Today, I met Pious Ali for the first time. He was canvassing our neighborhood, a privilege he was grateful to have the time to do.

He approached my wife and me as we ate lunch outside during a break from doing maintenance and safety upgrade projects on the building we own and rent out to two Deering Center families.

Within two minutes of talking, he had not only answered my question, he had resolved my concern and given me hope for a reasonable, humane and integrated housing and economic development policy for the city of Portland.

My preferred candidate for the Portland City Council’s at-large seat just found me.

People like Pious Ali are the future of good governance. His focus is clearly on bringing people together for their individual and the common good. When we can marry those two things, the world becomes a better place very quickly.

Tobey Williamson

Portland