Mayor Ted Wheeler, in his final State of the City address, emphasized the imperative for Portland to take charge of its own narrative and touted the policies his administration has implemented to address the city's foremost challenges. OregonLive reported Wheeler's calls to action, "We can’t let the naysayers control the narrative," as he appealed to the audience at a downtown Portland Metro Chamber-sponsored event on his desire for the city's continued progress.
Wheeler's tenure as mayor, which spanned across transformative years encompassing the COVID-19 pandemic and significant social upheaval, saw him navigate the city through a host of stringent health measures and a recalibration of the police budget. In a reflective State of the City forum, he paralleled the city's evolution with his own role's transformation, noting the $15 million cut from the police budget amidst the social tumult of 2020. These details were outlined in a forum hosted by KOIN 6 Political Director Ken Boddie and described in an article by KOIN 6 News.
As part of his farewell address, Wheeler coupled his narrative with the potential economic boon of sports franchises for the city, revealing plans to seek approval from the city council for an initiative to bring a Major League Baseball team to Portland through a partnership with the Portland Diamond Project. "These sports franchises can bring billions of dollars into our community," Wheeler proclaimed. This snippet of sports-centered urban optimism was captured by KGW News, as Wheeler announced his resolution ahead of his departure.
The culmination of Wheeler's speech was met with recognition from the Portland Metro Chamber, which declared that henceforth, every October 24 would be known as Mayor Wheeler Day in the city. Andrew Hoan, President and CEO of the chamber, acknowledged the strides made under Wheeler’s leadership, stating, "We cannot go backwards." He added, "It's not perfect but there is steady progress." Vanessa Sturgeon, President and CEO of TMT Development, attended the event, echoing the sentiment regarding the city's trajectory and development. These commendations and affirmations of progress were highlighted in KGW's report on Wheeler's address and the responses it garnered.
