Oh no, Guadalajara won't do (Jack Bog's Blog)

Well, kids, Grampy's home, and so now it's time for Sam the Tram to go on his own international junkets. But our fearless freshman commish isn't settling for a week in Mexico with the Royal Rosarians -- he's heading out for Prague, Amsterdam, and Melbourne on important missions.

Hey, don't worry, the city isn't paying his expenses. Outfits like the Portland Streetcar, the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, and unnamed "private sources" are paying his way. That's reassuring, huh? For a guy who's all hot on the "clean money" and making neighborhood lobbyists register, he sure knows how to pick up a perk or two from people who are always hanging around asking the city for handouts.

No, I guess we taxpayers are just paying his salary while he takes all these "essential" trips. Just as we apparently pay for his time while he photo-ops flipping burgers and mowing lawns to show how he rubs elbows with us commoners. For 90 large a year, you don't expect the guy to sit in his office and actually work, do you? He's going to blog from the road -- that will have to be good enough.

You have to feel sorry for Saltzman. While the newbies cash in and go globetrotting, he doesn't dare go much past Beaverton for fear that Amanda Fritz will have his job by the time he gets back.

Comments (9)

There's no reason for him to leave town, except perhaps for an annual vacation. If there's some important meeting somewhere out of town, let him send an underling. Or, surf the net afterward and get PDFs of the handouts. I can't wait to see what doofy Euro-ideas he's going to be dragging back to inflict on Portland.

Posted by RAH | October 5, 2005 7:02 AM

By me, he can go to Europe or Australia or both, if he takes the aerial tram or the streetcar.

Posted by Allan L. | October 5, 2005 9:09 AM

This is par for the course for our commissioners. Remember when Skateboard Charlie had to go to Europe to listen to train horns?

Posted by Garage Wine | October 5, 2005 9:29 AM

this is offthread, but i'm gonna post the comment anyway.

i just read WW's cover story, and I've gotta say, I think they're mocking you Jack, i think they're mocking you.

Posted by justin | October 5, 2005 12:17 PM

Portland's economy is like Seinfeld -- a successful show about nothing.

Posted by Jack Bog | October 5, 2005 1:07 PM

Ok, so he's fulfilling some (silly) sister-city obligations. Big deal. Jack, are you actually trying to tell us that Sam is some sort of corrupt politian who doesn't REALLY care about all those things he says he cares about? I think he's generally regarded as a sincere guy who truly loves this area and wants to make it better. Why bag on the guy for putting himself in his constituents' shoes? Would you prefer that he view his responsibilities in a representative democracy the way Dubya does, favoring the 'votes' of corporations over those of moneyless people? Get real.

Posted by TK | October 10, 2005 12:40 PM

Anyone who defends these truly wasteful and disingenuous trips and ends with "Get real" is pretty funny. Adams has done a few good things, and a few dumb ones. This is clearly in the latter category -- pure Vera.

Posted by Jack Bog | October 10, 2005 12:45 PM

Actually I don't defend the needless sister-city trips at all, I agree they're unnecessary. Not to give him a pass, but this isn't exactly business-as-usual for him. When I said "get real", I was referring to your attempt to paint Adams as some kind of ineffective, photo-op-loving fake. Perhaps we're all too jaded and bitter to get him... as a politian, shouldn't we value his efforts to experience different points of view so that he can represent us better? Shouldn't we value his effort to be accessible, whether out in public, through his blog or email? God forbid he actually gets planning inspiration from Europe (Their cities HAVE stood the test of time, you know. Maybe Gresham isn't our template after all...). This isn't liberal idealism, these are signs of a vibrant, healthy democracy at work. Am I right or am I right?

Posted by TK | October 10, 2005 3:45 PM

Whoops. I meant 'politician'. Someone has a case of the Mondays...

Posted by TK | October 10, 2005 3:48 PM

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Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Oh no, Guadalajara won't do

Comments (9)

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