Can Portland afford this mayor? Consider his first actions: expanding his office space (at what cost?); hiring an assistant and advertising the job at almost his own salary; essentially proclaiming himself boss of Portland; costing taxpayers legal fees to confirm the charter’s clarity – the mayor has limited authority.

And consider wasted time and energy required by the City Council and administration dealing with his grandstanding and need for attention. He is so needy as to publicly proclaim credit for work of the whole council, getting sore and vindictive if denied their adulation.

Portland can’t afford this mayor. But there are communities that might: Palm Beach, the Hamptons and Silicon Valley come to mind.

I will not vote to re-elect Ethan Strimling, and in so deciding, I afford him the opportunity to seek political advantages in a community with financial resources commensurate with his personal desires.

Robert Kahn

Portland