District 3 candidate · Portland City Council · November 3, 2026
Steve Novick
Incumbent councilor; former city commissioner and government environmental lawyer.
Reach the campaign
- novickforportland.com (opens in a new tab)
- vote@novickforportland.com
- Instagram (opens in a new tab)
- Facebook (opens in a new tab)
As published in their pamphlet statement and campaign site.
Campaign finance: sources, amounts and timing ↓
In their words
Said: Steve Novick has fought to cut the bloated budgets - $1.45 million apiece! - the Council voted itself for their personal offices.
Pamphlet p. 57
Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; extracted September 20, 2026
Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 57 ↗Verbatim opening of the candidate's own statement; publication by the county does not verify the claims. The statement opens with an attributed quotation from Earl Blumenauer and the heading “Responsible with our money:”, both skipped.
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 wordsCombines progressive policy goals with cost scrutiny and support for some enforcement measures.
- Reduce Council office spending and shift welfare checks to unarmed responders.
- Use red-flag gun laws and preserve hazardous-camp removal funding.
- Scrutinize the Moda agreement and remove minor business regulations.
Our reading
Our interpretation, not their wordsHis agenda combines unarmed response with police investigations and hazardous-camp removal. The distinction is which intervention fits which problem, rather than a simple choice between enforcement and services.
Where they stand
Rent and homes
Faster building permits; housing investment- What
Supports faster permits and attracting housing investment, alongside stronger state and county mental-health and addiction services.
Full position and context
Supports faster permitting and attracting housing investment, alongside stronger state and county mental-health and addiction services.
- How
- Not found in the reviewed sources
- Measured by
- Not found in the reviewed sources
Camps, crime and who responds
Crime detectives; fewer police welfare checks- What
Would add property-crime detectives and send non-police responders to welfare checks. Supports removing hazardous camps rather than clearing camps indiscriminately.
Full position and context
Would add detectives for property crime and shift welfare checks to unarmed responders; supports removing hazardous camps rather than indiscriminate sweeps.
- How
- Said: Would move 911 welfare-check calls from police to unarmed responders, and prioritize detectives as officers are added.
- Measured by
- Not found in the reviewed sources
Your bills and taxes
Smaller Council budgets; replace Arts Tax- What
Wants lower Council office budgets and an Arts Tax replacement that preserves arts funding. Also seeks a fair arena deal and Medicaid payment for eligible crisis services.
Full position and context
Wants lower Council office budgets, a financially fair Moda agreement, Medicaid reimbursement for Street Response, and replacing the Arts Tax while preserving arts funding.
- How
- Said: Would have Medicaid reimburse Street Response costs, and replace the Arts Tax possibly by folding it into the Children’s Levy; has returned Council office money to the city.
- Measured by
- Said: A Moda Center deal counts as fair only if the city gets at least as much money out as it puts in.
Streets, buses and air
Climate money for transit and water- What
Supports more clean-energy fund spending on transit and possibly water filtration to limit water-rate increases. This is a proposal for how to use the fund.
Full position and context
Supports greater PCEF investment in transportation, including public transit, and possibly using it to pay part of the water-filtration project to offset water-rate increases.
- How
- Said: Would use Clean Energy Fund money for transit and to pay part of the water filtration plant, offsetting water-rate increases.
- Measured by
- Not found in the reviewed sources
The choices this office faces
Every candidate in this race is asked the same 9 questions. Steve Novick is on record on 7, with 2 still open. A question without an answer is a research gap, not a position.
No answer we could findRezone the inner east side to allow apartment buildings off the main streets (the Inner Eastside Zoning Project)?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Restrict new AI data centers in the city?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Public money and terms for renovating the Moda Center?
Steve Novick: YesVoted yes on Approve the Moda negotiating framework
Said: Wants to keep the Blazers and says he is fighting for a fair deal in which the city gets as much money out of the Moda Center as it puts in.
When, if ever, would they raise taxes or fees?
Said: Voted against increasing the Arts Tax and wants to replace it without cutting arts funding, possibly by folding it into the Children’s Levy; hopes to sustain parks without another tax increase.
Add police officers, expand non-police responders, or both?
Said: Says that as Portland adds police officers it should prioritize detectives who follow through on reports.
Keep funding camp removals at current levels?
Steve Novick: NoVoted no on Shift funding away from homeless-camp removals
Said: Says he led the fight against a proposal to slash funding for removing the most hazardous camps; does not support indiscriminate sweeps.
Expand Portland Street Response to a full 24/7 role?
Steve Novick: YesVoted yes on Expand Portland Street Response’s role
Said: Is working to move 911 welfare-check calls to unarmed responders and to get Medicaid to reimburse Street Response; the page does not say whether Street Response should expand to a 24/7 role.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Keep the monthly street repair fee?
Steve Novick: YesVoted yes on Create a monthly transportation utility fee
Said: Says Council should tell voters that at best the fees keep major streets from getting worse, and that the alternative is to let the city die.
Raise water bills to pay for the Bull Run filtration plant and system repairs?
Steve Novick: YesVoted yes on Raise annual water rates
Said: Suggests Clean Energy Fund money could pay part of the water filtration plant and help offset water-rate increases.
Their answers to our questions
Why he opposed Services First and co-proposed the smaller restoration package
Said: I thought “services first” spent too much money that we should be counting on to balance next year’s budget, and would have unacceptably exacerbated what will already be a tough budget next year. Also, I thought restoring cuts in police training was essential. I agree with Zohran Mamdani that the police should be well trained in things like deescalation and driving safely in emergency situations.
Concrete accomplishments, in his words
Said: Red flag law. Passed gas tax. Was the lead lawyer for the “cost recovery” portion of a Superfund lawsuit; won precedent-setting decisions. Was policy researcher and one of the lead communicators for the successful measures 66 and 67 in 2010.
What evidence would determine when an unarmed response or camp removal is appropriate?
Said: I don’t understand the question — when is there a choice between unarmed response and camp removal? [The Lab has since clarified that it asked two separate questions: what should decide when an unarmed response is the right call, and what should decide when a camp removal is; his answer is pending.]
Council votes
Recorded vote · then our reading of the recordSpend less on clearing camps to fund other services?
NoOur reading: Opposed moving the camp-removal money in this proposal
What Council decided
This proposal would move about $4.3 million from clearing homeless camps to a package supporting housing, food, immigration services and city staff. Camping rules would stay in place.
This was a spending amendment, not a vote to repeal the criminal camping ban. Green’s related Ground Score amendment did not take effect because the parent proposal failed.
Raise water bills by about $5 a month?
YesOur reading: Supported water-project borrowing and the annual utility charges
What Council decided
This increase would bring in more money for the water system. A typical monthly water charge would rise from about $66 to $71, before sewer and stormwater charges.
The typical-bill estimate assumes five hundred cubic feet of monthly water use. Actual bills depend on use, billing period and applicable assistance; this is not the total combined utility bill.
Use expected savings to help fund police and firefighters?
YesOur reading: Supported several ways to pay for a smaller set of services
What Council decided
The city expected the office that checks police conduct to have money left over. This proposal would use those expected savings for police and fire services. The savings were not guaranteed.
The tradeoff concerned using money allocated to the new oversight office. The proposal did not abolish that office, and expected underspending was a forecast.
Back these starting terms for renovating Moda Center?
YesOur reading: Raised the proposed arena rent, then supported the terms
What Council decided
The city proposed $120 million for renovations and $275 million for future building needs over 20 years. This vote approved terms for negotiations, not a final contract.
A negotiating framework, not a final construction contract. Support or opposition to this package is not a complete position on retaining the Trail Blazers.
A Term sheet. Starting terms for a negotiation. Approving one is not a final contract., not a final contract.
A question the evidence leaves open
What evidence would determine when an unarmed response or camp removal is appropriate?
Sources (11)
- Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 57Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; reviewed September 18, 2026Written by the candidate or campaign. Publication by the county does not verify the claims.
- Council Lab · current-term record and official-source linksReporting · Current-term research indexIndependent, unofficial research aid. Follow the linked City records for authoritative votes. Automated transcript excerpts require recording verification before quotation.
- Novick · second-term prioritiesCandidate statement · Website reviewed September 18, 2026Campaign position. Claimed results and numerical premises have not automatically been independently verified.
- Novick · emailed response to the Lab’s questionsCandidate statement · Received September 21, 2026Written by the candidate in reply to the Lab’s questions and kept on file; excerpts appear on his brief. Receipt does not verify the claims.
- City of Portland · red flag law presentation (placed file 2026-230)Public record · 2026Cited by the candidate for the red flag law he says he led.
- OPB · Portland gas tax passes (2016)Reporting · May 2016Cited by the candidate for the 10-cent city gas tax he proposed as commissioner.
- Portland Tribune · Novick wants 10-cent city gas tax on May 2016 ballotReporting · October 5, 2015Cited by the candidate for the same measure.
- City of Portland · Resolution 37185, referring the 10-cent gas tax to votersPublic record · January 27, 2016The official record for the measure he cites. Its cover sheet names Commissioner Steve Novick as the sponsor, and Council adopted it 5–0, sending a temporary 10-cent-a-gallon tax for street repair and traffic safety, estimated at $64 million over four years, to the May 17, 2016 ballot. The campaign sent this file on October 7, 2026; it matches the City Auditor’s archive copy.
- U.S. District Court · Superfund cost-recovery decision, 750 F. Supp. 1460Public record · 1990Cited by the candidate as one of the decisions from the Superfund cost-recovery litigation he says he led as a Justice Department lawyer.
- U.S. District Court · Superfund cost-recovery decision, 733 F. Supp. 1424Public record · 1990Cited by the candidate for the same litigation.
- The Oregonian · Measures 66 and 67 tax debate (2010)Reporting · January 2010Cited by the candidate for his policy-research and communications role in the 2010 campaign.