Greetings,
Hey Jack you are sooo on top of things!
I nominate you for Mayor,Police chief, City Council,School Sup., Govenor, State Rep.,Congressman, Senator,
Supreme court, or President of the USA.
Hope all is well with you and the girls.

Keep UP your great work!
xoxo tommy and connie

Given the current monkey-business going on in the PDX city council, I think Jack (on a part-time basis) would be better.

No thanks. I don't want to be involved in City Hall when it comes time to pay the piper for all the money we're borrowing and pouring down rat holes like SoWhat and the tram. Between those and the police and fire pensions, hard financial times are coming for Portland. Maybe Sten will make it to mayor by then.

Do you think Saltzman is committing political suicide in an effort to pick up votes from Death with Dignity supporters?

This is pretty depressing, I thought Saltzman would at least wait until after the primary to flip like I expect Sten will. This will give Mr Leonard the "I told you so" chair now.

It’s not how you handle the wins. It’s how you handle the losses.
Jack, a valiant fight has been fought on this site. I suspect the wisdom of the anti-tram position will only grow more apparent as the years roll on. To Dan Saltzman, you had the right to change your mind, but you had the opportunity to change Portland. You caved in before even calling. OHSU might have been bluffing – they might have slid in the extra cash, but you were in such a hurry to fold, you didn’t even let that play out. Why should you? You’d only be saving millions for the city you’re supposed to be serving. So congratulations, everyone on this site. It was an honor to read your stuff.

Don't use the past tense, Bill. The tram [rim shot] is the Titanic about to set sail. We'll have lots of new laughs in the years to come as one disaster after another occurs. They just found $2 million the other day that somebody forgot to add in. It's headed for $80 million -- and that's just what they'll admit to.

We all knew the city would cave -- they've been working 24/7 on the thing ever since people figured out what a ripoff it is. Klieg lights and everything.

At least Amanda's going to have a great weekend.

I thought Saltzman would at least wait until after the primary to flip like I expect Sten will.

Are you kidding? Now that it doesn't matter, Sten will be a big "I fought the tram" guy. But he'll be winking at old Homer Williams.

Disarmed Amanda now needs an inoculation against the Sten-Blackmer Virus. It's untested and very risky but she now has no other choice.

There's hope -- they're doing Sten cell research now.

That's ironic: I got a phone call from the Saltzman campaign just last night, asking for help canvassing the neighborhoods. I'm going to call back and suggest they call Homer instead.

This should cement Amanda's victory, preferably in the primary (to save the City that extra $200k, which they're spending on the Tram as it turns out:)

Stadum wins this round of Chicken!

Maybe the Portland City Council should move to Hillsboro.

Jack, Please forgive the momentary lapse into defeatism. I blame it on the early hour and the sickening spectacle of watching Dan flip.
Of course, all will continue as before. We've got these bastards right where we want them.
By the way, I checked out your reading of the tax code. Very, very sexy. Add a hip hop beat and you might have something there.

As I said in that post, I've got big plans for that project.

OK, so the jerk votes for this funding increase.

How will he vote on the next one, from $55 mil to $65 mil. And from $65 to 75$. BTW, do they have air rights over I5 yet?

And from $75 mil to $150 mil after they discover that the "bed rock" wasn't stable and the upper tower looks like this: \

Looks like Homer sure got his money's worth when he bought this jerk.

Amanda & Sharon: it is time to take off the kid gloves and attack this guy in your every public action. Here is a start:

Dan is stealing your kid's school money, your police protection money and your fire department's money and shoveling it to his rich buddies, Homer and Steve, to build tax exempt condos for millionare friends who will flock to Portland and increase traffic congestion. Then he is going to have to raise your taxes to make up the difference. This guy is just too dangerous to be in office.

Stop Saltzman's millinare giveaways.
Vote for Sharon (Amanda)

Don't you wish we had better schools? Well Dan just gave away millions of your school dollers to his rich friends to build the tram scam.

Thanks
JK

Are we gonna race the tram? Maybe if we rent a hot air balloon.

Also, I thought Randy told us last week that once Dan's mind was made up, it stayed made. Wonder what changed?

The City is all a twitter over Derrick's Dilemma, meanwhile back at the ranch Commissioner Saltzman flipped his position and agreed to give more money for the budget-busting Tram.

If you didn't see that one coming you should avoid rail-road tracks.

Chris,

"Also, I thought Randy told us last week that once Dan's mind was made up, it stayed made. Wonder what changed?"

Maybe Randy didn't know what he was talking about. It's never stopped him from talking yet.

The bully on the hill wins again. City government has become as much of a joke as the county government.

Tom Linn

This, folks, is the flip side of VOE.

Now is the chance for "grassroots" campaigning to see what it can do against the wheelbarrows of bucks the developers will be carting into Danny Boy's campaign coffers.

When the WH mafia buys a commish, they expect him to stay bought.

Also, I thought Randy told us last week that once Dan's mind was made up, it stayed made. Wonder what changed?

Well, Randy's been wrong before.

I rather wonder whether the fatcats sent a cobbler to measure Danny for a new pair of shoes...concrete shoes? Yeah, yeah...Hoffa had a lot of union support, too.

You write: "We'll have lots of new laughs in the years to come as one disaster after another occurs."

How true. I can think of many things that can and will happen to this tram, since they already happened to trams elsewhere:

1-Air Force jet tail fin slices suspension cable.
2-Cargo dropped by construction crane onto cable car.
3-Kids throw bricks out the window, hitting people below.
4-Couple provides peep show while doing it high above Portland...and I am not talking about the chocolate brown Police Chief...

Of course, these are only what other trams have experienced. I am sure PDX can create novels ways to use the tram.

"What a guy?"

Um... Don't you have to have cajones to be a "guy"?

Perhaps you meant, "What? A guy?"

This is exactly why voters will not approve a tax increase for schools (or for any other vital program)--because city government gives the impression that, when push comes to shove, they can always find the money. I'm as pro-school as you can get, and it sickens me that the same week that PPS votes to close 7 schools, the city magically comes up with a few more millions (it claims it doesn't have) to fund a fancy elevator for doctors.

You can say Randy Leonard was wrong, but he was probably just trying to get Dan Saltzman propped up where he wouldn't fold.
That's not my own theory by the way, but I think it's probably true. The person who told me made that observation back when Randy first shared his opinion about Dan not flipping. The same source also thinks Leonard comes out of this thing looking golden.

Harry -

To be fair, it was a US Marine jet that sliced that cable in Italy. We don't have any of those nearby. And the Air National Guard is busy elsewhere and probably will be for some time.

I personally think we'll see headlines like this:

"Tram Malfunction Turns I-5 Into Parking Lot"

"City/OHSU Squabble Over Who Foots Bill For Rescue"

"Tense High-Wire Standoff With Psych Patient"

"27th Shut Down of Tram for 'Mechanical Problems'"

"OHSU Demands City Pay for OHSU Shuttle"

"$85 Million Tram Closed Due to Safety Concerns" (June 2008)

"Contracted Tram Operator Walks Away From Contract - Cites Unrealistic Expectations"

"Also, I thought Randy told us last week that once Dan's mind was made up, it stayed made. Wonder what changed?"

Maybe Randy didn't know what he was talking about. It's never stopped him from talking yet.

I hate to agree with you, Ricky. But at least on this one you are absolutley right.

I obviously do not know Dan as well as I thought I did.

I truly regret my words in this case and I will be much more reluctant to predict anyone's actions again in the future.

Now is the chance for "grassroots" campaigning to see what it can do against the wheelbarrows of bucks the developers will be carting into Danny Boy's campaign coffers. ~ godfry

Call to action:

Please call my office, 503-235-2295, to volunteer your time for my grassroots campaign. We are canvassing neighborhoods every Saturday, and can use your help tomorrow. We run phone banks Mon-Thurs and Sundays, and will give you important work to do, at the office or at home, for an hour or two any day or evening. We have flyers for you to give to your neighbors, yard signs, buttons, postcards to send. If nothing else, please call 10 of your friends and tell them to check out www.AmandaFritz.com, and vote for a change in City Hall.

On Wednesday, I taped radio ads that will start running on KPOJ next week. One of them talks about the tram. But here's a VOE twist: in every ad, I am required to state, "As a Certified Campaign Finance Fund Candidate, I take personal responsibility for the content of this campaign ad." I am proud to say it, and I didn't want to rush through it like a car sales ad. But it takes 8 seconds to say, which means in every 30 second ad, I get 25% less content than a 30 second ad by someone running under the Old Money system. So the tram ad can't go into as much detail as needed.

So, I need your help on that, too. Please help me get the word out on what has happened and who will be a stronger voice for regular Portlanders in City Hall.

P.S. Yes, I know 25% of 30 isn't exactly 8. Traditional candidates have to say their campaign fund name, too, so I rounded as to the extra time required to be dedicated by a Campaign Finance Fund candidate.

I obviously do not know Dan as well as I thought I did.

Oh, SNAP.

Air Force jet tail fin slices suspension cable.

And with the new design tying the tram structure into the building, that should prove interesting.

I wonder if Saltzman made this decision to get himself a nice little spot with the PDC, since it would end his political aspirations?

"Tram Malfunction Turns I-5 Into Parking Lot"

Speaking of which...werent there some reports a while back that the proper permitting still was not completed for the tram going over the freeway or something like that? (Yet they are building it)
What ever came of that?

"Oh, SNAP."

With a twist!

One more time a politician flips on a big issue. Where is all the suprise coming from??? I am totally amazed that no one has said anything regarding Amanda's ties to the medical community which means "PILL HILL". The chance for true change and someone who is truly committed to rebuilding our infrastructure, lack of business-friendly climate, and trying to attract family wage jobs to our area lies with Sharon Nasset.

Man, we're heading to wingnut territory with talks of Air Force jets slicing through the tram cables.

Number of Air Force jets seen in Portland in my 25 years here: Zero.

Number of Air Force bases in Oregon: Zero.

Chances of an Air Force jet hitting the new tram tower: about the same as Lars improving his ratings with AA+Franken killing him daily: zero.

Y'all are all worried about nada, zippo, bupkis!

But what fun would it be to be happy.

ses-

Not only that, Amanda is an employee of OHSU. But that does mean she's just another Steve Stadum.

After all, I'm an employee of OHSU, and I've vocally opposed this boondoogle since day one. Those of us who have to live and work under this regime are all the more sensitized to its arbitrary and capricious bureaucratic authoritanianism. If you've never worked for some doctors, you don't know the meaning of "distain for mere mortals".

I was leaning toward Amanda anyway. This decision just put the icing on the cake. Amanda, I hate phones and I work Saturdays. As a former chair of the Richmond Neighborhood Association, I'd be delighted to have a lawn sign and I'll drop leaflet in a coincentric pattern from my home at the heart of Richmond. I've got an inside contact to your campaign, so she'll get me lined up.

Good luck, Amanda!

Correction: "But that does NOT mean she's just another Steve Stadum."

You need an edit function, Jack.

"I am totally amazed that no one has said anything regarding Amanda's ties to the medical community which means "PILL HILL"."

Just because someone works at a place does not mean they completely and blindly support everything the "suits" say must happen or is necessary, or is a linchpin. I think the fact she has been outspoken about the tram shows she is not afraid to question the administrators at OHSU.

Oh, and I forgot...

Randy for mayor!

"Also, I thought Randy told us last week that once Dan's mind was made up, it stayed made. Wonder what changed?"

Saltzman lied about this as recently as Tuesday night, at the Concordia Candidates Forum (Kennedy School), when he said he did not support additional city funding of the physicians' sky ride.

He said a lot of other things too, like "I do not support a third runway at PDX."

Vote Fritz.

Daphne,

"Number of Air Force jets seen in Portland in my 25 years here: Zero."

Number of Air Force bases in Oregon: Zero.

Whose flyin' those F-15's over my house, then?
Michael Moore?

I worry about you.

"Now that it doesn't matter, Sten will be a big "I fought the tram" guy. But he'll be winking at old Homer Williams."

Agreed. And since OHSU / Homer have Potter, Adams, and Saltzman in their pocket, you can be sure we won't be hearing any more about the so-called "affordable housing" component in this project from them - not that anyone ever believed this in the first place - because their former swing vote boy's opinion is now irrelevent. This indeed is a golden opportunity for him to state that he put out a valiant effort to force this issue to the table, but was undermined by the weakness of his fellow council members.

Saltzman just gave Sten another four years of not having to find a real job.

"Whose flyin' those F-15's over my house, then?"

Oregon National Guard.

The F-15's around here are from the Air National Guard unit stationed at PDX. They are prohibited from making low-flying passes over the city, so there really isn't any worry about them clipping the so far non-existent Tram lines.

It ain't the Air Force jets that worry me. It's the 160 million foot pounds of torque at the top of the ride.

The Air Force Jet reference is probably alluding to the TRAM in Italy that this happened with a few years back and killed a number or Tramsters, when a pilot was hot shotting under the wire, ala TOP GUN.

I repeat an earlier post in the Black Hole string,
If you want to put your faith in the WalMart approach to City Goverment, when the politicos Dangle "the Children" out with a token levy after they have orchstrated the millions deferred from the funds that should be taking care of them to UR funding. (See 2000 Oregonian article posted where the county accepted the Interstate UR plan after protesting becausethe county will lose at least $90 million during 20 years. Initially supportive, they became frustrated when the project expanded, doubling in acreage and costing more than five times its original estimate. )

Dangle curing Homelessness 10 year round two, when millions in Tax Abatements to Alexan Affordable housing instead of as many folks have pointed out in this blog even dedicating 25% of PDC UR funds would have hundrends of truely affordable housing units built.

It is not different than WalMART dangleing a few old folks out front as greeters to prove their wonderful intent, while robbing the suppliers and the society blind. Watch the movie and see just how much of your tax money goes to subsize everything from environmental clean-up from runnoff of gardensupplies from their parking lots, to medical care for their underpaid workers, to subsides granted them while driving out two and three generation small businesses.

I know. 142nd Fighter Wing. My point is the same. I think the distinction is lost on most. BTW the USAF EA-6B that severed the cable in Italy was "prohibited" from flying as low as it was too.

I've read several stories over the years about helocopters striking powerlines, typically at night.

I assume the tram's cables will be much heavier than powerlines, but I'm not sure if they carry electricity too (perhaps the Tram cars have their own generators to power lights and A/C).

They've pared down the budget.
Aerial Tram cars will have woodstoves and Coleman lanterns. The cable will be braided from hemp.

Yes, Mike, the F-15's are from the Air National Guard, part of this girl's Army.

I should point out that the F-15's also do flyovers at the daily (hourly?) funerals for the US soldiers who died in Iraq. 2300+ so far.

For what?

W's re-election, according to his own leak.

The tram still has Sten's fingerprints all over it. Sten screwed up. How many different projects have that stamped over the top of the title page. Yes, the tram too, has a big fat
STEN SCREWED UP stamped over the title page.
We need Dave Lister on The City Council.

Information from OHSU Workforce Housing Needs and Preference Results:(3000 survey respondents from 11,000 surveys sent to employees of OHSU)

"Local Amenties Wanted:...38% aerial tram"

Maybe Amanda Fritz besides listening to pubic testimony at Planning Commission meetings, using her own brain, also listened to her own OHSU employer's survey.

the funniest from today's oregonian is how no one seems to know how to use Excel

"Kiewit's staff turned in a spreadsheet to the city that summarized its costs. Based on that, Rob Barnard, city project manager, calculated a total project cost of $50 million. But Barnard caught an error in Kiewit's work that added another $2 million. "It was a totaling some cells, and it missed some," Barnard said. "Better to find it out now then later that we need more money." "