Wow, I have to give them credit this time. They have managed to burn every bridge this time and piss off all parties involved. Is there that much of a vacuum at City Hall? This is not fair, at least until now we only had one chief clown, now all five look like idiots.

At least Vera knew enough to keep one warm body in a cold house.

What a bunch of buffoons. Not one of them deserves to be re-elected. Not one. They've made a travesty of the rule of law.

Actually, I suspect that they somehow think that this is a clever way to get the original Interstate Avenue idea endorsed by the public. It will be bad-process Interstate vs. no-process Fourth, and Opie and the Space Cadets are hoping the former will win.

They really are clowns. And this is the group that's racking up billions in debt for condo cr*p, and we're supposed to be confident that they know what they're doing. Sure.

I heard Randy Leonard say
"If business owners come in here and complain about the cost of changing 4th to Chavez on their stationary etc., well I'll be able to say me too" [as if Randy is spending his money to change city hall stationary]
What a dope Randy.
He also said they need a new process to make sure they follow process. Then he said they should just pick 4th with no process.

What a dope Randy.

Well, I'm sure there'll be some opposition to 4th, but honestly, between 4th (big deal, an F'ing number) and a historically important name like Interstate (which had become something of a "brand"), I'm happier with 4th. Plus, North Portland finally pushed back enough to get them to think twice before changing another street name through a stealth process.

What I don't get is how the Chávez Committee was still so crazy-stuck on Interstate. How is changing the name of a big important street downtown not a greater honor for the late Chávez?

I moved out of PDX years ago and this is yet another validation of picking up my toys and leaving.

If these guys would simply dump the "correctness" veil they could float a couple viable alternatives like Vista Ave or Fairmount.
Oh, wait - wasn't Cesare Chavez a guy that would have prefered maybe 122nd or even 11th?

How 'bout we forget the street fiasco and place his name on a couple acres of Forest Park that can be "developed" over time by the community that cries when his name is mentioned now.

Get out your shovel Serena, and stop acting like you are being filmed.

It would seem if the naming is symbolic, that the City Hall address should be neutral representing all races, persuasions, and orientations. 4th is non-discreet and would seem to fit the bill. Maybe the rush to name streets in NE after Minority groups is because gentrification is driving them out of area so fast. Chavez should be celebrated, he is a good role model for young Hispanics for role, as Rosa Parks and MLK were in gaining rights for people of color, especially with persistent unyielding pressure involving people of all races that celebrate Justice for all. But doing this bizarre little two-step in council with 4th Avenue without public process just defeats the spirit of the whole thing.

It's time to get one of those tiny clown cars and issue xxxl shoes, red noses, funny hats, and mini bikes, to all the members of the city council.
Oh wait! they have already have all those props!

Having watched the whole thing on TV I saw 3 guys that seemed very sincere in trying to do what they thought would be right and a compromise, 1 person caring only about legalities and not getting a referendum against them, and 1 very hardlined, non-compromising ass clown. I absolutely admire Adams, Sten, and Randy after last night. Not because of what they did, but because of how well they explained themselves and how willing to listen they were. These 3 guys really seem to care about what they're doing and try to have the best intentions in mind, regardless of how they actually turn out.

When elected representatives don't listen to their constituents they are either, (a) voted out of office, or (b) in this state, the people can take control of their own legislative process. I'm fully prepared to do the former since I never voted for any of these buffoons. But, has anyone looked into what it takes to place a referendum on the ballot nullifying the renaming of 4th Avenue? I will sign such a petition.

The vote implies that, in Portland, "decisions are still made behind closed doors by white men," said Maria Johnson, executive director of the Latino Network.

really? i thought the deal to rename Interstate was worked out behind closed doors by "Latino leaders" and city council, then sprung on the neighborhood as a fait accompli.

then, when the end-around deal didn't go as promised, the Race Card was played early and often, ensuring polarization and resentment--despite three diverse neighborhood associations rejecting the renaming.

still waiting for "Latino leaders" (who are mostly self-appointed to that title) to acknowledge that maybe--just maybe--the residents of the area have a real say in what happens to their own community?

This entire fiasco seems to be a metaphor for too much of politics in this country. Some well-meaning activists attempt a symbolic act to promote some group's self-esteem (and perhaps the promoters' standing as "leaders").
They assume that everyone should agree with what they want to do and they way they want it done. Surprise! When people and businesses who will actually be affected by it find out, they're less than pleased.
So what in reality is a meaningless gesture manages to do nothing except aggravate everybody.
And after all the time and energy are spent, no real problems are solved and the powerful continue to roll along their merry way.

Randy said yesterday: "We have the power to give you something...but if we do so, that means we have to take something away from someone else."

What Council just did was to take something away from everyone. They took Interstate away from the Chavistas. They took City Hall away from the City and gave it to the Chavistas, (who don't want it by the way). They took Fourth Avenue for themselves...never mind the dozens of businesses and hundreds of residents who also call Fourth home. They took away our right to celebrate a great American and replaced that right with racism and hatred (I'll never be able to publicly come out in favor or against any proposal having to do with CC without being branded one way or another).

What really irks me about this is that these guys don't actually have to live with this change. Instead, it's like the proverbial notch in a bedpost for a politician: "Look what a great thing I did, all that heavy lifting, and all for the greater glory of...me. Thanks for voting. Next."

Jack, I've always enjoyed your post titles based on songs so how in hell did you miss "Positively 4th Street" for this?
Especially when Bob Dylan - in the role of the Latino community - could be singing the first verse directly to the city council:

You've Gotta Lotta Nerve To Say You Are My Friend
When I Was Down You Just Stood There Grinnin'
You've Gotta Lotta Nerve To Say You Have A Helping Hand To Lend
You Just Want To Be On The Side That's Winnin'

I think we should get a STATEWIDE drive together to recall these morons and kick them out of Oregon. They are a shame and embarassment to not only Portland but all of Oregon!

What about the Chinatown Gate at NW 4th & Burnside. Isn't this culturally insensitive to the Asians who built this neighborhood 100 years ago? They are already being forced out to 82nd because Pearl District gentrification is spreading West.

Plus, Portland's Chinatown is a US REGISTERED HISTORIC DISTRICT. Federal lawsuit, anyone?

City Council won't follow code by hiring an independent historian, but any moron can see that NW 4th has a HUGE historical significance to the Chinese community, can they not?

and the idiots will keep voting them in because they have a D next to their name. I am so glad to be out of Oregon

Wait wait wait just one minute. I say cooler heads must prevail here.

We can avert disaster by doing the following:

1)Thursday's council action should be amended to strike all mentions of "Cesar" and insert "Hugo" instead.

2) Apply for cheap oil from Venezuela, like those towns in New England a couple of years ago.

If renaming a street for Chavez is so great, why stop at I-405? SW 4th goes on into the rich neighborhoods on the westside, that why.