Part 2/12:
The Mayor's Call for Donations Amidst Massive Spending
In a bid to rally community support, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson sent out a mass email urging residents to contribute supplies, financial aid, and volunteer hours to local homeless shelters. His tone implied that failure to act could precipitate federal intervention, citing examples from Washington, D.C., where the federal government has mobilized troops and police forces to quell unrest. Critics have reacted incredulously, pointing out the disconnect between the enormous sums already spent and the persistent rise in homelessness.