SchmidtShow PDX — Season 3, Episode 9
Before she was a city councilor, she was Teacher Tiffany — sixteen years in Portland Public Schools, a union leader, a fourth-generation Japanese American, and the first Asian American woman ever elected to Portland city government. This week, Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane (District 3) joins the show to talk about her path from the classroom to City Hall, why she refused to sign an NDA on the Moda Center deal, what it actually means to be a Portland DSA member, and how she’s quietly built a string of unanimous council votes — including this month’s 12–0 vote renaming Cesar Chavez Boulevard to Campesinos Boulevard.
We also discuss the new survey that found that only 31% of Portlanders feel represented by their council, down 10 points in a year. Only a year and a half into Portland’s new form of government - is that skepticism fair?
But before we get into the meat of the episode, I’m joined once again by our trash news correspondent Eleanor Jones joins for “In the News”. With the NFL back - so are some of the ghouls of the league, like Aaron Rodgers and his mysteriously unseen girlfriend. We then pivot to the four-hour AI-narrated Elon Musk documentary, and whether AI executives warning us about AI is the most on-brand thing in the world.
In This Episode
From the Classroom to City Hall
Why Koyama Lane said no to running for office “probably close to a hundred times” before saying yes
What carries over from teaching to legislating — and what surprised her most
The Moda Center Deal
Why she refused to sign the council’s NDA on the $600M arena renovation, and what it cost her
Her no vote on the 8–4 term sheet, and what a deal that earned her yes would have looked like
On Being a Democratic Socialist
What DSA membership actually means to her, and where the “boogie monster” framing comes from
Her “three C’s” for tough votes: constituents, conscience, and council — a rule she credits to Secretary of State Tobias Read
Small-donor fundraising and why she says no single group controls her vote
Building Unanimous Votes on a Divided Council
The behind-the-scenes organizing that got Cesar Chavez Boulevard renamed to Campesinos Boulevard 12–0
Power-mapping her colleagues, debunking myths one-on-one, and bringing in validators like Kathleen Sadat
A second example: getting the whole council to unanimously recommit to Vision Zero, plus a 25% carve-out of the new transportation utility fee for traffic safety
What that survey — 31% feeling represented, 39% trust, 22% effectiveness — actually tells her, and what it leaves out
Looking Ahead
Her proudest accomplishment so far: opening an in-district office and a Friday newsletter that reaches 10,000+ people
What a second term would focus on, including a domestic workers’ bill of rights
Where to find her and how to support her campaign
Notable Quote
“Public money deserves public accountability.” — Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane, on refusing to sign an NDA over the Moda Center deal
Links & Resources
Follow Councilor Koyama Lane’s campaign on her website
More trash news from Eleanor Jones: The Trash Report, Portland Mercury
Thanks to our sponsor Corbett Hill Wellness for making this episode possible. Interested in sponsoring SchmidtShow PDX? Reach out — we’d love to have you. And if you’re a listener, please consider supporting the sponsors who help bring these conversations to you.
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