A Prominent Critic of Portland’s Transportation Strategy Donates to Commissioner Chloe Eudaly

We asked him why. He told us.

Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly. (Wesley Lapointe)
By Nigel Jaquiss

CONTRIBUTION OF THE WEEK

HOW MUCH?
$250

WHO GAVE IT?
Portland lawyer and transportation safety activist Scott Kocher

WHO GOT IT?
City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, who is seeking public campaign financing for her re-election campaign and is therefore limited to maximum individual contributions of $250.

WHY IS IT INTERESTING?
Kocher has been one of the loudest critics of the Portland Bureau of Transportation, which is engaged in a traffic safety plan called Vision Zero. That plan seeks to eliminate traffic deaths in the city, but the numbers are going in the wrong direction, having increased from 34 in 2018 to 50 in 2019. Eudaly oversees that effort, which makes it a little surprising that Kocher would donate the maximum as Eudaly tries to fend off a challenge by former Portland Mayor Sam Adams. "It's fair to say I am a huge supporter and a huge critic of PBOT at the same time," Kocher says. "But I think she's smart and independent, and I think if she's re-elected, we'll see the numbers [of fatalities] turn around."

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