Court documents show the bank is seeking more than $16,000 from Hardesty. The bank claims two credit card accounts in her name are in default.
Hardesty sent a statement to KATU News.
“When I ran for City Council in 2018, like many working people I was reliant on a credit card and built up debt,” she wrote. “I live alone, without help, and put all of myself into my work at the City.
“Sometimes that means I neglect to take care of personal matters.
“I tried to work out a payment plan before with this debt that didn’t work out and intend to pay this off.”
City records show Hardesty earns about $128,000 a year as a commissioner.
On Monday, it was reported Hardesty is suing the police union and the city of Portland over a leak that falsely implicated her in a hit-and-run crash.