Vote Key: 
= cast progressive vote 
= opposed progressive vote 
= absent
< MORE PROGRESSIVE OVERALL LESS PROGRESSIVE OVERALL >
| Vote | Ethan Strimling 100% | Pious Ali 86% | Brian Batson 73% | Spencer Thibodeau 50% | Justin Costa 40% | Nick Mavodones 41% | Belinda Ray 41% | Kim Cook 41% | Jill Duson 36% | . |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pesticides Ban Final Passage | Progressive Vote = YES The council voted to require organic land care and ban the use of synthetic and bee-killing pesticides in the city with limited exemptions, including Riverside Golf Course, Hadlock Field, invasive insects, and other “health and safety” uses to be reviewed by a newly created Pesticide Management Advisory Committee (PMAC). | Motion passed 9-0, January 3, 2018 |  | | | | | | | | | |
| Increase Pesticides Buffer Zone for Water Bodies | Progressive Vote = YES This amendment, offered by Mayor Strimling, would have increased the buffer zone banning the use of all pesticides—including organic and non-synthetic pesticides—around water bodies and wetlands from 75 to 250 feet. | Motion failed 1-8, January 3, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Exempt Athletic Fields from Pesticides Ban | Progressive Vote = NO This amendment, proposed by city staff, would have permanently exempted the following high-use athletic fields from the pesticides ban: Fox Field, Quinn Field and Deering Oaks Baseball Field at Deering Oaks Park, Back Cove Park, Payson Field in Payson Park, and Presumpscot Field at Deering High School. | Motion failed 3-6, January 3, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Remove Pesticides Exemption for Invasive Insects | Progressive Vote = YES This amendment, offered by Councilor Batson, would have removed the exemption allowing the use of synthetic and bee-killing pesticides for invasive insects. | Motion failed 3-6, January 3, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sunset Pesticides Ordinance in 2023 | Progressive Vote = NO This amendment, proposed by city staff, would have automatically repealed the entire pesticide ban ordinance on December 31, 2023, unless extended by a vote of the council. | Motion failed 0-8, January 3, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Remove Pesticide Exemption for Riverside Golf Course | Progressive Vote = YES This amendment, offered by Councilor Batson, would have replaced the use of synthetic pesticides with organic land care on the city-owned Riverside Golf Course. | Motion failed 3-6, January 3, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Require Organic Education for PMAC Members | Progressive Vote = YES This amendment, offered by Councilor Ali, would have required at least four members of the Pesticide Management Advisory Committee (PMAC) to gain certification by the Northeast Organic Farming Association in organic land management. | Motion failed 3-6, January 3, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Offshore Drilling Resolution | Progressive Vote = YES Following an executive order by President Trump to begin the process of allowing offshore oil drilling on nearly all U.S. coastal waters, the council unanimously passed a resolution opposing drilling off the coast of Maine. | Motion passed 9-0, February 5, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Waterfront Concerts Domestic Violence Allegations | Progressive Vote = NO After Waterfront Concerts Owner Alex Gray was accused of domestic violence by his former girlfriend, Erica Cole, a motion was brought to the council to strip the contract from Waterfront Concerts. The council voted to amend the motion to instead award the contract to Live Nation, the corporate parent of Waterfront Concerts, thereby continuing to do business with Alex Gray. | Motion Passed 8-1, April 18, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Cut $1.2 Million from School Budget | Progressive Vote = NO The council voted to cut $1.2 million from school budget proposed by Superintendent Xavier Botana and passed by the School Board. The cuts, proposed by Councilor Costa, resulted in larger class sizes, reduced classroom instruction time, and more. | Motion Passed 7-2, May 14, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Restore $600,000 to School Budget | Progressive Vote = YES In an effort to reduce the impact of school budget cuts, Councilor Ali proposed reducing the cuts by $600,000. | Motion Failed 2-7, May 14, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fund Pesticide Ordinance Enforcement | Progressive Vote = YES The council amended the budget proposed by City Manager Jon Jennings to include staffing to enforce the ban on synthetic and bee-killing pesticides. | Motion Passed 8-0, May 21, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Committee Referral for Short-Term Rental Fee Increase | Progressive Vote = YES During the debate on the budget, the council voted to instruct the Finance Committee to consider a fee increase for short-term rentals. | Motion Passed 5-3, May 21, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Munjoy Hill Affordable Housing Incentive | Progressive Vote = YES During debate on the Munjoy Hill Overlay District, the council considered an amendment, proposed by Councilor Ray, to raise the limit on building heights from 35 feet to 45 feet for projects that include at least one unit of affordable housing. | Motion Passed 8-1, June 4, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Require More Workforce Housing Under Inclusionary Zoning | Progressive Vote = YES In 2015, the council passed an inclusionary zoning ordinance requiring at least 10 percent of the units in new developments of 10 or more be affordable to working people in Portland. This amendment, proposed by Councilor Batson, would have raised the standard to require 18 percent of the units be affordable. | Motion Failed 3-6, June 18, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lower the Cost of Workforce Housing Under Inclusionary Zoning | Progressive Vote = YES The 2015 inclusionary zoning ordinance defines workforce housing as homes that are affordable to renters earning no more than the area median income (AMI), which is approximately $69,000 for single people. This amendment, proposed by Mayor Strimling, would have reduced the cost of these homes to 80 percent of AMI. | Motion Failed 1-8, June 18, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance Sunset Clause | Progressive Vote = NO The council defeated an amendment, proposed by Councilor Cook, to automatically sunset the 2015 inclusionary zoning ordinance. | Motion failed 1-8, June 18, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tax Incentives for Affordable and Senior Housing | Progressive Vote = YES The council approved tax increment financing (TIFs) for senior and low-income housing projects at 178 Kennebec St. and 977 Brighton Ave. Together, these projects will create 76 units of new senior and low-income housing. | Motions Passed 8-0, July 16, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 42-Day Campaign Finance Reporting Deadline | Progressive Vote = YES The council passed a city charter amendment proposed by Councilor Ray to require candidates to file an additional campaign finance report 42 days before Election Day. Previously, candidates were required to file two reports — first at four months before the election and another at 11 days before the election. | Motion Passed 8-1, August 13, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| $1 Million from WEX Land Sale to Housing Trust Fund | Progressive Vote = YES In 2017, the council approved a $3.3 sale of land on the Eastern Waterfront for the new WEX headquarters. This amendment allocated $1 million to the Housing Trust Fund, to be used to build nearly 200 new units of affordable housing. | Motion Passed 9-0, August 13, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Increase Limit on Short-Term Rentals from 300 to 400 Units | Progressive Vote = NO Despite the shortage of housing affordable to working people in Portland, the council passed an amendment proposed by Councilor Thibodeau to raise the cap on the number of non-owner-occupied short-term rental units (AirBnBs) permitted in the city from 300 to 400. | Motion Passed 5-4, November 19, 2018 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Raise Cap on Short-Term Rental Listings Per Person | Progressive Vote = NO Despite the shortage of housing affordable to working people in Portland, the council voted to increase the number of short-term rentals a single person can register from three to five, turning back calls to lower the limit to one listing per person. | Motion Passed 5-4, November 19, 2018 | | | | | | | | | |