In Episode 21 of Stump Talk, Council President Jamie Dunphy takes us inside the 2026–27 budget process. We discuss why so many votes ended in a tie, and why one of the most labor-friendly councils in recent history could not find a compromise to reverse the mayor’s job cuts.You can catch the final budget adoption vote here on June 17.Stump Talk is brough to you by Rose City Reform, a research and journalism project dedicated to tracking Portland’s reform process. It is co-produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

In Episode 20 of Stump Talk, we are joined by former Charter Commission members Robin Ye and Debbie Kitchin.They reflect on what problems charter reform was trying to solve, whether those fixes are working—and how Portlanders might judge the results for themselves.References in this episode:* Geography is Important, But It’s Not King - an Interview with Robin Ye (Rose City Reform)* You can find Rose City Reform’s candidate tracker here. In September, we will publish a more extensive guide at RoseCityReform.orgStump Talk is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a journalism and research initiative dedicated to tracking Portland’s reform process. The show is hosted by Maja Harris and produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

In Episode 19 of the Stump Talk podcast, Alex Zielinski (OPB) and Shane Kavanaugh (The Oregonian) return to the studio to discuss the major themes of 2025—Portland’s first year under its reformed city charter.References in this episode:* Rose City Reform’s analysis of the 2025 voting record* Portland council couldn’t finish meeting intended to fix drawn-out meetings (Alex Zielinski, OPB)* A top Portland political aide took in a homeless woman. He abandoned her at a state park days later (Shane Kavanaugh, The Oregonian)* A shopping center’s demise brings frustration to East Portland (Alex Zielinski, OPB)Stump Talk is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a journalism and research project tracking Portland’s reform process. The podcast is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

This summer, three Portland city councilors—including District 4’s Mitch Green—caused a stir when they spent about $47,000 in taxpayer funds traveling to Vienna, Austria, to study one of the world’s most ambitious social housing systems.The trip was connected to a concept that may already have traction at City Hall. In April, the council voted unanimously to study whether Portland should adopt a social housing model.What exactly is social housing? In simplified terms: publicly owned or subsidized housing with rents tied to tenants’ incomes, typically capped at 30%.A report on its viability in Portland is expected this spring. Spirited debate is almost guaranteed to ensue: whether to pursue the idea, how to fund it, and what role the city should play alongside the private sector.In this episode, Green—an economist, a self-identified socialist, and a chief co-sponsor of the resolution—explains what social housing is, what he learned in Vienna, and why the discussion is just getting started.Stump Talk is hosted by Maja Harris and produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson ran on a pledge to end unsheltered homelessness by 2026.Despite Multnomah County’s rising count of people living outside, he says he’s on track to deliver on that promise.In episode 17 of the Stump Talk podcast, Mayor Wilson returns to the studio to discuss his race against time to bring unsheltered Portlanders inside by year’s end.This episode also features commentary from Oregonian homelessness reporter Lillian Mongeau Hughes.Looking for stats about homelessness? Check out these dashboards:* Multnomah County Homeless Services Department Data Dashboard* City of Portland Impact Reduction Program* Oregon Health Authority Domicile Unknown DeathsStump Talk is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a journalism and research initiative to track Portland’s reform process. It is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

City Hall reporters Shane Kavanaugh (The Oregonian), Sophie Peel (Willamette Week), and Alex Zielinski (OPB) join the podcast to take us inside the debates, alliances, and surprise twists that shaped the process.You can catch the final budget adoption vote here on June 18.Catch our guests' reporting here:.Willamette Week* Budget Season Reveals Two Clear Voting Blocs on City Council* Council Passes Amendment That Unknowingly Puts Proposed Budget $734,000 in the Red* Green and Novick Find a Way to Keep Metro Chamber From Opposing Future Parks Levy, for Now* Councilors Brought Mayor Concerns About Text Thread and Two Photos Shared by Prosper Portland Staff* Director of Prosper Portland Will Step Down at Mayor Wilson’s Request* Portland City Council Hits the Links to Find Spare Change* Prosper Portland Dodges a Big Cut for Now, but Council Takes Aim at Lack of Agency Oversight* Portland City Council Diverts $1.9 Million in New Police Funding to ParksThe Oregonian:* Portland City Council, with lots of talk but few major tweaks, nears final passage of mayor’s budget* ‘Who the hell are they serving?’: Portland agency’s staff skewered councilors as budget hung in the balance, group chat shows* Prosper Portland leader to resign amid fractious budget fight* Portland City Council diverts new police dollars to parks during marathon budget meetingOPB:* Portland City Council scrambles to balance budget in marathon meeting* On a dragon boat team, Portland’s new city councilors learn how to paddle in the same direction* Portland councilors vote to use new police funding to maintain parksStump Talk is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a journalism and research initiative dedicated to tracking Portland's historic reform process. It is produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

“Budgets are a negotiation, right?”In this episode, Rose City Reform chats with Elana Pirtle-Guiney and Eric Zimmerman about what to expect as the mayor’s budget hits the council floor on Wednesday.With big personalities and competing priorities on the line, sparks are likely to fly before councilors land on a final plan.Want to follow along as district reps make their case for what they believe in? The agenda page for Wednesday’s meeting includes a livestream and a sign-up link for public testimony. And while addressing the council can induce some stage fright, Pirtle-Guiney says Portlanders should shrug off those worries.“We are twelve Portlanders just like you,” she says. “Please do not be scared to come tell us what you think. The more we understand what you think, the better job we can do creating policy for the city.”Stump Talk is hosted by Maja Viklands Harris and produced and edited by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. It is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a nonprofit research initiative dedicated to tracking Portland's historic reform process. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

Fair warning—this is our nerdiest episode yet.On the other hand, if you’re curious about how Portland’s new voting system is shifting political dynamics, this episode is for you.Moon Duchin is a mathematician who leads the Data and Democracy Lab at Cornell University. George Cheung is the founding director of More Equitable Democracy, a Seattle-based group focused on racial justice through electoral reform.Neither of them lives in Portland—yet both can discuss the 2024 city election in more detail than most locals. The reason? Portland is now the only major U.S. city using proportional representation—making it a rare case study for those examining how the system works in practice.For more context, read Rose City Reform’s story about Portland in the National Civic Review📚 Read or ListenPodcasts, thinkers, and books mentioned in this episode:* More Perfect — Podcast on the U.S. Supreme Court and constitutional issues* The Future of Our Former Democracy — Podcast by More Equitable Democracy* The Concept of Representation — Book by Hannah Pitkin* Lani Guinier — Writings on voting rights, electoral systems, and civil rights* Spencer Overton — Scholarship on democracy, race, and emerging technologies* Guy-Uriel Charles — Legal scholar on voting rights and democracy reform* Elizabeth Anderson — Political theorist focused on democratic equality* Claudine Gay — Research on race and political representationStump Talk is edited and produced by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. It is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research initiative to track Portland's historic reform process. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

OPB reporter Alex Zielinski and the Oregonian's Lillian Mongeau Hughes join the podcast to discuss city leaders' efforts to tackle homelessness amid a brutal budget cycle.If you care to weigh in on the city budget after listening to this episode, you can do so here.Stump Talk is hosted by Maja Viklands Harris. It is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a research and journalism initiative dedicated to tracking Portland's historic reform process. The show is edited and produced by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com

Why did Sameer Kanal oppose one of Mayor Wilson’s top leadership choices? And what does he mean when he says he wants Portlanders to co-create policy with the council?These are just some of the topics discussed when Councilor Kanal and his chief of staff, Lisa Freeman, join the Stump Talk podcast.Stump Talk is brought to you by Rose City Reform, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research initiative dedicated to tracking Portland's historic reform process. The podcast is edited and produced by Jon Garcia of Lake Productions. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rosecityreform.substack.com