Sharon Meieran for Multnomah County Chair
Let’s Fix Multnomah County
We need to elect people who want to Do Something.
Not keep electing people who want to Be Something.
Multnomah county needs more than a new name on its front door. We need an actual plan to get people with serious addiction and mental health issues off the streets, implemented by a leader who’s driven to DO something, not just BE something.
Right now, the money and time we are wasting is measured in people’s lives.
So - as much as I hate the idea of running for office in a political system that is as broken as the county government - I am announcing my candidacy for Multnomah County Chair.
I hope my presence in this race helps make the next five months about thoughtful, rigorous engagement about what should happen to improve our community. If each of the candidates has a plan that goes through a process of vetting and debate, then any one of us will be prepared to lead. And no matter who becomes our next Chair, the people of Multnomah County will win.
Because at the end of the day, with ranked-choice voting, we don’t have to run against each other. We should all be running for Multnomah County.
This election needs to be about more than money and ego. It needs to be about our community, not the politician who has the most money and endorsements from special interests.
I look forward to reading the other candidates’ plans and making the case for mine.
To preserve my independence, I will not seek organizational endorsements.
As part of my commitment to making Multnomah County government accountable to the people it is supposed to serve, I have decided not to seek endorsements from organizations in my campaign for County Chair.
Having both run for office and had the privilege of serving, I have come to believe that organizational endorsements have taken on an unhealthy role in our electoral process.
+35
Endorsed by 40+ community supporters
What a Coordinated System Could Look Like
Current Multnomah County Homeless Response System
We have a nonsystem created by plastering more layers of dysfunctional bureaucracy onto the previous layers that have failed. A picture speaks a thousand words, reflecting the non-system we have established, better referred to as “chaos” (Current Homelessness And Outreach System).
The solution to homelessness is not as complicated as we’re making it. Though the problem of homelessness is seemingly intractable, the approach to ending it is actually straightforward.
Proposed Results Driven Coordinated New Structure
Proposed Results Driven Coordinated New Structure
To the left, instead, is a rational continuum aligned with the proper supports, stakeholders and funding streams. This is the model we must move toward.
It is a matter of defining a comprehensive shared vision with meaningful goals, a clear chain of command, and an effective and accountable governance structure led by independent subject matter experts. To date Multnomah County has done none of these things, but they are eminently doable.
Donate
Hi! I hope you’re not too disappointed to learn you can only donate a maximum of $603 to helping me fix Multnomah County. The good news is, you can still get your friends and family to help as well!
This only works if we are in it together. I’m willing to contribute my life, and I’m asking you to please consider what you’re willing to do to help get Multnomah County on the right track. Right now, we’re not just wasting time and money - every day we’re wasting lives.
“Together we can build a county government that actually works – one that saves lives, restores trust, and delivers results worthy of our community – while spending less.”
- Dr. Sharon Meieran