Oil companies wanted to make South Portland an an export hub for tar sands – something local residents were *not* okay with. After losing a hotly contested ballot measure (by just 192 votes in a town of more than 25,000!) where Big Oil greatly outspent local organizers, residents turned their attention to local elected officials.
Starting with just two of the seven local city councilors on their side, residents used public pressure and grassroots organizing to get the mayor and all but one of the city councilors to support legislation that made sure their community was SAFE.
