City of Hillsboro · November 3, 2026

Portland City Council, Council · Ward 2, Position A

2
Candidates: 1
Seats: Vote for one
Method: Nov 3
Due 8 p.m.

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Our readingDraft

One candidate emphasizes schools, employers and family stability, offering childcare and school-board experience. The other proposes specific changes: tighter conditions on corporate incentives, expanded immigrant services and weekly town halls. Ask what each would cost and which council votes would change.

2 candidates, A–Z. Tap any position to read the sentence, how they would deliver it, and the source.

6 more choices, below6 more choices

Where each candidate stands on four issues, in our short reading of their statements. Each position is a button; activate it to read the sentence, how they would deliver it, and the source. Candidates appear alphabetically.
Candidate	2 of 2 documented	1 of 2 documented	2 of 2 documented	1 of 2 documented	Save to my ballot
Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair	Homes	Safety	Money	Streets
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran	Homes	Safety	Money	Streets

What this office decides right now

What’s at stake

Hillsboro’s Ward 2 councilor is one of six votes beside the mayor on the two-year budget ($1.95 billion for 2025–27), the enterprise-zone fees data centers pay, the moratorium and zoning that govern where they go, utility fees, the sanctuary ordinance’s follow-through and downtown housing rules. The term opens with the moratorium up for review in November, an October zoning hearing, fee hearings in November and a $90 million police headquarters under construction.

Each of this office’s 6 live choices is a board below, with every candidate’s stated position or the gap.

$1.95 billion biennium
The 2025–27 adopted budget totals $1,946,850,001 for two years across the city’s funds; the next council writes the 2027–29 budget in spring 2027, with the enterprise-zone and Strategic Investment Program funds that data-center agreements feed among its largest discretionary sources.
Intel abatement windfall
The June 23, 2026 supplemental budget added $25.4 million, including $10.2 million in unexpected property tax as Intel’s 2005 abatement expired; $9.5 million of it went to a Strategic Investment Program reserve and $726,000 to immigration-response programs the council had approved without budgeting.
Data-center tax base
Twelve abated data-center companies held about $7.2 billion in exempt property value in 2025 and still paid about $61.1 million in taxes; 33 of the city’s 50 enterprise-zone agreements are data-center sites, the enterprise-zone fund holds about $55 million, and data centers used 111 million gallons of water in 2025, 1.76% of the city’s total.
Moratorium clock
Resolution 2932 (July 27, 2026, 6–0) bars new or expanded data-center and battery-storage applications for 120 days and must be reviewed for extension or repeal by November 24; the city counts 23 data-center sites on about 570 acres, and the governor’s task-force report is due in October.
$90 million police HQ
A new police headquarters consolidating the East and West precincts is estimated at about $90 million; in June 2025 the council raised its authorized full-faith-and-credit borrowing from $70 million to $95 million (Ordinance 6503), with debt service paid from the Strategic Investment Program fund rather than the general fund.
Streets short $4 million
The pavement program needs about $8.5 million a year but the transportation utility fee yields about $4.5 million, and transportation spending outruns revenue by about $2 million a year; staff recommend raising the fee to $11.64 a month for a home, with a public hearing in November and new rates January 1, 2027.
First year-round shelter
The city’s first year-round shelter at 345 SW 17th Avenue opened November 14, 2025 with 75 sleeping spaces (35 congregate beds and 40 pods), built for $17 million including $8.3 million of Metro supportive-housing money through the county and run by Project Homeless Connect.

Where they stand · six more choices

Six choices the City of Hillsboro faces

One question at a time: every candidate’s answer, A–Z, with its source. Open all to see who has said nothing about what.

Data-center moratoriumAdopt the new data-center zoning limits on October 6 and extend the 120-day moratorium past November 24?1 of 2 on recordNot found: Ivette Pantoja

On July 27, 2026 the council adopted Resolution 2932, a 120-day moratorium on new or expanded data-center and battery-storage applications, 6–0; it must be reviewed by November 24. The city counts 23 data-center sites on about 570 acres, 16 of them built. On September 9 the Planning Commission approved a code amendment limiting data centers to two industrial zones and 1,000 feet from schools and capping accessory data centers at 25% of a site; the council hearing is October 6.

Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair
Not found
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed; a research gap, not a position.
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran
Backed the moratorium
Said: What they said
Testified July 27, 2026 in support of the moratorium, arguing Hillsboro is overly dependent on one industry; on June 23 told the council its enterprise-zone criteria produced massive tax breaks with minimal job creation.
Our paraphrase of the candidate’s statement.

Data-center tax breaksRaise the fees data centers pay on abated taxes and set stricter terms on new abatements?1 of 2 on recordNot found: Ivette Pantoja

The council sets the enterprise-zone community service fee (up to 33% of abated tax in years one to three, 50% in years four and five) and, with the school district, the 15% school support fee. Twelve abated data-center companies held about $7.2 billion of exempt property value in 2025 and still paid about $61.1 million in taxes; the enterprise-zone fund holds about $55 million. On July 21, 2026 the council paused new Strategic Investment Program deals with stand-alone data centers for 180 days, 4–0, a month after a lawsuit over 17 applications.

Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair
Not found
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed; a research gap, not a position.
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran
Raise fees to 30%
Said: What they said
Would move the school support fee from the 15% floor toward 30% and raise the community service fee ceiling on new abatements, require job and wage disclosure and a council briefing before any subsidy, and claw back unmet commitments.
Our paraphrase of the candidate’s statement.

Utility feesRaise the transportation utility fee to $11.64 a month and sewer and stormwater rates about 5% from January 1?1 of 2 on recordNot found: Ivette Pantoja

On July 21, 2026 staff recommended raising the transportation utility fee to $11.64 a month for a home: the pavement program needs about $8.5 million a year and revenue allows about $4.5 million. On July 7 staff proposed roughly 5% sewer and stormwater increases, about $4.18 a month in the first year. Hearings are set for November with new rates January 1, 2027; drinking-water rates are set separately by the Utilities Commission, which is weighing 4–4.5% for 2027.

Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair
Not found
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed; a research gap, not a position.
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran
Data-center power class
Said: What they said
Would have the city study a data-center electricity class within its franchise fee so the load it zoned pays; the transportation-fee and sewer proposals are unsaid.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid. Our paraphrase.

Human Rights OfficeFund a Human Rights Office ($321,000–$553,000 a year) and more legal aid on top of the sanctuary ordinance?1 of 2 on recordNot found: Ivette Pantoja

The council declared a local emergency over federal immigration enforcement November 18, 2025 (5–0) and codified the Sanctuary Promise Act as Ordinance 6513 on March 3, 2026 (6–0). On January 20, 2026 staff costed a Human Rights Office at $321,000–$553,000 a year; the council chose to form a community advisory committee first and lists the office as “to be revisited.” The June 23 supplemental budget carried $726,000 for immigration-response programs already approved.

Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair
Not found
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed; a research gap, not a position.
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran
Establish the office
Said: What they said
Would fund legal and emergency aid, enforce the sanctuary law and establish a Human Rights Office, finishing what he says the council tabled in January 2026.
Our paraphrase of the candidate’s statement.

Housing and displacementAdd local tenant protections and a downtown anti-displacement strategy, or focus on loosening rules to build more?2 of 2 on record

On June 23, 2026 the council updated its code to match new state housing-application laws, 4–1; on July 7 it redesignated 4.54 industrial acres (Synopsys East) for medium-density housing, 4–2. On August 18 staff presented the draft Avenida Diez equitable development strategy for the downtown urban-renewal area, 20 actions including a preference policy for long-time renters and tailored tax exemptions; adoption is pending, and the 398-home SoHi Central subdivision is before the council.

Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair
Missing-middle to multifamily
Said: What they said
Wants balanced development from missing-middle to multifamily housing matched to neighborhood infrastructure so residents are not priced out; tenant protections and the downtown strategy are unsaid.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid. Our paraphrase.
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran
Notice, counsel, land trusts
Said: What they said
Would push mandatory notice before rent increases, a right to counsel in eviction court, anti-displacement protections and community land trusts, and tie public support for business to housing people can afford.
Our paraphrase of the candidate’s statement.

Private-jet hangarsApprove Sky Harbour’s seven private-jet hangars at the airport when it refiles?0 of 2 on recordNot found: Ivette Pantoja, Karim Delgado

The Planning Commission approved seven hangars (about 189,000 square feet on 13.7 acres, room for about 30 jets) on May 27, 2026, 5–0 with one abstention. Two appeals brought the case to the council on August 18 with a decision set for October 6, until Sky Harbour withdrew on September 9 saying it needs time to address comments and plans to resubmit; a refiling restarts review before the next council.

Ivette PantojaPreschool owner; former school-board chair
Not found
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed; a research gap, not a position.
Karim DelgadoBusiness owner; Marine veteran
Not found
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed; a research gap, not a position.

About this race

How to vote

You vote for one candidate. How it works

Ballots mail Oct 14 · return by 8 p.m. Nov 3

What this office can do

The mayor and council set city policy, adopt the budget and oversee the city manager. One member cannot enact a proposal alone. Schools, transit and county health services involve separate governing bodies.

How this list was made

Same questions for everyone, A–Z. Each chip is our short reading of a sourced statement; we do not endorse, rank or score.

Reviewed September 18, 2026 · lines 2026-09-19.1 · AI-assisted, human review pending

Terms explained

Amendment: A proposed change to a measure before the final vote. Voting for an amendment is not the same as voting for the whole measure.
Supplemental budget: A mid-year change to the city budget after the main budget is adopted.
Appropriation: Permission to spend money on something. It does not mean the money has been spent or the result achieved.
PCEF: The Portland Clean Energy Fund: a tax on large retailers that pays for climate projects. Council has debated using its interest for other services.
Term sheet: Starting terms for a negotiation. Approving one is not a final contract.
Social housing: Housing owned by the public or a nonprofit and rented at controlled prices.
CEI Hub: The fuel-storage area along the Willamette in Northwest Portland, where Zenith Energy operates.
Ranked choice: You rank candidates in order. If your first choice is eliminated or already elected, your vote counts toward your next choice.