INCLUDES ENTIRE-MEETING VIDEO | Metro Council District 1 candidate Noah Ernst and Oregon House District 48 candidate Andrew Morrison share their views at the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association’s ‘candidate night’ meeting …
Guests enjoy a “soup supper” at April’s Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting, before it formally gets underway.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The meeting of the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association (LNLA) convened on its usual day – the second Thursday of the month; in this case, April 9 – at New Hope Church’s Community Connection Center, on Mt. Scott.
The 22 folks in attendance enjoyed a light supper and snacks, while chatting with each other before the formal meeting began.
LNLA Chair David Potts brought the meeting to order by welcoming the attendees and guests, and detailing the activities in which the organization is involved in the month to come. Then he introduced the evening’s program: A “candidate night”, featuring two key regional races.
Before their presentations, Oregon House District 48 candidate Andrew Morrison and Metro Council District 1 candidate Noah Ernst talk chat with guests.
The LNLA hosted Metro Council District 1 candidate Noah Ernst and Oregon House District 48 candidate Andrew Morrison, giving neighbors a chance to hear their blunt critiques of how Metro and the Oregon Legislature have handled homelessness, housing, taxes, education, and public safety.
Ernst: “We are spending a huge amount of money and not getting results”
Metro Council District 1 candidate Noah Ernst argued that Metro is collecting large sums with little to show for it on the streets. “We are spending a huge amount of money and not getting the results that we’re paying for,” he said, of the region’s homeless services tax – questioning whether people experiencing homelessness were seeing anything close to the per‑person spending levels reported.
When elected, he’ll focus on transportation, housing, and a fiscally responsible governance approach, asserts Metro Council District 1 candidate Noah Ernst.
He urged Metro to be willing to cut under‑performing programs. “We have to seriously look at every dollar that we’re spending – who it’s going to, and whether it’s getting us closer to the goal that we’re trying to achieve. And if the answer is no, then we have to be brutal,” Ernst said. “If something doesn’t work, stop doing it.”
For example, Ernst cited the new Deflection Center (a drug/diversion facility) as an example of high cost with very low impact. “If the Deflection Center is costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to help [a few] people, that’s a waste of money …. We’re spending a lot of money, and nobody is questioning [it], as I see it.”
Regarding homelessness, Ernst opined, “They passed a 1% tax on high earners for homelessness, and in three years it’s generated $1.3 billion. Who here believes homelessness has gotten better for that $1.3 billion? Nobody.”
Speaking about transportation projects, Ernst asserted that Metro‑linked transportation projects on corridors like SE Division Street and 82nd Avenue were worsening congestion without delivering promised safety gains: “They tell you that these projects are going to reduce traffic fatalities… We know from Metro’s own numbers that traffic fatalities since they started have increased by 30%. They haven’t gone down.”
Candidate Noah Ernst tells why he’ll make a good Metro Commissioner.
On housing and land use, Ernst commented, “We just got a report in The Oregonian about a month ago that Portland, specifically – but also the general metro area – has the lowest number of building permit applications since the great recession in 2008; and one of the things that, when asked, that contractors and developers said, is that there’s no land to build on. Now that, to me, is a fundamental failure of Metro, right? They are responsible for ensuring that there’s enough land to build on for the next 20 years. How can we have contractors telling us there is no land?”
He also reminded voters that his two‑person race could be decided in the May primary. “There are only two people running in my race for Metro District 1—me and the incumbent. If one of us gets more than 50% of the vote, it’s over May 19,” Ernst said, urging neighbors to “fill out your whole ballot.”
Morrison: “Education is a sham in Oregon”
Oregon House District 48 candidate Andrew Morrison, challenging incumbent Rep. Lamar Wise, framed his race as one of a handful that could “restore the balance” in Salem.
“I am in a district that is ranked ‘number two most flippable, most swingable seat in the state,” he announced.
Oregon House District 48 candidate Andrew Morrison proclaims his message of “Education, affordability and public safety.”
Morrison was especially sharp on schools. “Education is a sham in Oregon,” he those in attendance. “We are the fifth highest funded in the nation, and we’re the fourth worst by grad rate. When it comes to proficiency testing, we’re the worst. Our kids are the dumbest coming out—and that’s not for lack of ability… but it is a huge problem.”
On affordability, he pointed to Oregon’s tax structure and Metro’s high‑earner tax. “We have the second highest income tax in the nation, second to New York. We’re taxing businesses completely out—those who can leave have likely already left,” Morrison said, calling Metro’s quarterly pre‑payment requirement “Stalin‑esque theft.”
“Restoring the balance” is his campaign slogan, says candidate Andrew Morrison.
He described the region’s homeless crisis as rooted in addiction and long‑term policy choices. “We will never solve the homeless problem until we admit that it’s not a homeless problem. It’s a drug addiction problem,” he said, later adding that after repeated treatment attempts, “it’s time for them to make a choice – jail or treatment.”
Summing up his campaign, Morrison said, “My slogan is ‘restoring the balance.’ It’s very simple, and we’ve got to be focused.”
Now, watch the entire meeting, see the candidates and hear them answer questions in this video produced by the LNLA:
May 14: Meet two more candidates at the Lents Neighborhood Livability Association meeting
Join with the folks who will be meeting two additional candidates at the May LNLA meeting.
They’re meeting live in person meeting on May 14 is from 6:30 until 8:30 p.m. A light dinner will be served from 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
In May: Come out and meet candidates Danielle Bethell running for Governor and Ciatta Thompson running for House District 33 who join them for dinner and conversation. Both candidates say they are working on turning our state around.
This meeting of interest will be in the Community Connection Center located on the grounds of New Hope Church at 10603 SE Henderson Street. [Enter through the church’s front doors, turn right, go down the first hallway. Signs will point the way.] For more information, email lnla2018@gmail.com.
© 2026 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
