Rene Gonzalez (politician): Difference between revisions

Rene Gonzalez
Rene Gonzalez
Portland City Commissioner
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 1, 2023
Preceded by	Jo Ann Hardesty
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Children	3
Residence(s)	Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Alma mater	Willamette University, JD
Occupation	Attorney, entrepreneur
Website	Rene for Portland

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Rene Gonzalez is an American attorney, entrepreneur, and Democratic politician. He challenged Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty for her seat during the 2022 Portland, Oregon City Commission election,^[1] running on a platform that emphasized law-and-order and livability.^[2] He won the race with 52.5% of the vote and took office in January 2023.^[1]^[3]^[4]

Early life and career

Gonzalez was raised in Anchorage, Alaska, where his father worked as a trial judge and federal prosecutor.^[5] In 1993, he moved to Salem, Oregon to attend Willamette University for undergraduate studies. While at Willamette, he was president of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and played varsity soccer.^[6] After his undergrad, he continued at Willamette's law school for his Juris Doctor degree.^[6]

After graduating, Gonzalez started his law career at Stoel Rives law firm based in Portland.^[7] After Stoel Rives, he moved to KinderCare Learning Centers, where he served as in legal advising and corporate strategy roles.^[8] Following KinderCare, Gonzlaez founded a technology consulting company called Eastbank Artifex that primarily sells Microsoft software services.^[9]^[5]

Prior to running for office, Gonzalez was known locally for founding United PDX, the largest youth soccer club in the city of Portland, and for organizing ED300, a political action committee working with other organizations such as Oregon Right to Life, Oregon Moms Union, and Oregon Family Council to support school board candidates that were focused on reopening public schools in the wake of the pandemic.^[5]

Portland City Council

Council race

Gonzalez ran for the Portland City Commissioner seat in 2022 against incumbent Hardesty. As of November 9, he garnered 52.5% of the vote versus 47.2% for Hardesty, leading to The Oregonian to declare him the winner and Hardesty to concede.^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

Gonzalez ran a campaign largely focused on combating homelessness, crime, and investing in revitalization of downtown. In particular, he and Hardesty had starkly different approaches to policing and how to address homelessness.^[13]^[14] Gonzalez was endorsed by the editorial boards of The Oregonian, Willamette Week, and the Portland Tribune, as well as by the Portland Police Association, Portland Firefighters Union, and the Portland Business Alliance (now known as the Portland Metro Chamber).^[15]^[14] During the race, his campaign attracted some controversy for incurring a fine from the city's elections program for accepting discounted office space, but the fine was later overturned in court for failing to prove that the rent was in fact below market rate.^[16]^[17]

Though both candidates were registered as Democrats and the race itself was non-partisan,^[18] during the campaign, Hardesty accused Gonzalez of being right wing due to ties to Republican political consultants as well conservative school board candidates supported by the political action committee he organized.^[16] The Portland Mercury's columnist Steven Humphrey criticized Gonzalez for posting an election thank you to supporters on his Twitter and tagging Quincy Franklin, a member of the far-right-wing group Patriot Prayer.^[19]

Council term

Gonzalez's two-year term began on January 1, 2023. The transition team was led by Tom Miller, who had served as chief of staff for former Portland mayor Sam Adams.^[20]^[21] Gonzalez was assigned management of Portland Fire & Rescue and other emergency services, excluding the police department.^[22]^[23] In September 2023, a drug criminalization law proposed by Gonzalez and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler was unanimously passed by Portland City Council.^[24]

Much of Gonzalez's first term on the City Council has centered around homelessness policy. Notably, Gonzalez has tried to work towards a stricter camping ban for the city than is currently in place, including the unilateral banning of distribution of tarps, tents, and syringes by city and county bureaus to the city's homeless population.^[25]^[26]^[27]^[28]^[29]^[30]^[31] Gonzalez has also floated the idea of cutting funding to Portland Street Response, a new emergency response bureau established in 2021 by his predecessor, Commissioner Hardesty, that assists people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises, in order to better fund other programs in the Portland Fire Bureau.^[32]

In December 2023, Gonzalez announced his candidacy for mayor of Portland.^[33]

Personal life

Gonzalez is married to Angie, whom he met in college and who currently works as an office manager.^[6] Together they have three children.^[6] He identifies as half-Latino,^[6] as his father is Mexican-American and his mother is white.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 9, 2022). "Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (October 19, 2022). "Only Portland City Council race on fall ballot features Rene Gonzalez and Jo Ann Hardesty, stark opposites on multiple dimensions". oregonlive. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
^ "Rene Gonzalez (Oregon)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Rene Gonzalez Would Return Portland to a Simpler Time: 2019. To Many Voters, That's an Appealing Offer". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Ellis, Rebecca (October 20, 2022). "Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez pledges 'tough love' in bet voters are moving to the center". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ Boddie, Ken (February 3, 2022). "Business lawyer Gonzalez challenges Hardesty for spot on city council". KOIN News. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ "Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez answers OPB's questions". Oregon Public Broadcasting. October 20, 2022. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ Hernandez, Rolando (October 13, 2022). "REBROADCAST: Portland City Council Debate: Incumbent Jo Ann Hardesty and Rene Gonzalez". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ "Rene Gonzalez (Oregon)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 9, 2022). "Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race". OregonLive. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^ "Hardesty concedes, Gonzalez announces victory". KOIN. November 9, 2022. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Gonzalez takes early lead over Hardesty in Portland City Council race". OPB. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^ The Oregonian Editorial Board, ed. (October 9, 2022). "Editorial endorsement November 2022: Rene Gonzalez is voters' best choice for Portland City Council". oregonlive.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "City Council Race Gets Even More Hostile as Election Day Approaches". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^ "OAH Case No. 2022-ABC-05629" (PDF). The Office of Administrative Hearings State of Oregon. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
^ Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 9, 2022). "Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^ Humphrey, Steven (November 11, 2022). "Good Morning, News: TriMet Wants Fare Increase, Drazan Won't Admit She Lost, and Gonzalez Deletes Problematic Tweet—But We've Got the Receipt". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
^ Maus, Jonathan (November 15, 2022). "Tom Miller hired as transition team leader for Rene Gonzalez". Bike Portland. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
^ Peel, Sophie (November 9, 2022). "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
^ "We Asked City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez How He'll Handle the Crises Facing the Fire Bureau". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
^ "Portfolios, Liaison Responsibilities, and Bureau Directors | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
^ Frost, Allison (September 7, 2023). "Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez on changes to the public safety system". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
^ "Gonzalez Seeks to Put All Rule-Making Power for a Camping Ban Under the Current and Future Mayor". Willamette Week. April 17, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ "Multnomah County to Halt Purchases of Tents and Tarps". Willamette Week. June 26, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ "Gonzalez Objects to County's Plan to Fund More Tents, Tarps and Syringes". Willamette Week. June 5, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh | The (April 17, 2024). "Rene Gonzalez, candidate for Portland mayor, pitches more punitive approach to homeless campers". oregonlive. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ "Commissioner Rene Gonzalez said his decision to halt tent distribution was for fire safety. Emails tell a different story". www.streetroots.org. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ "Portland Commissioner Gonzalez wants tougher stance on homeless camping". opb. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ "Portland Street Response Director Expressed Deep Concern About Halting Tent Distribution". Willamette Week. April 21, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh | The (February 2, 2024). "Fire bureau floats cuts to Portland Street Response as budget uncertainty looms". oregonlive. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
^ KGW Staff (December 7, 2023). "Rene Gonzalez announces run for Portland mayor next year". KGW 8 (NBC). Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.

[Gonzalez_win-1] Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 9, 2022). "Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[2] Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (October 19, 2022). "Only Portland City Council race on fall ballot features Rene Gonzalez and Jo Ann Hardesty, stark opposites on multiple dimensions". oregonlive. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[3] "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.

[4] "Rene Gonzalez (Oregon)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[:0-5] "Rene Gonzalez Would Return Portland to a Simpler Time: 2019. To Many Voters, That's an Appealing Offer". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[Bio_info-6] Ellis, Rebecca (October 20, 2022). "Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez pledges 'tough love' in bet voters are moving to the center". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[start_of_career-7] Boddie, Ken (February 3, 2022). "Business lawyer Gonzalez challenges Hardesty for spot on city council". KOIN News. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[KinderCare-8] "Portland City Council candidate Rene Gonzalez answers OPB's questions". Oregon Public Broadcasting. October 20, 2022. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[own_company-9] Hernandez, Rolando (October 13, 2022). "REBROADCAST: Portland City Council Debate: Incumbent Jo Ann Hardesty and Rene Gonzalez". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[10] "Rene Gonzalez (Oregon)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[11] Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 9, 2022). "Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race". OregonLive. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

[12] "Hardesty concedes, Gonzalez announces victory". KOIN. November 9, 2022. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

[:3-13] "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

[:1-14] "Gonzalez takes early lead over Hardesty in Portland City Council race". OPB. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

[15] The Oregonian Editorial Board, ed. (October 9, 2022). "Editorial endorsement November 2022: Rene Gonzalez is voters' best choice for Portland City Council". oregonlive.com. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.

[:2-16] "City Council Race Gets Even More Hostile as Election Day Approaches". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

[17] "OAH Case No. 2022-ABC-05629" (PDF). The Office of Administrative Hearings State of Oregon. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2023.

[Gonzalez_win2-18] Dixon Kavanaugh, Shane (November 9, 2022). "Rene Gonzalez, with law-and-order focus, ousts Portland Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty in contentious City Council race". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

[Tweet-19] Humphrey, Steven (November 11, 2022). "Good Morning, News: TriMet Wants Fare Increase, Drazan Won't Admit She Lost, and Gonzalez Deletes Problematic Tweet—But We've Got the Receipt". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2022.

[transition_team_head2-20] Maus, Jonathan (November 15, 2022). "Tom Miller hired as transition team leader for Rene Gonzalez". Bike Portland. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 16, 2022.

[2_year_term2-21] Peel, Sophie (November 9, 2022). "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.

[22] "We Asked City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez How He'll Handle the Crises Facing the Fire Bureau". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.

[23] "Portfolios, Liaison Responsibilities, and Bureau Directors | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.

[OPBDrugs-24] Frost, Allison (September 7, 2023). "Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez on changes to the public safety system". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.

[25] "Gonzalez Seeks to Put All Rule-Making Power for a Camping Ban Under the Current and Future Mayor". Willamette Week. April 17, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[26] "Multnomah County to Halt Purchases of Tents and Tarps". Willamette Week. June 26, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[27] "Gonzalez Objects to County's Plan to Fund More Tents, Tarps and Syringes". Willamette Week. June 5, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[28] Oregonian/OregonLive, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh | The (April 17, 2024). "Rene Gonzalez, candidate for Portland mayor, pitches more punitive approach to homeless campers". oregonlive. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[29] "Commissioner Rene Gonzalez said his decision to halt tent distribution was for fire safety. Emails tell a different story". www.streetroots.org. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[30] "Portland Commissioner Gonzalez wants tougher stance on homeless camping". opb. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[31] "Portland Street Response Director Expressed Deep Concern About Halting Tent Distribution". Willamette Week. April 21, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[32] Oregonian/OregonLive, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh | The (February 2, 2024). "Fire bureau floats cuts to Portland Street Response as budget uncertainty looms". oregonlive. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

[mayorannouncement-33] KGW Staff (December 7, 2023). "Rene Gonzalez announces run for Portland mayor next year". KGW 8 (NBC). Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.

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@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 Gonzalez's two-year term began on January 1, 2023. The transition team was led by Tom Miller, who had served as chief of staff for former Portland mayor [[Sam Adams (Oregon politician)|Sam Adams]].<ref name="transition team head2">{{cite news |last1=Maus |first1=Jonathan |date=November 15, 2022 |title=Tom Miller hired as transition team leader for Rene Gonzalez |url=https://bikeportland.org/2022/11/15/tom-miller-hired-as-transition-team-leader-for-rene-gonzalez-367165 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116005810/https://bikeportland.org/2022/11/15/tom-miller-hired-as-transition-team-leader-for-rene-gonzalez-367165 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |publisher=Bike Portland}}</ref><ref name="2 year term2">{{cite news |last1=Peel |first1=Sophie |date=November 9, 2022 |title=City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/11/09/city-commissioner-jo-ann-hardesty-concedes-to-rene-gonzalez/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110153521/https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/11/09/city-commissioner-jo-ann-hardesty-concedes-to-rene-gonzalez/ |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |access-date=November 11, 2022 |publisher=Willamette Week}}</ref> Gonzalez was assigned management of [[Portland Fire & Rescue]] and other emergency services, excluding the police department.<ref>{{Cite web |title=We Asked City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez How He’ll Handle the Crises Facing the Fire Bureau |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/01/11/we-asked-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-how-hell-handle-the-crises-facing-the-fire-bureau/ |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=Willamette Week |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113220058/https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/01/11/we-asked-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-how-hell-handle-the-crises-facing-the-fire-bureau/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Portfolios, Liaison Responsibilities, and Bureau Directors {{!}} Portland.gov |url=https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/portfolios |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=www.portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113220059/https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/portfolios |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2023, a drug criminalization law proposed by Gonzalez and Portland Mayor [[Ted Wheeler]] was unanimously passed by Portland City Council.<ref name="OPBDrugs">{{cite news |last1=Frost |first1=Allison |date=7 September 2023 |title=Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez on changes to the public safety system |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/09/07/portland-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-on-changes-to-the-public-safety-system/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419202512/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/09/07/portland-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-on-changes-to-the-public-safety-system/ |archive-date=19 April 2024 |access-date=19 April 2024 |publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting}}</ref>
-Much of Gonzalez's first term on the City Council has centered around homelessness policy. Notably, Gonzalez has tried to work towards a stricter camping ban for the city than is currently in place, including the banning of distribution of tarps, tents, and syringes by city and county bureaus to the city's homeless population.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-17 |title=Gonzalez Seeks to Put All Rule-Making Power for a Camping Ban Under the Current and Future Mayor |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/04/17/gonzalez-seeks-to-put-all-rule-making-power-of-camping-ban-under-future-mayor/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-26 |title=Multnomah County to Halt Purchases of Tents and Tarps |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/county/2024/06/26/multnomah-county-to-halt-purchases-of-tents-and-tarps/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-05 |title=Gonzalez Objects to County’s Plan to Fund More Tents, Tarps and Syringes |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/06/05/gonzalez-objects-to-countys-plan-to-fund-more-tents-tarps-and-syringes/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oregonian/OregonLive |first=Shane Dixon Kavanaugh {{!}} The |date=2024-04-17 |title=Rene Gonzalez, candidate for Portland mayor, pitches more punitive approach to homeless campers |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/04/candidate-for-portland-mayor-pitches-more-punitive-approach-to-homeless-campers.html |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Commissioner Rene Gonzalez said his decision to halt tent distribution was for fire safety. Emails tell a different story. |url=https://www.streetroots.org/news/2023/08/02/tent-distribution-halted-aligned-camping-ban |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=www.streetroots.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Portland Commissioner Gonzalez wants tougher stance on homeless camping |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/04/17/camping-ban-portland-rene-gonzalez/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=opb |language=en}}</ref> Gonzalez has also floated the idea of cutting funding to Portland Street Response, a new emergency response bureau established in 2021 by his predecessor, Commissioner Hardesty, that assists people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises, in order to better fund other programs in the Portland Fire Bureau.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oregonian/OregonLive |first=Shane Dixon Kavanaugh {{!}} The |date=2024-02-02 |title=Fire bureau floats cuts to Portland Street Response as budget uncertainty looms |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/02/fire-bureau-floats-cuts-to-portland-street-response-as-budget-uncertainty-looms.html |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref>
+Much of Gonzalez's first term on the City Council has centered around homelessness policy. Notably, Gonzalez has tried to work towards a stricter camping ban for the city than is currently in place, including the unilateral banning of distribution of tarps, tents, and syringes by city and county bureaus to the city's homeless population.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-17 |title=Gonzalez Seeks to Put All Rule-Making Power for a Camping Ban Under the Current and Future Mayor |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/04/17/gonzalez-seeks-to-put-all-rule-making-power-of-camping-ban-under-future-mayor/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-26 |title=Multnomah County to Halt Purchases of Tents and Tarps |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/county/2024/06/26/multnomah-county-to-halt-purchases-of-tents-and-tarps/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-05 |title=Gonzalez Objects to County’s Plan to Fund More Tents, Tarps and Syringes |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/06/05/gonzalez-objects-to-countys-plan-to-fund-more-tents-tarps-and-syringes/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oregonian/OregonLive |first=Shane Dixon Kavanaugh {{!}} The |date=2024-04-17 |title=Rene Gonzalez, candidate for Portland mayor, pitches more punitive approach to homeless campers |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/04/candidate-for-portland-mayor-pitches-more-punitive-approach-to-homeless-campers.html |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Commissioner Rene Gonzalez said his decision to halt tent distribution was for fire safety. Emails tell a different story. |url=https://www.streetroots.org/news/2023/08/02/tent-distribution-halted-aligned-camping-ban |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=www.streetroots.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Portland Commissioner Gonzalez wants tougher stance on homeless camping |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/04/17/camping-ban-portland-rene-gonzalez/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=opb |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-21 |title=Portland Street Response Director Expressed Deep Concern About Halting Tent Distribution |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2023/04/20/portland-street-response-director-expressed-deep-concern-over-halting-tent-distribution/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Willamette Week |language=en}}</ref> Gonzalez has also floated the idea of cutting funding to Portland Street Response, a new emergency response bureau established in 2021 by his predecessor, Commissioner Hardesty, that assists people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises, in order to better fund other programs in the Portland Fire Bureau.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oregonian/OregonLive |first=Shane Dixon Kavanaugh {{!}} The |date=2024-02-02 |title=Fire bureau floats cuts to Portland Street Response as budget uncertainty looms |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/02/fire-bureau-floats-cuts-to-portland-street-response-as-budget-uncertainty-looms.html |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref>
 In December 2023, Gonzalez announced his candidacy for mayor of Portland.<ref name="mayorannouncement">{{cite news |last1=KGW Staff |date=7 December 2023 |title=Rene Gonzalez announces run for Portland mayor next year |url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/politics/elections/portland-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-mayor-2024/283-f8901c1b-ecd3-491c-819f-6136a1be71c0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405200149/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/politics/elections/portland-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-mayor-2024/283-f8901c1b-ecd3-491c-819f-6136a1be71c0 |archive-date=5 April 2024 |access-date=5 April 2024 |publisher=KGW 8 (NBC)}}</ref>