Ted Wheeler

Shortly after his election as chair of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners, Wheeler worked with his colleagues to balance a county budget that had called for $22.3 million in cuts in 2009.[14] Wheeler also fought to preserve social safety net programs[15] and to eliminate hidden fees from state-issued debit cards.[16]

Following the loss of nearly $16 million in Oregon Common School Fund and Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund investments, Wheeler co-filed a class-action lawsuit with Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum to recover the money after firms misled investors.[17]

Building, preserving and updating public space and infrastructure was a focus during Wheeler's time as County Commissioner. He led efforts to construct new libraries in Kenton[18] and Troutdale[19] and to construct the new East County Courthouse in Multnomah County.[20] Wheeler also fought to fund repairs for the crumbling Sellwood Bridge.[21]

Under Wheeler Portland became Oregon's first municipality to "Ban the Box", which reduces employment discrimination against residents with a criminal record by removing the criminal history check box on forms.[22]

Wheeler at the 2010 Pendleton Round-Up parade

On March 7, 2010, incumbent Oregon State Treasurer Ben Westlund died of lung cancer. Two days later Governor Ted Kulongoski appointed Wheeler to the office.[11] Wheeler defeated fellow Democrat Rick Metsger in the Democratic primary election on May 18, 2010,[23] and defeated Republican Chris Telfer, Progressive Walt Brown and Michael Marsh of the Constitution Party in the November special election for the rest of Westlund's term, which ended in 2013.[24] He was elected to a second full term in the Oregon state elections, 2012.

Wheeler practiced aggressive financial management, achieving more than $172 million in cash flow savings since 2013. He promoted environmental stewardship, committing to double Oregon's investments in renewable energy resources by January 2020, and double them again by 2030. Wheeler also pledged not to pursue new investments in coal.[25] He promoted the use of ESG (Environmental Social Governance) for all state investments to improve long-term performance, and urged the Securities and Exchange Commission to institute tougher reviews of carbon asset risk disclosures from 45 major corporations.[26]

Wheeler was chair of the Oregon Retirement Savings Task Force, which developed what became the OregonSaves program to assist state residents in saving for retirement.[27] It grew Oregon's pension fund to more than $72 billion, one of the country's five strongest state pension funds.[28]

Wheeler's campaign logo

Wheeler speaks to supporters at a campaign event (2015)

Wheeler launched a run for mayor on October 14, 2015.[28][29] He campaigned on addressing income inequality and ensuring government accountability. During his speech, Wheeler promised to build a government that worked "for every person."[30]

Taking care of those in need. Taking responsibility for protecting our environment. Taking action right now to close the gap between our wealthiest and poorest residents by providing economic opportunity for lower-income and middle-income families. Equal access to our government for every person. Understanding that every dollar we spend came from a taxpayer and we need show our respect for how hard that taxpayer worked to earn those dollars by spending them wisely. These are the authentic values of Portland. And these are my values.

— Ted Wheeler

In October 2015, former Portland mayors Vera Katz, Tom Potter, and Sam Adams endorsed Wheeler.[31][32] Gresham Mayor Shane Bemis also endorsed him, as did State Representatives Lew Frederick and Tobias Read, former State Senators Ron Cease, Jane Cease, and Avel Gordly, and 2012 mayoral candidate Eileen Brady.[33][34] Wheeler was also endorsed by Basic Rights Oregon, the Portland Business Alliance, and the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.[34]

On May 17 Wheeler was elected mayor by winning the first round with 54% of the vote.[35][36]

Wheeler was sworn in on December 30, 2016, for a term that began on January 1, 2017.[37][38] One of his first actions was to make initial assignments of city departments (known as bureaus) to the five commissioners, of which the mayor is one. He assigned to himself the Portland Police Bureau, the Portland Development Commission, and the Portland Housing Bureau,[39] among others. He said he intended to reconsider the initial assignments during the annual budget process in April.[40]

In July 2018 The Oregonian newspaper reported that half of arrests in Portland were of people who were homeless. Wheeler, who oversaw the police department, said he saw this as a problem and that it would influence his budgeting decisions.[41] In September 2018, Portland residents who found Wheeler's response to the growth of homeless encampments inadequate petitioned his office and other local agencies to take stronger action.[42]

In 2018 Wheeler was overheard saying, "I cannot wait for the next 24 months to be up."[43] But he has also said he aspires to break the streak of one-term mayors. In early 2020, Wheeler declared he would seek reelection in 2020.

In August 2019, Wheeler requested that Governor Kate Brown keep the National Guard ready to respond in anticipation of a potentially explosive stand-off between far-right groups and Antifa demonstrators. His request was denied.[44]

In September 2020, Wheeler announced his intention to withdraw the city from the Joint Office of Homeless Services partnership with the Multnomah County in a push to get campers on downtown streets into shelters.[45] In 2018, the city auditor found that the city regularly ignored citizen complaints about transient camps. The Oregonian reported the city's lack of response was inconsistent with crackdown on illegal camps instituted earlier in Wheeler's term.[46]

Protest sign complaining about Wheeler's use of violence during the protests

A projection calls Wheeler to resign.

On May 30, 2020, Wheeler imposed a curfew on Portland during the Black Lives Matter protests (sparked by the killing of George Floyd, the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor, and the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, earlier in the year). Critics of the curfew argued that police officers would have an incentive to restrict free speech and incite violence on peaceful protesting using crowd-control methods such as tear gas and stun grenades, both of which were deployed on crowds of demonstrators in Portland and nationwide.[47] This earned him the nickname Tear Gas Teddy.[48] On June 2, Wheeler lifted the curfew due to his perception of a "significant [peaceful] shift in the tenor."[49] Wheeler also requested the deployment of the Oregon National Guard to Portland in response to protests following the killing of George Floyd, but Governor Kate Brown refused.[50]

In response to the Portland Police Bureau's use of tear gas on protesters, Portland organization Don't Shoot PDX filed a class-action lawsuit against the city on June 5, 2020.[51] Wheeler expressed concern over use of tear gas, but has not banned its use, stating:

I stand in solidarity with our nonviolent demonstrators, who are sending a strong message that we are long overdue for meaningful reform and restorative justice. Our community has serious concerns about the use of CS gas for crowd management, particularly during a time when we’re battling a pandemic. I share those concerns. Today, I directed Portland Police Chief Jami Resch that gas should not be used unless there is a serious and immediate threat to life safety, and there is no other viable alternative for dispersal. I strongly believe that gas should not be used to disperse crowds of nonviolent protesters or for general crowd management purposes. It should only be used in response to violence that threatens life safety. My priority and focus are to protect the lives of demonstrators, our first responders, and the people in custody at the Justice Center.[52]

On June 15, Wheeler called for an overhaul of Portland's police oversight system, which he said doesn't have "any real teeth."[53]

After government buildings had become targets of nightly violence and sustained damage, the federal government deployed agents to Portland in July 2020.[54] After videos showed masked, camouflaged federal agents without identification arresting protesters, Wheeler said, "This is not the America we want. This is not the Portland we want. We're demanding that the President remove these additional troops that he sent to our city. It is not helping to contain or deescalate the situation. It's obviously having exactly the opposite impact."[55] Oregon Governor Brown, and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, also called the federal deployment an authoritarian abuse of power; the U.S. Attorney for Oregon, Billy J. Williams, called for an investigation, and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a federal lawsuit against DHS.[55]

On July 22, Wheeler addressed nightly protesters, but was booed by them for his actions as Portland Police Commissioner and the Portland Police's own response to the protests. The crowd chanted "Fuck Ted Wheeler" and "Quit Your Job" as he spoke. After speaking, Wheeler and at least five security guards went to the front of the protest area. Wheeler was caught in tear gas released by federal agents.[56] Wheeler left after the first round of tear gas, after which Portland Police declared a riot.[57][58][59][60][61][62][63]

On August 7, after violent clashes with police, Wheeler directly addressed the protesters, saying, "You are not demonstrating, you are attempting to commit murder." This was made alongside PPB reports that the protesters were attempting to "vandalize and set fire to the precinct" and at least two confirmed reports of unprovoked attacks on elderly citizens.[64] Wheeler predicted that "there would be further attacks on public buildings" and that the protesters were "a prop in the election campaign for Donald Trump and "reinforcing the stereotype that anarchists have gone wild in Portland".[65][66]

Protesters light a fire in front of Mayor Ted Wheeler's condo on August 31, 2020.

On August 31, protesters gathered outside Wheeler's condo, demanding that he resign. Police responded after the group lit fires, broke windows, and set a small fire in a nearby business. Police declared the protest, which presented itself as celebrating Wheeler's birthday, a riot after a fire was lit in the street.[67] 19 protesters were arrested, mainly for disorderly conduct and interfering with a peace officer.[68] On September 2 Wheeler said he was leaving his apartment building due to safety concerns posed by the ongoing protests. He told residents of his building, "I want to express my sincere apologies for the damage to our home and the fear that you are experiencing due to my position".[69]

Throughout the protests, Wheeler's leadership has been called into question. Critics have denounced his tenure as mayor and many local activists called for his resignation before the 2020 mayoral election.[70] By September 2020, two months before the election, his unfavorability rating was 62%, with a favorability rating of 26%. 59% of Portlanders felt the city was headed in the wrong direction, and 76% supported Black Lives Matter.[71]

During the Portland foreclosure protest, Wheeler said, "There will be no autonomous zone in Portland".[72]

In the 2020 election, Wheeler won a second term, defeating Sarah Iannarone and various write-in candidates. It was the first time since 2000 election that a Portland mayor had been reelected.[73]

As treasurer, Wheeler relaunched the Oregon College Savings Program, which reached a record $2.3 billion in January 2015. The 529 savings plan allows money saved for college to grow tax-free and gives the donor a deduction on their taxable income.[74] As mayor, Wheeler supported dissolving ACCESS Academy, an alternative program for gifted children not served by their neighborhood school due to disabilities or other challenges that prevented their learning.[75]

Wheeler is a proponent of increasing Oregon's investments in renewable energy funds. He commissioned a study to determine whether Oregon can replace fossil fuel companies in its fixed income portfolio. Wheeler does not support new coal investments.[76] He supported the City of Portland's ban on expanding fossil fuel infrastructure.[77]

In 2018, Wheeler came out publicly against the green energy initiative that sought to train people of color for clean energy jobs and invest in green energy projects in marginalized neighborhoods in Portland, due to its taxation method.[78] It later passed by a wide margin.

Wheeler has stated that "hate speech is not protected by the First Amendment."[79][80]

Wheeler with Jennifer Williamson at the Portland Orange Walk for victims of gun violence at Peninsula Park (2016)

Wheeler advocates for increased gun control, and supports requiring rigorous background checks for people attempting to buy guns.[81] On March 14, 2018, he released a letter in support of The National School Walkout against gun violence.[82] On April 20, Wheeler told hundreds of students outside Portland city hall that he would work on a ban of assault-style weapons in Portland.[83]

Wheeler and family at PRISM Pride Parade (2008)

Wheeler and his ex-wife Katrina are involved with Basic Rights Oregon. Wheeler won the group's Fighting Spirit Award in 2008 following his executive order in 2007 enacting full healthcare benefits for transgender workers, and has been endorsed by the organization.[84] He supports same-sex marriage and signed and supported the 2013 Oregon United for Marriage initiative, which advocated the legalization of same-sex marriage in Oregon.[85]

During his first three years as Mayor of Portland, Wheeler oversaw an increase of the police budget from $215 million to $242 million.[86] He allows police to cover their name badges at protests.[86] He supports abolition of a provision in the Portland Police Association's contract known as the "48-hour rule", which gives officers who have employed deadly force a 48-hour buffer before they have to answer questions.[87]