Small favors

The results are pretty much in in yesterday's sleepy elections here in Portlandia. The proposed Multnomah County capital gains tax lost by about 4 to 1, and the continuing "for the children" property tax won by about 7 to 3.

The county commission seat will go to Julia to the Brim-Edwards, and she probably won't need a runoff.

I see some usually frustrated Portlanders celebrating the defeat of the capital gains tax and the election of Brim-Edwards as if they are signs that the worm has turned politically in Portland. I'm not popping any champagne corks. The literal socialists who pushed the new tax are still dreaming up new ones, and apparently they're easy to get on the ballot. And we still wallow in the homeless income tax, the preschool income tax, and the arts head tax, all of which make Clark County, Washington look better than ever.

As for Brim-Edwards, she talked a good line toward the end of her race, but I'll believe it when she and Sharon Meieran twist somebody else's arm on the board and get something rational done. I still think that the Brimster sees the county commission as a steppingstone to a more powerful position. If it's a choice between making waves and advancing her ambitions, I'll bet she'll do the latter. And so the junkie day spa patrons have little to fear.

And wait 'til you see who we get on the newly designed Portland City Council next year. It will be like a can of Planter's Mixed Nuts.

Anyway, yesterday could have been worse. So there's that.