By Spencer Thibodeau
Portland City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau will not seek reelection. Here is his letter to WEN readers:
More than six years ago, I made a decision that would change my life forever – to step forward and run for City Council. From that moment forward, I had the opportunity to meet many of you in coffee shops or on walks in the neighborhood or at your doors. Each of you brought forward different issues, challenged me on matters before the Council, allowed me to grow and most importantly, learn. It was an experience I will never forget, and I am so grateful to live in a community like Portland (and, especially District 2) with neighbors like you.
Your comradery over the years made my decision a few weeks ago even more difficult. After months of agonizing over whether to seek three more years of service on the Portland City Council, I made the hard decision to not seek re-election. There were a number of factors that went into this difficult decision and I certainly did not get into public service to just run for the sake of running. My commitment to each of you has always been to be the best City Councilor I could be. And, as I said when I was first running, there will be a time when someone else will need to step up and serve. That moment is now.
As many of you know, I am an institutionalist and I believe deeply in the traditions of the institution of our municipal government. I believe that regardless of the rhetoric, or the controversial issue at hand, or those holding the office, the institution will survive. But, it will only survive if members of our community step up and serve, which is why I am pleased to see my former colleague on the city council, Jon Hinck, step up at this moment. Jon represents the perfect balance of activist, leader, and collaborator. I look forward to casting my ballot for him on November 2nd.
I want to thank my family for their continued loving support over these years. I want to thank my colleagues that I have had the opportunity to serve with (some of whom have also moved on to other life experiences). And most importantly, I want to thank you (District 2) for giving this scrappy Portland kid an opportunity to serve the city that both adopted and raised me. I will forever be grateful.
-District 2 City Councilor Spencer Thibodeau
