District 4 candidate · Portland City Council · November 3, 2026
Eric Zimmerman
Incumbent councilor; National Guard officer
Incumbent councilor, National Guard officer and former county commissioner’s chief of staff.
Reach the campaign
- ez4pdx.com (opens in a new tab)
- 971-910-0482
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As published in their pamphlet statement and campaign site.
In their words
Said: It’s time to get Positive about Portland! Portland should be the City that says YES.
Pamphlet p. 64
Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; extracted September 20, 2026
Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 64 ↗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 wordsCombines support for housing production, policing, Street Response and camp cleanups with opposition to several tax increases.
- Protect police and fire while supporting Street Response.
- Build housing and restrain tax and fee increases.
- Combine shelter, enforcement, cleanups and treatment; restore maintenance.
Our reading
Our interpretation, not their wordsHe would maintain several forms of response while resisting tax and fee increases. The key choice is what to reduce or reallocate if existing revenue cannot sustain police, fire, shelter, unarmed response and maintenance together.
Where they stand
Rent and homes
Build housing and shelter- What
- Said: Supports housing production and shelter.
- How
- Said: Would add a five-year SDC grant program, 10-year tax abatements for ownership units sold at 125% MFI, “permit upon review” for proven developers, and open more TASS and pod shelter sites.
- Measured by
- Said: Permanently affordable projects over 50 units permitted in 90 days or less; unsanctioned camping ended “as quickly as possible,” with no date.
Camps, crime and who responds
Police and Street Response- What
- Said: Combines police, Street Response, camp cleanups, enforcement and treatment.
- How
- Said: Would expand patrol and detective units, trimming other support roles until fully staffed; let Street Response transport people to sobering and psychiatric care; add a 24/7 drop-off sobering center; seek SHS dollars for treatment.
- Measured by
- Said: A Police Bureau of 1,000 sworn officers and an end to unsanctioned camping; no dates are given.
Your bills and taxes
Against tax, fee increases- What
- Said: Opposes several tax and fee increases while prioritizing police, fire and maintenance.
- How
- Not in their sources
- Measured by
- Not in their sources
Streets, buses and air
Not foundNot found in the sources we reviewed. That is a research gap, not a position.
The choices this office faces
Every candidate in this race is asked the same 8 questions. Eric Zimmerman is on record on 7, with 1 still open. A question without an answer is a research gap, not a position.
No answer we could findRestrict 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?
Eric Zimmerman: YesApprove the Moda negotiating framework
No statement beyond the recorded vote.
Raise new revenue, or hold the line on taxes and fees?
Said: Says he passed tax cuts and voted against increases, and is focused on lowering housing costs rather than raising taxes.
Hire more sworn officers, or invest first elsewhere?
Said: Would expand the Police Bureau to 1,000 sworn officers, growing patrol and investigations and trimming other support roles until fully staffed.
Keep funding camp removals at current levels?
Eric Zimmerman: AbsentBudget amendment
Said: Calls ending unsanctioned camping a must, with an enforceable time-place-manner ordinance, camp cleanups and more TASS shelter sites.
Expand Portland Street Response to a full 24/7 role?
Eric Zimmerman: YesExpand Portland Street Response’s role
Said: Would let Street Response transport people to sobering centers and psychiatric emergency care; 24/7 coverage is not addressed.
Keep the monthly street repair fee?
Eric Zimmerman: NoCreate a monthly transportation utility fee
Said: Cites his vote against the new street fee as part of a record of opposing tax increases.
Raise water bills to pay for the Bull Run filtration plant and system repairs?
Eric Zimmerman: NoRaise annual water rates
No statement beyond the recorded vote.
Council votes
Recorded vote · then our reading of the recordRaise 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.
Add a monthly fee to help repair streets?
NoOur reading: Opposed the new charges, but helped direct the spending
What Council decided
The fee is $12 for a typical house or $8.40 per apartment. Most of the money goes to street repairs; the rest goes to safety improvements.
Approving a revenue source does not show that every promised repair has happened. The ordinance includes review of business charges and assistance for residents.
Use expected savings to help fund police and firefighters?
YesOur reading: Kept the proposed police increase; opposed the overall annual budget
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: Supported the arena terms while opposing the higher proposed rent
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
Which spending would you reduce if existing revenue cannot sustain those services?
Sources (2)
- Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 64Candidate 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.