered to get our Climate Action plan off the shelf so our communities see an immediate investment in natural disaster preparedness, infrastructure, and services through a climate change lens.Gordon: Family-homeless relative mediation: We need to be more creative in our approach and utilize existing county mediation services to (help homeless individuals) build bridges to family members. Mental health/illness: More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder. County leaders need to model open and honest communications regarding mental illness to take the stigma off of pursuing mental health services. I intend to increase access for all citizens and homeless individuals. Public Safety: Citizens deserve to feel safe in their community and to trust and respect their providers. I would hold those who disrespect the badge accountable.Clackamas County has reported significant results in decreasing homelessness — how would you build on that and what additional solutions will you bring to the table?Irvine: Our leadership within the region is unmatched: The board along with county agencies, a wealth of nonprofit partners, and community outreach teams make up our Coordinated Housing Access System. The success we have seen occurs when coordinated access points convene and act quickly using the supportive housing dollars efficiently. As commissioner, I will specifically focus on veterans, youth and those in imminent danger of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Too often these highly vulnerable populations are forgotten but they deserve our full support.Fireside: Clackamas County saw a point in time decrease of 65% in homelessness. We still have, for example, over 300 students in one school district alone facing housing insecurity in Clackamas County. Our constituents must have access to services that bring stability to their lives. This includes opening up paths to homeownership, expanding our rent voucher program, stewarding the redevelopment of our HUD sites and empowering our cities to access the funding they need to meet their unique needs. Local control in this equation is paramount to success so we continue to see a decrease in homelessness.Gordon: It was recently announced that homelessness has decreased 65% since 2019 according to homeless counts. While I applaud that, I know when I was involved in helping conduct those counts, we weren’t able to interview everybody. Thus, we cannot be idle. The additional solutions need to address the individual and their unique circumstances that contributed to their current situation. More foundation needs to be laid to make it possible to step up into permanent housing that addresses family connections and counseling to give them a better chance at self-sufficiency, self-respect and success.What is your view of the closure of the Clackamas County equity office?Irvine: As a business leader and community advocate, I have built my career, family and social network in Clackamas County. The role of local government is not just to provide essential services like infrastructure, public health and safety, and economic development, but to also serve all people with dignity, respect and provide equal opportunity. I have dedicated my life to helping others and I hope that if I win, it is not because I’m a woman of color, but because people see my track record of success, leadership integrity, business acumen and believe I am the best person for the job.Fireside: I do not support the closure of the Equity and Inclusion Office. Good government requires a lens that considers all impacts and seeks to level the playing field. Opportunity must be available to all, which requires a realistic assessment of the roadblocks/barriers many of our fellow Oregonians face. It is incumbent on the county to provide services to all of us and to do so equitably. Many of the office’s services were designed to reach underserved folks in our county but without an equity and inclusion lens, those services will go to waste (or will not be delivered as intended).Gordon: Regardless of your opinion, one thing is clear — voices were heard but not respected. The amount of opposition should have changed the trajectory. It should be a goal to someday not need services, but that time is not now. Vulnerable citizens don’t feel safe by this action. While working for the county, I led a group that worked to build morale and make everyone feel welcome. We coordinated inclusive events and activities with an equity lens. The result was a better workforce and better customer service. When both employees and citizens aren’t seeing proactive steps to inclusivity, we all lose.What investments do you feel the county needs to make to address current and future climate issues, such as extreme weather events?Irvine: How we approach and mitigate extreme weather events such as wildfires is vital. Having more control over forest management at the county level is essential to reducing wildfires in the future. With our growing population and over 1.2 million acres to manage, we have learned that during emergencies our resources are stretched thin. Ensuring our residents know their part in an emergency is essential. I would like to see our county work with city leadership and private citizens to create more Community Emergency Response Teams with increased points of distribution that can be deployed in times of need.Fireside: Our county’s Climate Action Plan must be fully implemented. Our county procurement standards must align with our climate goals so the goods and services we procure and the contracts we enter into for development meet these standards whenever possible. Our cities, rural areas, homeowners associations and community planning organizations must have access to grants to prepare their communities. Our dedicated firefighters and first responders have programs to educate our communities on the plans they need to be safe in extreme weather and natural disasters. These programs must be fully funded to keep our communities safe and also our first responders.Gordon: Vehicles: Model environmental stewardship by increasing their fleet with eco-friendly vehicles. Disaster management: This dedicated department is proactive in developing programs and outreach. When I worked there I saw additional opportunities not taken due to resource development and access. This needs to be made a priority. Volunteer: A volunteer program was recently dissolved. As a community-driven volunteer and leader who has led others in large-scale projects, that was disheartening and a move that will only serve to disconnect citizens. Volunteers are crucial in times of extreme weather events and disasters and the county needs to lean into that source.How do you think Clackamas County should address fentanyl and substance use disorder?Irvine: Having lost a sibling to an overdose last year; I truly understand the vicious cycle of addiction. Fentanyl is a killer, highly addictive and extremely dangerous for medics and first responders to manage. The revision of Measure 110, which recriminalized drugs was a good start, but we must initiate help for those who can no longer help themselves. Law enforcement needs the tools and resources to ensure drug dealers are held accountable and prosecuted. Our criminal justice system is an entry point to supportive services that those in recovery tout as a reason they are alive today.Fireside: Education, prevention, rehabilitation and enforcement. Our populations must know how dangerous drug use is and that one pill can forever change or end their life. Our law enforcement must have a focus on cutting the head off the snake and make sure drugs are not being pumped into our communities. Our first responders need resources to respond effectively to drug overdoses and provide education to our community at large. We need to make sure the experts in the space of prevention, rehabilitation and medical response are empowered to lead and have every resource they need to keep our communities safe.Gordon: Priority is addressing the source and the addict. There should be severe penalties for those who sell and campaigns that share stories and encourage anonymous reporting. We need to continue to work and elevate existing groups and organizations that are currently doing the hard and difficult work to connect with addicts, homeless and people who are struggling with mental illness and susceptible to self-medicating. Easy access to free or low cost mental health services and counseling both on-site and off-site should be addressed.— Austin De Dios covers Multnomah County politics, programs and more. Reach him at 503-319-9744, adedios@oregonian.com or @AustinDeDios.Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Shull, whose political career is marred by controversy, faces three challengers for his seat on the Clackamas County board.
A Clackamas County commissioner whose first term has been marked by controversy and a failed recall is running for reelection — but declining to raise any money for his campaign.
U.S. Army veteran Mark Shull, who was condemned by his fellow commissioners in 2021 for Islamophobic social media posts and comparing vaccine restrictions to Jim Crow laws, among other things, is being challenged by three local business leaders in the May primary.
Commission Chair Tootie Smith, a fellow Republican to Shull on the commission, is also up for reelection. Clackamas County commissioners are elected countywide, as opposed to being elected in separate districts, like in Multnomah County.
Shull faces challenges from business professionals Melissa Fireside and Tina Irvine, as well as former county employee Rae Gordon, who worked in tourism for 10 years. Fireside has taken the lead in campaign financing and lists endorsements from U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and former Clackamas County Chair Charlotte Lehan. Irvine carries the endorsements of Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth, the Portland Metro Chamber and the Clackamas County Peace Officer Association.
Irvine, former managing partner of Express Employment Professionals’ Oregon City branch, wants to improve public safety, lower the cost of living and expand affordable housing to address homelessness. A daughter of a police officer, Irvine said she is a strong supporter of local law enforcement.
Irvine does not have previous government experience, but she has served on the board of Oregon City-based Children’s Center, a nonprofit that offers child abuse and neglect evaluations, and as chair, secretary and treasurer of nonprofit Clackamas Workforce Partnership, which aims to create equitable and inclusive work environments.
Tina Irvine, former managing partner at Express Employment Professionals, poses at work site in Clackamas County.Courtesy of campaign
She’s raised $49,700 for her campaign.
“I am a well-respected and a trusted leader within the county,” Irvine wrote in response to a questionnaire from The Oregonian/OregonLive. “Over the past 20 years, I haven’t just talked about the issues; I have rolled up my sleeves and done the work to help make families, businesses and nonprofit organizations thrive.”
Fireside, endorsed by the Democratic Party of Oregon’s gun owners caucus in the nonpartisan race for Position 4, is the owner of a construction management consulting company and a former member of Clackamas County’s advisory Mental Health & Addictions Council. She also chaired the county’s board that recommends pay levels for elected officials. In 2020, Fireside ran unsuccessfully for the Lake Oswego City Council.
“As a small business owner, educator, and working mom, I believe we need leaders that value and champion our workers, families and communities so everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive,” Fireside wrote in a response to an Oregonian/OregonLive questionnaire.
Melissa Fireside, owner of a construction consulting business, speaks about her goals if elected.Courtesy of campaign
Her campaign focuses on economic development, community health and increasing housing availability. Fireside has raised $67,600 for her campaign and is endorsed by Democratic state Rep. Jules Walters of West Linn as well as the Democratic Party of Clackamas County.
Gordon, the third challenger, worked for the county’s tourism and cultural affairs department for a decade. She left that role in 2015, but returned on a one-year contract in 2021 to help manage the county’s COVID-19 response, which included overseeing supplies and working as an analyst for vaccine clinics. She previously owned a marketing company in Oregon City and serves as president of two nonprofits, including the Cascade Blues Association, a low-budget nonprofit that promotes blues music.
Gordon’s bid focuses on developing wrap-around mental health and substance use treatment and family mediation services. She also highlighted a need for effective public safety responses and accountability. Her campaign has raised $15,400.
“What we need now in Clackamas County and frankly throughout our nation are community-driven leaders who are approachable, bring people together and are advocates for every voice,” Gordon wrote. “I have honed these skills.”
Rae Gordon, a blues singer and former Clackamas County employee, hands a flier to a voter.Courtesy of campaign
Shull, who declined an opportunity to respond to questions from The Oregonian/OregonLive, ran into controversy soon after winning office for the first time in 2020. He defeated incumbent Ken Humberston in a runoff, 50.6% to 48.7%. In January 2021, backlash erupted in the county after residents discovered Shull had posted derogatory comments about Islam and Muslims as well as transgender people and the Black Lives Matter movement on social media.
Less than two weeks after he took office, he faced calls to resign.
In a commission meeting, Smith, the chair, read aloud a resolution that condemned Shull for “bigoted statements” and called for his resignation.
He apologized and voted for the resolution but remained on the board. Legally, the board could not force a resignation.
Outrage resurfaced again six months later, when Shull compared COVID-19 vaccine passports to Jim Crow laws that enforced racial segregation. Smith and the other three commissioners at the time voted to strip Shull of all liaison duties and committee assignments.
In September 2021, Shull shared a meme on Facebook that appeared to compare COVID-19 health restrictions to the Holocaust. The post, which was quickly taken down, once again drew disapproval from members of the Clackamas County board. Shull defended his actions, saying the post was sent to him by community members who were concerned about potentially losing their jobs if they did not get vaccinated.
Although his actions caused rifts with fellow commissioners, his policy stances have not always been so divisive. Like most Clackamas County officials, he was a strong opponent of plans to toll improved Oregon interstates. Gov. Tina Kotek paused those plans last month but tolling is sure to resurface in 2025 as state lawmakers debate how to finance needed transportation improvements.
Shull is calling for an audit of the Oregon Department of Transportation to find solutions that don’t involve tolling. He has also vowed to fight any new taxes on Clackamas voters.
Shull was a leading force in dismantling the county’s Equity and Inclusion Office last year. He voted to strike the office’s nearly $830,000 budget. Shull did not respond to calls, messages or emails for comment.
Due to Shull’s controversial term and his opponents’ inexperience in elected office, the race could go into a run-off. If one candidate does not secure at least 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will move on to the November ballot.
Below are answers from Fireside, Irvine and Gordon to five key questions posed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Some responses have been lightly edited for style or to comply with word limits.
Tell us three concrete goals you have for Clackamas County in the next two years if elected or reelected.
Irvine: Permanently stop tolling: We simply cannot put more financial burden on the backs of our constituents. Even with the governor’s pause to a regional tolling plan, we need to stay diligent on this issue. I do not support tolling now and I will not support tolling in the future. Drive economic development: We must be strategic to attract, retain and grow our employer base. Build stronger community: Working families need quality child care. Developing an early child care business accelerator program will do just that. This program assists aspiring child care providers to build business plans to open neighborhood centers.
Fireside: Enhance labor and economic development: Create union (jobs) and living wages across Clackamas County through partnerships with the trades, community colleges and business while enhancing opportunities for career bound youth. Diversify housing options: Get our (Metro homelessness tax) dollars out the door and build to scale supportive and workforce housing. Everyone deserves to have access to the generational wealth, mobility and security homeownership provides. Protect our natural resources: Our workforce must be empowered to get our Climate Action plan off the shelf so our communities see an immediate investment in natural disaster preparedness, infrastructure, and services through a climate change lens.
Gordon: Family-homeless relative mediation: We need to be more creative in our approach and utilize existing county mediation services to (help homeless individuals) build bridges to family members. Mental health/illness: More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder. County leaders need to model open and honest communications regarding mental illness to take the stigma off of pursuing mental health services. I intend to increase access for all citizens and homeless individuals. Public Safety: Citizens deserve to feel safe in their community and to trust and respect their providers. I would hold those who disrespect the badge accountable.
Clackamas County has reported significant results in decreasing homelessness — how would you build on that and what additional solutions will you bring to the table?
Irvine: Our leadership within the region is unmatched: The board along with county agencies, a wealth of nonprofit partners, and community outreach teams make up our Coordinated Housing Access System. The success we have seen occurs when coordinated access points convene and act quickly using the supportive housing dollars efficiently. As commissioner, I will specifically focus on veterans, youth and those in imminent danger of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Too often these highly vulnerable populations are forgotten but they deserve our full support.
Fireside: Clackamas County saw a point in time decrease of 65% in homelessness. We still have, for example, over 300 students in one school district alone facing housing insecurity in Clackamas County. Our constituents must have access to services that bring stability to their lives. This includes opening up paths to homeownership, expanding our rent voucher program, stewarding the redevelopment of our HUD sites and empowering our cities to access the funding they need to meet their unique needs. Local control in this equation is paramount to success so we continue to see a decrease in homelessness.
Gordon: It was recently announced that homelessness has decreased 65% since 2019 according to homeless counts. While I applaud that, I know when I was involved in helping conduct those counts, we weren’t able to interview everybody. Thus, we cannot be idle. The additional solutions need to address the individual and their unique circumstances that contributed to their current situation. More foundation needs to be laid to make it possible to step up into permanent housing that addresses family connections and counseling to give them a better chance at self-sufficiency, self-respect and success.
What is your view of the closure of the Clackamas County equity office?
Irvine: As a business leader and community advocate, I have built my career, family and social network in Clackamas County. The role of local government is not just to provide essential services like infrastructure, public health and safety, and economic development, but to also serve all people with dignity, respect and provide equal opportunity. I have dedicated my life to helping others and I hope that if I win, it is not because I’m a woman of color, but because people see my track record of success, leadership integrity, business acumen and believe I am the best person for the job.
Fireside: I do not support the closure of the Equity and Inclusion Office. Good government requires a lens that considers all impacts and seeks to level the playing field. Opportunity must be available to all, which requires a realistic assessment of the roadblocks/barriers many of our fellow Oregonians face. It is incumbent on the county to provide services to all of us and to do so equitably. Many of the office’s services were designed to reach underserved folks in our county but without an equity and inclusion lens, those services will go to waste (or will not be delivered as intended).
Gordon: Regardless of your opinion, one thing is clear — voices were heard but not respected. The amount of opposition should have changed the trajectory. It should be a goal to someday not need services, but that time is not now. Vulnerable citizens don’t feel safe by this action. While working for the county, I led a group that worked to build morale and make everyone feel welcome. We coordinated inclusive events and activities with an equity lens. The result was a better workforce and better customer service. When both employees and citizens aren’t seeing proactive steps to inclusivity, we all lose.
What investments do you feel the county needs to make to address current and future climate issues, such as extreme weather events?
Irvine: How we approach and mitigate extreme weather events such as wildfires is vital. Having more control over forest management at the county level is essential to reducing wildfires in the future. With our growing population and over 1.2 million acres to manage, we have learned that during emergencies our resources are stretched thin. Ensuring our residents know their part in an emergency is essential. I would like to see our county work with city leadership and private citizens to create more Community Emergency Response Teams with increased points of distribution that can be deployed in times of need.
Fireside: Our county’s Climate Action Plan must be fully implemented. Our county procurement standards must align with our climate goals so the goods and services we procure and the contracts we enter into for development meet these standards whenever possible. Our cities, rural areas, homeowners associations and community planning organizations must have access to grants to prepare their communities. Our dedicated firefighters and first responders have programs to educate our communities on the plans they need to be safe in extreme weather and natural disasters. These programs must be fully funded to keep our communities safe and also our first responders.
Gordon: Vehicles: Model environmental stewardship by increasing their fleet with eco-friendly vehicles. Disaster management: This dedicated department is proactive in developing programs and outreach. When I worked there I saw additional opportunities not taken due to resource development and access. This needs to be made a priority. Volunteer: A volunteer program was recently dissolved. As a community-driven volunteer and leader who has led others in large-scale projects, that was disheartening and a move that will only serve to disconnect citizens. Volunteers are crucial in times of extreme weather events and disasters and the county needs to lean into that source.
How do you think Clackamas County should address fentanyl and substance use disorder?
Irvine: Having lost a sibling to an overdose last year; I truly understand the vicious cycle of addiction. Fentanyl is a killer, highly addictive and extremely dangerous for medics and first responders to manage. The revision of Measure 110, which recriminalized drugs was a good start, but we must initiate help for those who can no longer help themselves. Law enforcement needs the tools and resources to ensure drug dealers are held accountable and prosecuted. Our criminal justice system is an entry point to supportive services that those in recovery tout as a reason they are alive today.
Fireside: Education, prevention, rehabilitation and enforcement. Our populations must know how dangerous drug use is and that one pill can forever change or end their life. Our law enforcement must have a focus on cutting the head off the snake and make sure drugs are not being pumped into our communities. Our first responders need resources to respond effectively to drug overdoses and provide education to our community at large. We need to make sure the experts in the space of prevention, rehabilitation and medical response are empowered to lead and have every resource they need to keep our communities safe.
Gordon: Priority is addressing the source and the addict. There should be severe penalties for those who sell and campaigns that share stories and encourage anonymous reporting. We need to continue to work and elevate existing groups and organizations that are currently doing the hard and difficult work to connect with addicts, homeless and people who are struggling with mental illness and susceptible to self-medicating. Easy access to free or low cost mental health services and counseling both on-site and off-site should be addressed.
— Austin De Dios covers Multnomah County politics, programs and more. Reach him at 503-319-9744, adedios@oregonian.com or @AustinDeDios.
Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.