We're gonna miss them (Jack Bog's Blog)

Well, the Portland Development Commission board had its special meeting to elect its new officers yesterday. Mayor Potter's appointees took the three offices, as one would have expected.

The official explanation of the need for a special meeting for something so mundane was that the terms of the two outgoing commissioners held over from the Goldschmidt-Katz days expire before tomorrow's regularly scheduled meeting. I guess that means they're out of there as of today.

And as they mosey off into the sunset, I think it's time to pay them a musical tribute. Eric Parsons and Doug Blomgren, this one's for you: (Hit it, Ralph!)

Thanks for the memory
Of budgets for the tram
Reality be damned
The theater in the Armory
And all the other scams
How lucky we were

And thanks for the memory
Of Anthony and Than
When Tracy cut and ran
The laughs we had though times were bad
When Wyman was the man
How cozy it was

Now is the long overdue hour
To count all the ways you'd abuse power
The parties you had down at Bluehour
We loved the Don, but now he's gone

So thanks for reminding us
Of every goofy scheme
The shaft you gave to Beam
The sweetheart deals for friends of Neil's
When you'd tell us, "Live the dream"
We thank you so much
We thank you so much

I think I forgot a few verses, readers. Help me out here.

Comments (1)

I wonder what set of books they ever saw if any.

My guess is all they ever got were PDC staff reports to the commission and never asked for anything to back them up.

After all they wouldn't want to be alienated by taking any principled stances or accused of micro managing or of being adversarial.

Posted by: Steve Schopp at July 11, 2006 01:59 PM

I think there is a big storm a-brewin'. The quickly, quickly ushering of the new guard is a pretty big sign that some big news is coming out and some tough decisions are going to have to be made in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1

Posted by: Stump This! at July 11, 2006 04:49 PM

What did Bruce Warner report about? See post of
of Fri., July 7, 2006. [Sorry I don't know how to do a link]:
4:40 pm . Executive Director Report
Bruce Warner, Executive Director
Report 06-74

Posted by: mac at July 11, 2006 05:05 PM

Bravo Jack!

Posted by: Lily at July 11, 2006 07:58 PM

What I find as interesting is the fact that the DJC (usually a better news source than the Oregonian) focused on a need for a labor leader to sit on the PDC in the name of openness and fairness.

When was the last time you thought: closed room meeting, labor union, discretionary property tax revenues, and openness in the same context?

Just seems to me that this change at the PDC will just be another agenda with the same tools of siphoning from the public treasury. Instead of an aerial tram we will see a new context of goofy infrastrucutre in the name of a better Portland with fewer small businesses and more condo towers.

Posted by: DarePDX at July 11, 2006 08:33 PM

Thanks for the memory:
Bold discretion you did wield
asserting Ad Law as a shield
(due process flexible, ex post facto's swell)
consent agendas, fixing transcripts
off-the-record deals
How ugly it was.

Posted by: Cynthia at July 11, 2006 08:34 PM

I'm hearing, "Thanks for the Chicanery."

Posted by: Bill McDonald at July 11, 2006 09:10 PM

Several times in the years past I heard Commissioners such as Doug Blomgren acknowledge the other side of issues that are contrary to the normal line from the PDC. But after acknowledging, asking a few good questions, the Commission would vote the typical party line.

A case in point was the inclusion of the Double Tree Hotel site into the North Macadam URD that didn't have one sign of "blight". It was producing over $1M into the tax rolls. Doug and one other Commissioner questioned the far-flung reach of the district many blocks from the NM District primary boundary to include a non-blighted area. But Doug voted for inclusion and the condemnation that was not even necessary.

We need commissioners that are not afraid to vote their beliefs, to ask questions, and not be concerned about having 3 to 2 votes. Consensus isn't always needed, because it certainly doesn't reflect the makeup of the citizenry-just look at this blog.

Posted by: Lee at July 11, 2006 10:00 PM

When was the last time you heard of a board hurrying up to vote on new officers the day before the retiring members left? The usual protocol is to wait until the new members come on, to allow them to be part of the decision.

Posted by: Amanda Fritz at July 11, 2006 10:42 PM

How about-

Thanks for the memories
the rip-offs and the scams
the towers and the tram
urban renewal be damned
Oh, you charletons

And thanks for the tax breaks
you give to the rich
the rest of us must struggle
reality's such a b*tch
Oh, you charletons

And hey!
Thanks for the bankruptcy
we're surely gonna take
you could have done it differently
but you were on the take
you charletons

Posted by: Lily at July 11, 2006 11:46 PM

Unfortunately, as "progressively liberal" as Portland touts to be, I think the lugnuts at the PDC and City Hall represent exactly what the concensus of the citizenry wants. This blog is just a drop in the bucket, representing a few like-minded and logical folks.

Posted by: Jon at July 12, 2006 08:20 AM

[Posted as indicated; restored later.]

Posted by Blog restoration | January 2, 2007 4:16 AM

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Tuesday, July 11, 2006

We're gonna miss them

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