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===Council term===
Gonzalez's two-year term as a member of the City Council began on January 1, 2023.<ref name="Peel 2022a">{{cite news |last1=Peel |first1=Sophie |title=City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Concedes to Rene Gonzalez |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/11/09/city-commissioner-jo-ann-hardesty-concedes-to-rene-gonzalez/ |access-date=August 9, 2024 |work=Willamette Week |date=November 9, 2022 |archive-date=November 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110153521/https://www.wweek.com/news/2022/11/09/city-commissioner-jo-ann-hardesty-concedes-to-rene-gonzalez/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The transition was headed by Tom Miller, a former chief of staff for former mayor [[Sam Adams (Oregon politician)|Sam Adams]].<ref name="Maus 2022">{{cite news |last1=Maus |first1=Jonathan |title=Tom Miller hired as transition team leader for Rene Gonzalez |url=https://bikeportland.org/2022/11/15/tom-miller-hired-as-transition-team-leader-for-rene-gonzalez-367165 |access-date=August 9, 2024 |website=Bike Portland |date=November 15, 2022 |archive-date=November 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221116005810/https://bikeportland.org/2022/11/15/tom-miller-hired-as-transition-team-leader-for-rene-gonzalez-367165 |url-status=live}}{{self-published inline|date=August 2024|certain=yes}}</ref> Gonzalez was assigned management of [[Portland Fire & Rescue]] and other emergency services, excluding the police department.<ref name="Peel 2023">{{Cite news |last=Peel |first=Sophie |date=January 11, 2023 |title=We Asked City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez How He'll Handle the Crises Facing the Fire Bureau |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/01/11/we-asked-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-how-hell-handle-the-crises-facing-the-fire-bureau/ |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=Willamette Week |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113220058/https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/01/11/we-asked-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-how-hell-handle-the-crises-facing-the-fire-bureau/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Portfolios, Liaison Responsibilities, and Bureau Directors {{!}} Portland.gov |url=https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/portfolios |access-date=January 13, 2023 |website=www.portland.gov |language=en |archive-date=January 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230113220059/https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/portfolios |url-status=live}}</ref> According to a 2024 interview with [[Oregon Public Broadcasting]], Gonzalez stated that he considers it a "success" that he banned fire bureau and Portland Street Response staff from distributing tents and tarps.<ref name="Zielinski 2024">{{cite news |last1=Zielinski |first1=Alex |title=Rene Gonzalez's first year: On the offensive, but not always on target |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2024/03/12/portland-city-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-first-year/ |access-date=August 9, 2024 |publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting |date=March 12, 2024}}</ref> Mayor Ted Wheeler appointed Gonzalez to be Portland City Council's representative on the Steering Committee Overseeing the Joint Office of Homeless Services.<ref name="Peel 2024">{{cite news |last1=Peel |first1=Sophie |title=Mayor Selects Rene Gonzalez to Serve on Steering Committee Overseeing Joint Office of Homeless Services |url=https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2024/07/22/mayor-selects-rene-gonzalez-to-serve-on-steering-committee-overseeing-joint-office-of-homeless-services/ |access-date=August 9, 2024 |work=Willamette Week |date=July 22, 2024}}</ref> Gonzalez first proposed an amendment to Mayor Wheeler's camping ban that included up to a year in jail for rule-breakers, before transitioning to a proposal that removed the proposed criminal penalty for violating the camping ban, but still proposing large fines. The amendment failed and the criminal penalty was imposed.<ref name="Kavanaugh 2024c">{{cite news |last1=Kavanaugh |first1=Shane Dixon |title=After City Hall showdown, Portland leaders advance
==Personal life==
Gonzalez is married to a woman named Angie, whom he met in college and who currently{{when|date=September 2024}} works as an office manager.<ref name="Ellis 2022" /> Together they have three children<ref name="Ellis 2022" /> and lives in the [[Eastmoreland, Portland, Oregon|Eastmoreland]] neighborhood of Portland.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Portland police investigating car fire in front of Commissioner
==Controversies==
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He ordered staff with the Portland Street Response to stop distributing tents to the homeless and instead encouraged them to seek out shelters. There were, at the time, over 5,000 unhoused individuals with 2000 shelter beds available.<ref name="Zielinski 2023">{{cite news |last1=Zielinski |first1=Alex |title=New Commissioner Rene Gonzalez bans Portland Street Response from distributing tents |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/15/tent-ban-rene-gonzalez-portland-street-response/ |access-date=August 9, 2024 |publisher=Oregon Public Broadcasting |date=February 15, 2023 |archive-date=August 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823021809/https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/15/tent-ban-rene-gonzalez-portland-street-response/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Gonzalez went on to attempt to drastically cut funding for the popular Portland Street Response program started by his predecessor and, after criticism, eventually agreed to move the program out of his portfolio.<ref name="Best 2024">{{cite news |last1=Best |first1=Blair |title=$3M could potentially be cut from Portland Street Response |url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/3-million-dollars-potentially-cut-portland-street-response/283-f867f596-6867-46ac-95f3-cce0bd302954 |access-date=August 9, 2024 |publisher=KGW |date=February 5, 2024 |location=Portland, Ore. |archive-date=August 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823021809/https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/3-million-dollars-potentially-cut-portland-street-response/283-f867f596-6867-46ac-95f3-cce0bd302954 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Vaughn 2024">{{cite news |last1=Vaughn |first1=Courtney |title=Commissioner Gonzalez Shows Little Interest in Heeding Auditor's Recommendations for Portland Street Response |url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2024/01/11/46975032/commissioner-gonzalez-shows-little-interest-in-heeding-auditors-recommendations-for-portland-street-response |access-date=August 9, 2024 |work=Portland Mercury |date=January 11, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Kavanaugh 2024a">{{cite news |last1=Kavanaugh |first1=Shane Dixon |title=Commissioner Rene Gonzalez looks to dump Portland Street Response from his City Hall portfolio |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/03/commissioner-rene-gonzalez-looks-to-dump-portland-street-response-from-his-city-hall-portfolio.html |access-date=August 9, 2024 |work=OregonLive |publisher=Oregonian Media Group |date=March 1, 2024 |archive-date=August 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823021927/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/03/commissioner-rene-gonzalez-looks-to-dump-portland-street-response-from-his-city-hall-portfolio.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Gonzalez announced in a February 2024 video on social media that he would no longer use public transit because he claimed he faced "deliberate, unwanted physical contact" while riding the [[MAX Light Rail|MAX light rail]] on his way to work.<ref name="KPTV 2024">{{cite news |author1=<!--anonymous author(s)--> |title=Commissioner Rene Gonzalez says he was
In August 2024, ''The Oregonian'' reported that Gonzalez spent $6,400 of city taxpayer dollars to hire a contractor, WhiteHatWiki, to make edit requests for his Wikipedia page in an effort to "spruce up his profile" as part of his mayoral bid.<ref name="Kavanaugh 2024">{{cite news |last1=Kavanaugh |first1=Shane Dixon |title=Portland Commissioner Rene Gonzalez spent thousands in city funds to polish Wikipedia page |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/08/portland-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-spent-thousands-in-city-funds-to-polish-wikipedia-page.html |archive-date=August 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240808232508/https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2024/08/portland-commissioner-rene-gonzalez-spent-thousands-in-city-funds-to-polish-wikipedia-page.html?outputType=amp |url-status=live |website=OregonLive |publisher=Oregonian Media Group |access-date=August 7, 2024 |date=August 7, 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> The Portland City Elections Division later opened an investigation into the spending after receiving a campaign finance complaint.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Foran|first1=Andrew|last2=Jones|first2=Joelle|date=August 21, 2024|title=Rene
In September 2024, ''Willamette Week'' reported that Gonzalez received seven speeding tickets between 1998 and 2013, which resulted in his driver's license being suspended twice.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jaquiss|first=Nigel|date=September 9, 2024|title=Records Show Rene Gonzalez Frequently Ticketed for Speeding, Often Failed to Show up in Court and Twice Had License Suspended|url=https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/09/09/records-show-rene-gonzalez-frequently-ticketed-for-speeding-often-failed-to-show-up-in-court-and-twice-had-license-suspended/|work=Willamette Week|access-date=September 10, 2024}}</ref>
==References==
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