91视频

A City Club of Portland debate on Metro‘s $652.8 million affordable housing ballot measure quickly grew tense Friday with an attendee’s question that confronted two panelists with accusations of privilege and racism.

Andy Duyck, chairman of Washington County‘s board of commissioners, and Gerard Mildner, a Portland State University professor of real estate finance, represented the 鈥榥o’ side of the debate.

After a relatively staid debate, they quickly found themselves on the defensive during a question-and-answer session. Duyck had earlier said voters should 鈥渄o no harm鈥� to property taxpayers by rejecting the bond. Moderator Karol Collymore, reading aloud written questions from attendees, posed a pointed query.

鈥淗earing two white men discuss the concept of 鈥榙o no harm’ to those burdened by this bond financially sounds like privilege and supremacy,鈥� Collymore said. 鈥淗ow can we trust your opinion as a 鈥榥o’ vote when it feels so rooted in racism?鈥�

Duyck answered, 鈥淚f you can play the race card, I guess I can’t win. Sorry, wrong color skin. I’m going to pass on that one.鈥�

That led Collymore to follow up, objecting to Duyck’s use of 鈥渞ace card.鈥�

鈥淎s a point of privilege, because I have this microphone, the race card isn’t a thing, and I think you should probably think about stopping saying that because we really don’t have cards to play,鈥� she said.

The barbed exchange illustrated the intersection between race and public policy, and that race is never far from discussions of affordable housing, homelessness and taxation.

Metro’s bond will appear on Nov. 6 ballots alongside a constitutional amendment that would allow public agencies to leverage tax dollars with for-profit and nonprofit developers. Housing advocates have pushed for both measures, saying they would together begin to make a dent in the need for affordable housing.

The 鈥榶es’ side of the panel debate was represented by Lynn Peterson, president-elect of the Metro Council, and Shannon Singleton, executive director of JOIN 鈥� a Portland nonprofit that provides outreach and housing placement to the homeless.

鈥淚 think that what we’re hearing today is that there’s actually been no good arguments put forward not to vote for this ballot measure, and in fact, we need to move forward because 鈥榙o nothing’ is not an answer,鈥� Peterson said. 鈥淔ive dollars a month 鈥� we’re hoping folks will make this investment in each other.鈥�

Duyck and Mildner argued the bond would be inefficient and produce too little housing.

鈥淔or every person who’s lucky enough to win the lottery of affordable housing, there are nine more who will be hurt by higher taxes and higher rents,鈥� Duyck said.

The ballot measure would raise property tax by 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or approximately $60 a year for an average home. Metro aims to create 3,900 housing units with the money.

City Club’s study committee has recommended a 鈥榶es’ vote on the measure.