Portland Green Party Chairman announces run for mayor

From the Facebook page of Portland Green Independent Party Chairman Tom MacMillan:

Photo from the Facebook page "Elect Tom MacMillan."

Photo from the Facebook page “Elect Tom MacMillan.”

Dear friend and neighbors,

I am excited to announce that I am running for mayor of Portland!

After giving the election considerable thought, I have decided to jump in because, while this amazing city has received accolades from national media sources, most Portland residents are struggling; more than 50% of children in Portland Public Schools lack food security, rents are skyrocketing faster than nearly any city in the nation and new luxury developments are bringing about the destruction of the working class character of the city.

All of this has happened under the careful watch of the current mayor and council.

Nothing will change unless we stand up and say: the Portland that we hold dear is worth fighting for! That is exactly what I plan to bring to this election and the position of mayor if elected on November 3.

I plan to give voice to Portland’s movement for livable wages, controlled development and the survival of Portland as a working class city.

Over the last several years, I have been a vocal advocate for social justice on many issues:

* In 2011, I co-authored an ordinance submitted by Councilor David Marshall which put the City of Portland on the record as opposing corporate personhood, including Citizens United, and in support of publicly financed elections.

Leaders of the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana use celebrate in Portland last November. From left to right are David Boyer, Maine Director for the Marijuana Policy Project; Portland City Councilor David Marshall; and Tom MacMillan. Photo, Troy R. Bennett- BDN.

Leaders of the campaign to legalize recreational marijuana use celebrate in Portland last November. From left to right are David Boyer, Maine Director for the Marijuana Policy Project; Portland City Councilor David Marshall; and Tom MacMillan. Photo, Troy R. Bennett- BDN.

* In 2013, I co-authored and led the campaign for local marijuana legalization to free our police from punishing non-violent adults and allow them to focus on more serious issues.

* In 2013-2014, I was a founding board member of the Friends of Congress Square Park, a citizen group and later non-profit which, in June 2014, passed a citywide ordinance requiring that citizens have the final say on the sale of public parks because power must remain in the hands of the average person, not the lobbyists, lawyers and big business owners currently controlling the city.

* This year, I worked as chair of Portlanders for a Living Wage, which is a coalition that collected thousands of signatures for a $15 per hour living wage. An April 2015 poll showed wide support for the issue, with 55% of likely voters in favor. This November, Portland voters will be able to end poverty wages forever in our city.

* I have been chair of the Portland Green Independent Committee for three years and look forward to bringing the perspective of someone completely independent of the interests and lobbying of corporations to City Hall.

Chris Shorr

About Chris Shorr

Chris is a sixth generation Portlander who loves all things Maine. He has worked with mentally ill and marginalized adults at a Portland non-profit, on a lobster boat in Casco Bay, at several high-end Portland restaurants, and at a local meat packing plant. He also ran for Portland City Council in 2013, wrote a weekly column in the now defunct Portland Daily Sun, and currently writes a weekly column in The Portland Phoenix.