Fed up
I see the O has an op-ed up by the new "People for Portland" organization. This political group, fronted by both a lefty and a righty, thinks that the local government in Portland is doing a terrible job. And their polls show that roughly four out of five people who live here agree.
Portland has a problem. And it isn’t just COVID-19, rising homelessness, declining public safety and garbage piling up across the city. It goes beyond a weak form of city government and layers of inexplicably overlapping jurisdictions – city, county, state and however you explain Metro to your friends. Of course, it’s all of these things in some measure. But Portland’s biggest problem is the failure of our elected officials at all levels to lead with the urgency, innovation and cooperation required to rescue our broken city.
I'm surprised the milquetoasts at the O gave these guys a platform, when just a few days ago the paper ran a nasty "news story" that made them sound like the KKK. "Dark money," "they don’t have easy solutions, nor is there broad agreement on what steps to take," blah blah blah. And with pat answers to all of the group's objections, as if the politicians around here were actually doing something. The O obviously doesn't want to admit that their "buddingly vibrant" Portland has become an embarrassing hot mess. No wonder they need a paywall.
It sounds as though the new committee is somewhat organized, has some dough, and is already running TV ads making noise about homelessness, filthy public places, and public safety (lack thereof).
I wish "People for Portland" had a reasonable candidate for mayor. If they did, Dud Wheeler would be gone in a few short months. The City Council needs some serious weeding, too. And by that, I don't mean moving The Latest Kafoury over.
I have seen those TV commercials and at best they are slightly ambiguous. They come across as more of the same touchy-feely “Hey we are weird and Portland is cool” kind of a thing. But just a bit dialed back from the usual parade of hipsters and bone through the nose types of people that we usually see “representing” Portland.
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you, Portland overall looks like a toxic waste dump in parts. Was out at Delta Park yesterday for softball and the entrance is strewn with what looked like active and deserted “camping” sites. One large site was even completely burned out...... an area at least 20x20’ that was completely blackened by fire sitting amongst all of the other garbage. And this is what parents see when taking little Johnny and Susie to the soccer match. Disgusting.