Keir Legree — Candidate for City Council, District 3
Endorsed 350PDX CJ platform? No
Will you support PCEF? No
Candidate statement:
Portland should continue taking climate change seriously, but our climate policies also need to be practical, measurable and affordable for the people who live and work here.
I support protecting and expanding Portland’s urban tree canopy, improving public transit and safe walking and biking infrastructure, protecting the Willamette River and our natural areas, and making our infrastructure more resilient to earthquakes, extreme heat, wildfire smoke and other climate-related risks.
I also support increasing housing supply within our existing urban footprint. Building more housing near jobs, services and transit can reduce both housing costs and dependence on cars. We should make it easier and less expensive to build housing while encouraging energy-efficient construction and improvements to existing buildings.
Portlanders already face a high cumulative burden from taxes, fees, utility bills and housing costs. Climate policy should produce meaningful environmental benefits without unnecessarily making Portland less affordable for working families or making it harder for local businesses to remain and grow here.
I support meaningful investment in climate resilience and sustainability, but I also believe City Council must have the flexibility to respond to Portland’s most urgent needs. For that reason, I would not commit to permanently protecting every dollar of PCEF from consideration during the city’s budget process. Portland faces serious budget challenges while residents expect us to address homelessness, public safety, infrastructure and other essential services.
That does not mean abandoning Portland’s climate goals. PCEF investments that produce meaningful, measurable environmental and community benefits should continue. But every program should be accountable for its results, and elected officials need the flexibility to make difficult budget decisions when circumstances require it.
As someone who has managed a Portland-area business for 30 years, my approach would be pragmatic rather than ideological. Environmental stewardship, economic growth and affordability do not have to be competing goals. I will support climate investments that deliver meaningful environmental benefits while making Portland a healthier, more resilient and more affordable city.
