Kate Snyder is a pragmatic, inclusive and visionary thinker who understands the grounded details needed to bring a city’s future to life. Her education and work with nonprofits, as executive director of the Foundation for Portland Schools and board member of the Portland Parks Conservancy, reinforce her ability to see challenges from different points of view, work on difficult problems and find a way forward on issues from reducing homelessness to providing fair housing to improving our schools.

Kate has demonstrated these qualities as chair and finance chair of the Portland Board of Public Education. She served as an at-large representative during a time of budget crisis and intense state pressure, but very calmly led the process to find workable solutions. I see Kate as someone who will listen to and engage the entire city in the process.

Having never sought office for a district seat, she has no allegiances, but has a familiarity and care for the entirety of Portland – including residents who never go downtown and who think their neighborhoods have been neglected in favor of a shiny hotel, or a hipster brewery.

Kate Snyder does not have a ready-made constituency, which I think is an asset for a job that requires a unifying and collaborative leadership style on the City Council. A successful mayor is more concerned with accomplishment than taking credit, and I think that has been lacking here in Portland for some time. This job requires leadership by envisioning a brighter future and setting priorities and goals that are within the purview of us, the taxpayers.

I endorse Kate Snyder for mayor of Portland. Google her. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Come see her speak. Voice your concerns. She will listen and will act as a moderator of a process that includes diverse opinions.

Chas Foehl

Portland