Oct 28, 2024 - Politics

What Liv Osthus would do first as Portland's next mayor

Meira Gebel

A photo of a person wearing all black sits on a bench facing a waterway with a bridge in the background. — Liv Osthus' campaign has focused on reviving the city's arts and culture scene. Photo: Courtesy of Jesse Champlin

Liv Osthus may be one of Portland's most famous strippers, and in her bid for mayor, she's running on a platform of reviving the city's arts scene as a way to stimulate economic growth.

State of play: Despite having no previous political experience, Osthus has remained a top figure in the race — debating alongside city hall veterans — thanks to her small, grassroots campaign that appears to resonate with many in Portland's creative scene.

Axios asked the five candidates for mayor who've qualified for public matching funds the same question: What's the first policy you'd enact or change in office?

Here's what Osthus said.

Top issue: Environment and housing

What she's saying: "My very first actions would be two-fold: agitating to move and reimagine our critical energy infrastructure (CEI) hub — the six-mile ticking time bomb in NW Portland that stores gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, crude oil, fracked gas and other toxic chemicals."

She would also work to retrofit the city's "zombie buildings to house no-income and low-income Portlanders, small businesses and artists."

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What Liv Osthus would do first as Portland's next mayor

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