Signed, sealed, and delivered

The Portland City Council has approved that grotesquely lopsided four-year police union contract. The taxpayers got nothing on body cams, and nothing on oversight, which were the main issues facing the wayward police bureau. Meanwhile, the city basically gave the union veto power over the new unarmed public safety officer response system. And the cops got some excellent raises and bonuses. 

Another fine job done by the City Hall bureaucracy. With them negotiating on your behalf, the people on the other side hardly need to show up to take you to the cleaners.

More than 90 percent of the union members voted to ratify the contract. That's all you need to know right there.

But I should lighten up, for there's always something to chuckle about. Commissioner Jo Ann "With the Bullhorn" Hardesty, who has been screaming to defund the cops for the past three years, is suddenly fine with all the giveaways. She's declaring a Vietnam victory.

"This has been a long ride to get to today," said City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty at the Thursday meeting. "I can tell you we are in a much better place today because the mayor was willing to work in collaboration from the beginning."

She must be looking at some pretty bleak poll numbers. Her opponents are about to join the "Anybody But" Club. It includes:

    - Anybody But Adams (twice)

    - Anybody But Novick

    - Anybody But Eudaly

    - Anybody But Iannarone

Hardesty said she is dedicated to work on policing issues that remain unresolved in the contract, like the policies surrounding a yet-to-be-convened police oversight board. 

She'd better hurry. Hers was a fun experiment, but it's about to end. A bust it was.