District 3 candidate · Portland City Council · November 3, 2026
Tiffany Koyama Lane
Incumbent councilor; former public-school teacher and union organizer.
Reach the campaign
- teachertiffanyforthepeople.com (opens in a new tab)
- info@teachertiffanyforthepeople.com
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As published in their pamphlet statement and campaign site.
In their words
Said: I’m Teacher Tiffany, a Japanese American public school teacher, union organizer, and mom raising two kids in Southeast Portland.
Pamphlet p. 54
Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; extracted September 20, 2026
Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 54 ↗Verbatim opening of the candidate's own statement; publication by the county does not verify the claims.
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 wordsIdentifies as a democratic socialist and emphasizes workers, renters, immigrant protections and public participation.
- Continue support for rental assistance and social housing.
- Protect immigrant and LGBTQIA+ families and improve street safety.
- Demand public oversight of oil infrastructure, data centers and the Moda deal.
Our reading
Our interpretation, not their wordsPublic ownership and regulation are central tools in her program. Building homes and sustaining services require recurring funding; voting for a study or regulation is different from demonstrating its eventual results.
Where they stand
Rent and homes
Publicly owned housing- What
- Said: Supports publicly owned housing as an alternative to for-profit landlords and continued rental assistance.
- How
- Said: Points to the Keep Portland Housed ordinance’s revolving loan and social housing fund, rent aid and eviction defense, and a city study of how social housing could be implemented.
- Measured by
- Not in their sources
Camps, crime and who responds
Not foundNot found in the sources we reviewed. That is a research gap, not a position.
Your bills and taxes
Fund public services- What
- Said: Favors public services, stronger union contracts and regulating corporations while lowering the burden on working families. A fully costed next-term program is not established here.
- How
- Said: Names income-threshold relief as the tool: a higher Arts Tax income threshold and low-income relief, including multi-family households, under the Transportation Utility Fee.
- Measured by
- Not in their sources
Streets, buses and air
Zero traffic deaths- What
- Said: Prioritizes Vision Zero, bike and transit infrastructure, tree canopy and a data-center moratorium.
- How
- Said: Amended the Transportation Utility Fee ordinance so 25 percent of its funds go to Vision Zero safety and sidewalk projects; created a citywide Vision Zero position.
- Measured by
- Said: Says the yardstick is Vision Zero itself: eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries.
The choices this office faces
Every candidate in this race is asked the same 8 questions. Tiffany Koyama Lane is on record on 8. A question without an answer is a research gap, not a position.
On recordPublic money and terms for renovating the Moda Center?
Tiffany Koyama Lane: NoApprove the Moda negotiating framework
Said: Says she fought for a fair deal for Portlanders in the Moda Center negotiations and will make sure it is fair for taxpayers.
Raise new revenue, or hold the line on taxes and fees?
Said: Lists “Tax the Rich to Fund our Communities” as a goal while lowering the tax burden on working families.
Hire more sworn officers, or invest first elsewhere?
Said: Told OPB in 2024 she wants to free police to do the job they were trained for, not fill safety-net holes, and supports expanding Street Response; her answer does not say whether to hire more officers.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Keep funding camp removals at current levels?
Tiffany Koyama Lane: YesBudget amendment
No statement beyond the recorded vote.
Restrict new AI data centers in the city?
Said: Would champion a moratorium on data centers to protect the water supply and farmland and keep costs off households.
Expand Portland Street Response to a full 24/7 role?
Tiffany Koyama Lane: YesExpand Portland Street Response’s role
No statement beyond the recorded vote.
Keep the monthly street repair fee?
Tiffany Koyama Lane: YesCreate a monthly transportation utility fee
Said: Says she secured low-income relief under the new Transportation Utility Fee and directed 25 percent of it to Vision Zero and sidewalks.
Raise water bills to pay for the Bull Run filtration plant and system repairs?
Tiffany Koyama Lane: NoRaise annual water rates
Said: Says she reduced utility hikes for working-class Portlanders.
Council votes
Recorded vote · then our reading of the recordSpend less on clearing camps to fund other services?
YesOur reading: Supported moving camp-removal money to other services
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?
NoOur reading: Supported construction borrowing; opposed higher 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?
NoOur reading: Favored restoring more services; rejected July’s smaller plan
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?
NoOur reading: Rejected the arena terms after seeking stronger financial conditions
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 recurring revenue would sustain housing and service commitments?
Sources (3)
- Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 54Candidate 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.
- Koyama Lane · policy and track recordCandidate statement · Website reviewed September 18, 2026Campaign position. Claimed results and numerical premises have not automatically been independently verified.