If you were to count the platform statements of all candidates for Portland City Council, Chad Lykins would probably get the most. The 4th District candidates are policy-minded. His Bike Portland debut came from a desire to have the best transportation platform of any contender in the race. It could be because he has a lot of ideas and is eager to implement them, or because he has a PhD in research and public policy.
Yesterday I spent a few hours with Mr. Lykins in his district. We rode bikes and talked about infrastructure and policy, from protected bike lanes to homeless shelters. We were both pedaling with microphones on, so we shared the conversation above (and on our podcast feed too).
Mr. Lykins is a strong candidate for District 4. Last month, he became one of only seven candidates to qualify for his $40,000 in matching funds. He is a former professor, small business owner, and nonprofit leader. He is also a proud progressive. It's a label that defines him as central to Portland politics.
When I asked him how he planned to move beyond the divisive discourse that defines (and plagues) local politics these days, he said: [Paul] WELLSTONE — “We don't need to focus on whether we're on the left, right, or center. We need to be at the forefront of where the problems are.” That's what I'm really focused on. ”
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Lykins says his guiding light is not a particular ideology or political label. That's proof. “Before I think about ideology, whether something is progressive or moderate…I just look at the evidence. We're trying to uplift a lot of people who care about policy based on this.”
But Lykins understands that moving forward will require political lines to be drawn, as not everyone agrees with the evidence. “In Portland, that means less reaching out to the far right and getting them to agree to something. The right is pretty weak, and there aren't many strong candidates in this election. . I think it's more progressive, and progressivism is the center. There's conservatism on the right and radicalism on the left. Progressive is the center. Most Portlanders are here. . It's about reaching out to the more radical members and saying, “…''
Both sides of the center? I interjected. To this he replied:
“No, actually. I think we can get rid of the radical right wing. In fact, I don't think we need them to govern. We can listen to them, and we can listen to them. I feel like we don't need to be on the right side of things, but we need to be able to reach out to more radical people. [left] People in Portland say, “Hey, just like you, I walk and I ride.'' But sometimes I have to drive my kids to soccer practice. It may not be possible, but it is not safe. And I drive too. So when you're yelling at drivers, turn the volume down a little.
I'm saying that you can be a pro-tenant without being anti-landlord. There are some policies that really help both.
I feel like people who say, “Oh, the problem is capitalism, so we need to eradicate capitalism.” Or the abolition of private property…that can’t be on the City Council agenda. ”
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What does fellow District 4 candidate Eli Arnold think of Portland police officers taking a tougher stance on crime?
“I’m so glad you brought Eli.” [the BikePortland Podcast]. I thought that was a good thing…Eli and I have different ideas about what the evidence shows about supporting communities and helping people house who are being harmed by the addiction epidemic. And I think you are. But I want to win an argument with him. He would like to have a discussion. I don't try to silence others. ”
When it comes to homelessness, Lykins (along with other candidates) says it's a top priority.
Our ride started at Baker and Spike in Hillsdale Shopping Center on South Wales Capitol Highway. On our way to southwest Multnomah, we entered the Multnomah Safe Rest Village.
Lykins supports such shelters, but worries it undermines the urgency for more permanent housing solutions. “We must have an answer to the homeless problem, but at the moment we only have bad choices. Living in a shack is no one's dream. But living in a tent is everyone's nightmare… We must make sure that this is not a trap, that it is not a permanent rest village, because no neighborhood wants to hold it forever, and no one wants to live in such a place forever. It's supposed to be a transitional thing, and we need to make sure it stays that way.”
After sharing fellow candidate Eli Arnold's vision for rapidly building regulated tent camps, I asked Lykins how to balance a housing-first mindset with concerns about “free for all” dispersed camping. I asked him if he wanted to take it.
“I don't want to speak for Eli, but as I understand it, his plan is not an evacuation plan like HUD. [the federal Housing & Urban Development] Define it. The only difference is where you pitch your tent. So instead of a dispersed camp, he's talking about concentrating the camp so everyone gathers behind a large barbed wire fence. It's just a bunch of tents packed together. I looked for all the research I could, has anyone quit fentanyl and meth while living in a tent? Is it decentralized or centralized? — I didn't know if it would be very effective or if it would reduce crime in the surrounding area…I don't think it's a real solution. I don't think it will help people get the job training they need or the guidance they need to move into services. ”
Lykins has spent time in academia, but he's not just talking about the ivory tower. He grew up in Alabama with two teenage parents, and his mother struggled with substance abuse and mental illness, he said. “Our home wasn't always safe,” he recalled. “One night I was in the kitchen trying to get something to eat and I turned around and there was a gun pointed at my head. Well…I…it was my mom. She thought someone had broken into the house. She couldn't agree with that at all.
So when I talk about addiction, it's about having family members experience addiction, seeing the effects on families, and understanding what addicts go through and what they really need. Speak from the perspective of someone who has some ideas about things. ”
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Lykins also understands the impact unsafe bike infrastructure has on people in the district. At several points during his ride he checked in to make sure I was safe.
“These bike lanes really suck!” he said, his voice bouncing off the cracks and bumps in the ditch bike lane on the South Wales Capitol Highway next to the bus lane that runs through Hillsdale Shopping Center. He supports bus lanes and gets a fair amount of opposition, but I wouldn't call him a superfan. He thinks it might need some adjustments, but would definitely not support ripping it. “I still stand by the idea that the city council needs to pass an ordinance that says bus, bike and pedestrian infrastructure will not be removed until it is replaced.”
Lykins speaks as if he were a rare leader who can walk the fine line between compromising his beliefs and being determined to make great strides. “The problem is to make sure the perfect people don't kill the good people,” he said, standing on the site of the Alpenrose dairy, where hundreds of new homes will soon be built. “I don't want to be the guy who drags things out just because he's not 100% achieving all the goals we set out for him. You have to be willing to compromise.”
Lykins is willing to listen to other opinions, but he doesn't hesitate to support denser development. “Increasing population density will reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled and increase the number of people competing for public transport and cycling. [those modes] “It will be more viable,” he said. “When more people ride this, it reduces the total amount of maintenance on all roads.”
And what if we don’t build more housing near central cities?
“If you have to expand the growth boundaries of a city, it's like building a ticking time bomb, because you have to maintain all the roads you build. You have to maintain facilities like sewers. ”
Lykins has a strong case for breaking away from the status quo of motoring. “[My views are] Professional driver, professional driver, every time I ride my bike somewhere, I won't take up your parking space and you didn't have to wait behind me. Besides, I didn't hit you with my car. ”
“I'm not a particularly good driver. So you threw me off the road. That's good!” he added with a laugh. “So the more people who use bicycles and public transport, the better off they will be as drivers.”
He also believes building more protected bike lanes, with protection beyond paint and plastic, is long overdue. At one point during the bike ride, as we lamented the paint-only state of the bike lanes, he started singing. He said, “They should remake the 'I'm Just Ken' song.” [from Barbie]“he said, and then began to sing.''It's just paint. It's just paint.Keeping you safe, it's different”
Lykins is a political novice in Portland, which may be why he remains in good spirits. But don't mistake his attitude for lack of seriousness. He understands the stakes are high.
He said if elected he would focus on two things: housing (which he feels would “unlock” many related issues, including transportation) and a new form of government for Portland. It's about launching it effectively.
“We have to govern well, and we have to govern right from the beginning. I don't know if there will be a second chance. It's a very narrow window.”
— Listen to the entire conversation in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also check out our highlight reel videos on BikePortland's Instagram. For more information about Lykins, visit LykinsForPortland.com.
