Sharon Meieran

In her first term as commissioner Meieran sponsored a resolution to declare prescription opioids an "ongoing public nuisance" in Multnomah County.[4] The resolution passed unanimously on July 27, 2017, granting county attorneys the authority to bring litigation against drug manufacturers.[4] On August 4 the county filed lawsuits against dozens of drug companies including Purdue Pharma.[5]

Meieran was an early advocate of shutdown orders at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling for restaurants and bars to be closed on March 16, 2020.[6] On April 2nd Meieran criticized Governor Brown's shutdown order for exempting construction and manufacturing, and called for the appointment of a "coronavirus czar" to oversee the statewide response.[7] In a board meeting on June 11, 2020 Meieran said she planned to propose policy on mandatory face masks.[8]

On July 18, 2020 Meieran was teargassed by federal agents while participating in a racial justice protest in downtown Portland.[9] In October 2020 she proposed absorbing the Portland Police into the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, citing overlap in their responsibilities as well as the county's existing roles in prosecution, incarceration, and supervised release.[10]

On March 7, 2021 Meieran published an op-ed in The Oregonian calling for new approaches to shelter homeless Portlanders and referring to the current situation as a humanitarian crisis, positions which continue to define her tenure as of 2023.[11] In an April 28 interview Meieran criticized the Joint Office of Homeless Service's plan to spend the $2.5 billion Metro homeless services bond passed the previous year, calling it vague and lacking urgency.[12] She proposed an alternate 6-month plan to identify parcels of land where temporary shelters could be built to rapidly house people currently living on the streets.[12]

In July 2023 Meieran opposed a plan by the county health department to distribute tin foil and straws to fentanyl users, stating "Not all harm reduction is created equal. Narcan distribution and syringe exchange have been proven to save lives. Distribution of safe smoking kits is done in a number of places, but it’s not clear what harm is prevented, if any."[13] The plan was suspended by chair Vega Pederson 3 days after it was first reported.[14]

In September 2023 Meieran criticized a decision to replace the county's former sobering center, which closed in 2020, with a stabilization center intended for longer-term treatment.[15] Unlike the previous center, which accepted drop offs from first responders and was often described as a "drunk tank", the replacement would provide 30-60 days of transitional housing and stabilization treatment for patients leaving other sobering programs.[15] Meieran emphasized the need for a new crisis treament center, saying she frequently sees patients with addiction issues in the emergency room due to the lack of better options.[15]

On September 13, 2021 Meieran announced her candidacy for Multnomah County Chair in the 2022 election.[16] Her campaign focused on pandemic recovery, homelessness, mental health and addiction issues.[17] Meieran promised to create alternative shelter sites in every Portland neighborhood with sleeping and sanitation facilities, as well as "safe parking sites" throughout the county where homeless residents could sleep in their vehicles.[17] She also emphasized her volunteer work providing medical care to homeless Portlanders.[17]

With no candidate receiving an outright majority in the May primary, Meieran advanced to a runoff election against fellow commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson.[18] The runoff received significant media coverage due to its potential impact on large sanctioned camping sites proposed by Mayor Wheeler, who had previously threatened to pull city funding from the Joint Office of Homeless Services overseen by the County Chair.[19] On October 29 Wheeler invited both Meieran and Vega Pederson to give testimony before city council regarding his proposals.[19] After endorsing Vega Pederson in the primary, local paper Willamette Week switched their endorsement to Meieran in the runoff election.[20]

On November 8, 2022 Meieran was defeated by Vega Pederson in the general election.[21] Meieran remains a county commissioner with her current term ending in 2024.[21]