Monday night’s Portland City Council meeting was interrupted by an influx of hate speech over Zoom.
City councilors were discussing a proposal to raise money to expand and promote local businesses during the winter without raising taxes.
Dozens of business owners were in the chambers asking for the council to vote “yes” on the measure.
The rule would impose an extra fee for hotel guests staying in hotels with 40 rooms or more.
With that revenue, the city would invest in downtown infrastructure, such as public restrooms, and upgrade the city’s marketing, some of which would go toward welcoming culturally diverse tourists to Portland.
Portland’s tourism economy thrives in the summer months, but once it gets colder, many tourism businesses take a big hit. Many business owners said Monday night that the winter marketing could help them grow their businesses.
“We make money six months out of the year and lose money six months out of the year,” Steve DiMillo of DiMillo’s on the Water said. “So you know this tourism improvement district would really help bring people. Help businesses like my family’s business, keep people employed.”
But that discussion was interrupted once public comment turned to Zoom when an influx of hate speech came from callers.
Mayor Kate Snyder monitors the Zoom call to keep harmful speech out of council chambers, but some of the comments were so hateful they brought her to tears. Councilors walked out of chambers, stopping the meeting. A few moments later, the council and mayor went into an hourlong executive session.
Back in the chambers, many constituents were rattled.
“Of course it’s tough to watch,” Paul Drinan of Friends of Fort Gorges said. “It’s tough to witness. It’s tough to be a part of, and it’s completely unnecessary.”
“It’s really tough to watch,” small business owner Pamela Laskey said. “And especially because we are all here for a really big and important reason, a lot of the hospitality community has rallied here tonight and now we are waiting for this important vote to take place.”
When the council came back into the chamber, they approved the winter tourism measure in a 5-4 vote.
