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Union Pacific will ramp up graffiti cleanup and trash removal, Gov. Kotek says

The governor's office and Union Pacific are currently identifying which areas to prioritize for cleanup.

PORTLAND, Oregon — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek's office will take "immediate action" with Union Pacific to remove trash and clean up graffiti along railroad rights of way.

The announcement came Monday afternoon following the third Portland Central City Task Force meeting. Currently, the governor's office and Union Pacific are identifying which areas to prioritize for cleanup. 

Gov. Kotek said she spoke with the CEO of Union Pacific over the phone last week.

"We talked about graffiti, like some of their more active spaces where people are tagging. Can we do something with that? How do we get those cleaned up? Can we put murals?" Gov. Kotek said.

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Credit: KGW
Gov. Tina Kotek announced a partnership with Union Pacific (UP) to remove trash and clean up graffiti on Oct. 30, 2023.

More graffiti has been popping up around Portland over the past few years, but in particular, it has been an ongoing issue specifically for drivers dealing with tagged highway signs.

The task force convened in August with the goal of jumpstarting economic revitalization and recovery in downtown Portland. It includes the following five committees tasked with tackling different challenges: Central City Value Proposition, Livable Neighborhoods, Community Safety, Housing and Homelessness, and Taxes for Services.

In September, the task force asked community members to fill out a questionnaire weighing in on their top concerns in Portland's Central City. Of the 9,000 people who participated, 27% said public safety and homelessness was their top concern, closely followed by mental health.

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"The things that rose to the top of people's concerns are the very issues we're working on: community safety, folks that are unsheltered and living outside," Gov. Kotek said.

Another topic of importance to people is making sure businesses have an environment they can thrive in.

The committees will continue to meet now until December to finalize their recommendations before presenting them during a leadership summit.

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