INCLUDES VIDEO | Learn why this former politician came to chat with folks at the last Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting – and, what she had to say …
Guests fill the room as outspoken Oregon legislator Betsy Johnson (seated, far left) holds a conversation, at this Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
After a brief hiatus, the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association (LNLA) again met at in the Lents neighborhood Community Connection Center on Mt. Scott, on Tuesday evening, April 16.
The meeting was entitled, “A conversation with Betsy Johnson”.
Brief biography:
Born in Oregon, Elizabeth Katharine Johnson is an American aviator, entrepreneur, and politician who served in the Oregon House of Representatives from the 1st and 31st House districts from 2001 to 2005, and in the Oregon Senate from the 16th district from 2005 to 2021, as a member of the Democratic Party. In 2022, she ran for State of Oregon governor as an independent candidate.
‘Still cares about Lents’
As people were coming in, before her “conversation” began, Johnson spoke with East Portland News. “When I was campaigning for Governor I came to a meeting here in Lents, and, we had a pretty robust conversation.
“Recently, the person who invited me to that meeting called me, after the election, and asked, ‘Now that the election’s over, do you still care about Lents?’ My response was ‘you’re damn right I do!’.
“As an Oregonian, as someone who cares aggressively about our state, Lents has more of an importunate burden of the stuff ‘going wrong’ in Portland,” Johnson continued.
Betsy Johnson listens to a comment made by a neighbor.
“I didn’t come with a ‘pocket full of prepared remarks’ because I’m here to have a conversation,” Johnson assured. “I’m no longer in the legislature, so people here better understand that I don’t have the same ‘juice’ that I once had to get things done.
“But I am an Oregonian, with an opinion, and looking for places to share it – and I fully intend to do so. I didn’t drive all the way over here it from Scappoose to shy away from any subject!”
Asked what neighbors can do to help mitigate some of the crime in the Lents area and in outer East Portland, Johnson thought for a very brief moment before responding. “They can do exactly what they’re doing tonight – they can come together, and make sure city leaders know how unsatisfied they are with how things are going.
“They should work to elect a new [Multnomah County] District Attorney, one who will prosecute malfeasance and behave as if crime matters,” admonished Johnson. “They need to seriously hold elected folks accountable for the fact that this beautiful city is deteriorating right in front of our eyes.”
Betsy Johnson’s remarks that follow have been summarized for brevity.
Pulls no punches
After her brief introduction Johnson launched into her opening salvo of remarks. “I’m watching Portland deteriorate. I think Lents has more of a disproportionate burden in the deterioration of the metropolitan area. I live in Scappoose, so I don’t even live in the county. But as an Oregonian, my sense of fairness and my dissatisfaction and the services that the government is providing to you guys, are pretty high.”
The violence has got to stop, Betsy Johnson says.
No longer in office, Johnson commented that while she has “the ability to get people on the phone; that’s gonna decline over time, now that I’m no longer officially “honorable”. But right now I can still get state agency heads to call me back.”
With shootings and other violence almost daily occurrences, she said, “Even though I don’t live here, I think we all share the same opinion, this has got to stop – it’s just got to stop!”
Comments on homeless issues
“Multnomah County’s general attitude about homelessness is ‘Give us the money, lots of money, we know what’s best, and we will produce some results.’ But do they?
“For example, they hit the state up for $12 million to open a four-story [drug] ‘shooting gallery’ and alcohol consumption facility downtown, near the Benson Hotel, that they had to clean out, and start over again. Good luck with that. This is another demonstrated flop for Multnomah County,” observed Johnson.
The City and County squabbling over homeless funds is embarrassing, says Betsy Johnson.
“I’m embarrassed that Multnomah County and the City of Portland are fighting [over homeless issues and program funding],” Johnson went on. “I hoped that would stop, but it doesn’t seem to abate. Now the Governor has set them upon each other, and set them both working together on the Governor – we have this triangulated fight going on – and, when all most of us just want us to get people off the streets.”
Johnson lauded the new use of the former unused Wapato Jail facility. “It’s doing well against all odds; against active government antagonism. Alan Evans and his ‘Hope Center’ model was to first find out what drove [homeless persons] to the streets – and then attack that problem first. This is versus the ‘housing first’ model, where we take someone to drop them into housing with no support mechanisms.”
On illegal drug use
“People who are drug-addicted are mentally ill, and so do not make the wisest decisions about their own healthcare. In some cases we may have to out figure different path,” Johnson said
“They say they want to ‘fix’ Measure 110 [Drug Addiction Treatment and Recovery Act]. But they’re not going to fix it. They just want to push money around so people can open nonprofits. When I was campaigning [for Governor], I often said about this that ‘Holding the sacred feather over your head to cure addiction’ – that’s not going to work. [Treatment centers] need to demonstrate efficacy in practitioners’ techniques to cure folks.
“The [Multnomah County] District Attorney [Mike Schmidt] also helps frustrate problems; he’s got to go,” Johnson remarked.
Guests listen as Betsy Johnson bluntly shares her opinions.
The meeting continued into the evening, with Lents neighbors sharing their individual stories and complaints about crime, street repair, and homelessness.
Watch the entire meeting, right here, courtesy of the LNLA. Just click on the red play button below:
May 11: Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting changes locations!
This live and in-person meeting is from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. It is held indoors; face masks are optional.
This month: Portland Police Officer Christopher Burley will be offering insight to dealing with people experiencing a mental crisis. And, Don Merrill, with ‘See and Be Seen’ will be offering FREE replacement bulbs for cars with burnt out headlights and tail lights.
Important: On May 11, the LNLA will be meeting at the Lents Activity Center, 8815 SE Woodstock Boulevard, 97266. The gate will be open at 6:15 p.m., and the parking lot is available for parking. For more information, email lnla2018@gmail.com.
© 2023 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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