It's not breaking news to hear that people are fleeing their Democrat-run cities for a more freedom-loving Red state. So, it shouldn't be a shock to hear that the majority of Portland residents are looking to move elsewhere.
According to a poll conducted by DHM Research on behalf of the Portland Police Association, two-thirds of Portland voters say the city is on "the wrong track," and more than half would think about leaving if they could afford to.
Fifty-six percent of respondents were not optimistic about the city's current state, while only 21 percent said, "Portland is good, and its best days are ahead of us." Sixty-eight percent of respondents said, "Portland is losing what made it special."
Crime, homelessness, and far-Left policies are what many people say is the sole drive for the city's downward spiral. The poll found that 87 percent of residents believe that public safety in Portland was unsatisfactory, while 71 percent said more police officers would improve the situation. Nearly ten times more than those arguing less law enforcement was the answer.
Seventy percent of respondents said city officials should do more to "add more officers on the street, strengthen police training, and incentivize officers to live in Portland."
Portland has been on the decline for years now. However, it wasn't until the 2020 riots that its devastating downfall was expedited.
According to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data, Portland's population dropped by over 11,000 residents, and that number keeps climbing. What was once a city with so much potential has turned into an unsafe, liberal-loving crime haven with a massive drug and homeless problem. The mass exodus has been the result of the thousands of homeless encampments lining the streets, as well as the used needles found on the sidewalks.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Portland had experienced 15 straight years of population growth. However, between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, alone, 8,308 people fled Portland.