Council · Position 2 candidate · City of Gresham · November 3, 2026
Will DelPlato
Retired nurse, healthcare leader and Army veteran.
Reach the campaign
- votedelplato.com (opens in a new tab)
- will@votedelplato.com
- 503.683.1763
- Contact form (opens in a new tab)
As published in their pamphlet statement and campaign site.
In their words
Said: I have spent my life serving others. As a U.S. Army veteran, registered nurse, and hospital leader, I’ve learned that leadership is about listening, solving problems, and putting people first.
Pamphlet p. 42
Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; extracted September 21, 2026
Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 42 ↗Verbatim opening of the candidate's own statement; publication by the county does not verify the claims. The first sentence is under 12 words, so two are shown.
The verbatim opening of their voters’ pamphlet statement, the same rule for every candidate. We chose nothing.
What they say they would do
Our summary of their platform, in our wordsProposes early spending adjustments and more efficient permitting, alongside support for first responders.
- Review programs for efficiency and accountability.
- Streamline permitting for businesses.
- Prioritize affordability, safety and economic growth.
Our reading
Our interpretation, not their wordsHis premise is that small, early budget changes prevent painful cuts later; the statement does not quantify those changes or name the programs it would review.
Where they stand
Rent and homes
Smart development- What
- Said: Promote smart development and efficient city management to help keep housing and daily living more affordable.
- How
- Said: Streamline permitting, add a business liaison to guide applicants, and adopt a pre-approved home design program modeled on Bend’s, which he says saves $5,000–$10,000 or more in design costs.
- Measured by
- Said: Shorter permit timelines and lower fees than neighboring cities.
Camps, crime and who responds
Police plus prevention- What
- Said: Support the police and first responders, strengthen partnerships between law enforcement and neighborhoods, and invest in prevention programs to keep families safe.
- How
- Said: Protect police and fire as core services with the tools they need; no Portland-style permissive camping policies.
- Measured by
- Said: Faster response times.
Your bills and taxes
Small cuts early- What
- Said: Gresham’s budget shortfall is growing; act now with small, early changes rather than waiting for painful ones, review city spending for efficiencies, hold programs accountable, and streamline permitting so red tape does not deter entrepreneurs.
- How
- Said: Review purchasing, contracts and technology for savings before new taxes or fees, review each major program’s cost against its results on a schedule, and pay ongoing costs with ongoing money.
- Measured by
- Said: A smaller structural gap in each adopted budget; he puts this year’s at about $12 million, growing to $30.8 million by 2031.
Streets, buses and air
Maintain roads- What
- Said: Focus on road maintenance, public spaces and long-term planning to ensure safe and sustainable neighborhoods.
- How
- Said: Extend Gresham’s five-year Capital Improvement Program to a 10- to 20-year horizon so road and pipe replacement is budgeted before it becomes an emergency.
- Measured by
- Not in their sources
The choices this office faces
Every candidate in this race is asked the same 6 questions. Will DelPlato is on record on 4, with 2 still open. A question without an answer is a research gap, not a position.
No answer we could findKeep the Police, Fire and Parks Fee at $15 a month, now that the council can change it by resolution?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Renew the $1.35 public-safety levy before it expires in 2029, and keep Gresham’s own fire department rather than join a district?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Keep drawing reserves to cover a $10 million general-fund gap, or cut services or raise revenue?
Said: Says the budget shortfall is growing and the city should “act now with small, early changes rather than waiting until we’re forced into painful ones,” reviewing spending for efficiencies rather than relying on reserves.
Stay on the new groundwater system and fix the taste and hardness complaints, with water rates rising 5% a year from 2028?
Said: Would keep the groundwater system, saying there is no viable alternative and costs will be better controlled than buying Portland’s water; wants honest answers on taste, odor and hardness, promotion of free testing and a responsive fix.
Keep the camping ban with housing-focused outreach, and allow pod shelters only under the new permit code?
Said: Does not support Portland-style permissive camping policies; he does not address outreach or the pod-shelter permit code.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Go beyond the January 2026 rule-of-law resolution and declare an immigration-enforcement emergency, as residents asked?
Said: Says he is keeping his focus local, on Gresham’s budget, safety and services; he does not say whether to declare an immigration-enforcement emergency.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Their answers to our questions
Rent and homes
Said: Gresham has some of the slowest permit approvals and highest permit fees in the area. I would streamline permitting, create a business liaison to help applicants through city red tape, and adopt a pre-approved home design program modeled on Bend’s, which saves homeowners $5,000–$10,000+ in design costs. Success: shorter permit timelines and lower fees than neighboring cities.
Camps, crime and who responds
Said: Police and Fire are core services I will protect, while making sure they have the tools and resources to do the job without red tape. I do not support Portland-style permissive camping policies. Success: faster response times.
Bills and taxes
Said: Gresham’s real structural shortfall is about $12 million this year, growing to $30.8 million by 2031. I would act early: review purchasing, contracts and technology for savings before adding new taxes or fees; review each major program’s cost against its results on a regular schedule; and match ongoing costs with ongoing money rather than one-time funds. Success: a shrinking structural gap in each adopted budget.
Streets, buses and air
Said: I would extend Gresham’s five-year Capital Improvement Program to a 10- to 20-year horizon, so we budget for road and pipe replacement before it becomes an emergency.
Groundwater and rates
Said: Keep the current groundwater system. There is no viable alternative today, and costs will be better controlled than buying Portland’s water, which is expected to become much higher than current prices. Residents also deserve honest answers and accountability on taste, odor and hardness concerns, and I support promoting the city’s free water testing and pushing for a responsive fix.
Public-safety fee
Said: Still reviewing.
Immigration enforcement
Said: I’m keeping my focus local, on Gresham’s budget, safety and services.
A question the evidence leaves open
What specific budget changes would you propose in your first year?
Sources (2)
- Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 42Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; reviewed September 18, 2026Written by the candidate or campaign. Publication by the county does not verify the claims.
- DelPlato · campaign home and issuesCandidate statement · Website reviewed September 21, 2026Campaign position. Claimed results and numerical premises have not automatically been independently verified.