Andra Vltavín — Candidate for City Council, District 4
Endorsed: Full 350PDX Climate Justice Platform 2024 (Zenith, CEI Hub, Portland Harbor, PCEF, Shade Equity, No Freeway Widening, Building Emissions, Transit, Walking & Rolling, Climate Governance, and Divest from Fossil Fuels)
Candidate statement:
I moved to Portland 10 years ago because I had the impression that Portland was a more environmentally friendly city than most. In my time living here, I have been disappointed by the ways our local leaders have sidelined and even de-railed many climate-forward policies. Standing in protest at the gates of Zenith energy alongside other volunteers from 350PDX and Extinction Rebellion PDX, I decided to run for City Council.
I have been personally endorsed by Nancy Hiser, a Linnton resident and community organizer, who had this to say: “Andra is exemplary in a field of very fine Portland city council candidates for District 4, supporting health, wellbeing, and safety in active community commitments that include climate advocacy and disaster preparedness through their Neighborhood Emergency Team … Bright, engaged, generous, compassionate, and principled, Andra is ‘not afraid to get down and do the dirty work’ on behalf of others and our city.”
We must approach every policy and ordinance made at the City level as an environmental issue. Everything has downstream effects. I never want to sacrifice climate resilience for short-term fix solutions.
I will work tirelessly to do the following:
• Support Multnomah County in requiring companies at the Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub, such as Zenith Energy, to opt in to risk bonding
• Follow models from cities in Washington to create a yearly estimate of costs of climate adaptation and assign corresponding fees to known polluters accordingly
• Electrify large trucks and other necessary fleets while recognizing that lithium and cobalt are limited resources that often come from underserved countries and communities
• Prevent freeway expansions
• Reduce and further regulate the transport of oil throughout residential areas
• Prioritize bike and pedestrian infrastructure over cars to encourage alternative methods of transport
• Protect the Portland Clean Energy Fund and ensure that it continues to support underserved members of our community
• Modernize our zoning laws to make it possible to build denser, multi-family dwellings in residential areas, which prevents wilderness from being developed instead and creates more opportunities for public transit
• Invest in our stormwater infrastructure so we can build more densely and separate out stormwater from sewage
• Support shade equity to improve the climate resilience for areas of Portland most affected by heat domes
• Expand the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management to have more than two employees and be better prepared for our impending climate disasters
Obviously, all this is going to take a lot of work and collaboration, but I have been building relationships with almost everyone running for City Council as well as the nonprofits that have been filling in the gaps of government support such that I have a strong base with which to make this happen.
My experience in class action lawsuit documentation, creative reuse, co-founding an eco-friendly cooperative, and serving on the board of directors for a local nonprofit will provide a diverse set of skills with which I can approach and mobilize the community around these issues.
Please visit AndraforPDX.com to learn more.
Will you ensure the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) remains climate-focused in line with what voters intended?
Yes
