After looking at Sho's website for 10 seconds, he has my vote!!!!

Not so fast there, buckaroo:

http://wweek.com/editorial/2852/3295/

Well, of course WW is going to try to assassinate Dozono, just as they did Ball. Sho's a downtown business guy, and WW hates those types. I never understood why -- maybe they didn't let Meeker and Zusman into some sort of club. Anyway, recall that WW told us that the need to keep Opie Sten in City Hall was "the defining issue of our time" or some such cr*p. They love Sam Adams and the goofball house of cards he's building. It must help their circulation.

I'm skeptical of Dozono, but put me down in the anybody-but-Adams camp.

Mr. Dozono has been very supportive of my kids school, giving travel at cost or donating it outright for our Auction.

If he runs, he's got my vote.

I've done some business with him and his firm in the past. Always good people to deal with. I've already mentioned that I'm ready to cut a check as soon as he officially declares he will run for Mayor.

If you like seeing Portland go bankrupt like San Diego vote for Sam The Scam!

Show me someone with a spotless record and I will show you someone who has accomplished little or nothing in the world of business. The fact that WWeek attacked him means nothing to me. What matters is his policy positions. When I see where he stands on issues, then I will decide if he gets my vote or not.

What concerns me is that he has dabbled in "development". A golf course in West Linn is nothing to sneeze at...

The worst thing this city could do is elect Sam Adams as mayor.

I hope Sho runs.

In my view the big question will be whether the PBA types are dissatisfied enough with Adams to fund a big campaign. There's no way Sho's is going to jump in this late and qualify for the public financing (I don't think he would go that route anyway). He's going to need big dollars to mount a successful campaign. Adams has done a pretty good job of courting the deep pocket folks, and keeping on the good side of the business community.

Some will of course point out that Potter waxed Francesconi with relatively little money, but I don't think that's a fair comparison to Adams vs. Dozono.

The fact that Vera's lap dog portrayed himself as the outsider ("Shake up City Hall") was pure arrogance.

What changed? NOTHING! Vera-Lite is the best Sam has to offer.

More taxes, more debt, and MORE NEGLECT of basic services and infrastructure. If you don't sell bicycles or build condos for a living, I don't know why you'd support him.

Anyone but SAM!

I will need to learn more about Mr.Sho, but on the other hand I am on the anyone but Sam camp.

In fact I would vote for Bud Clark if he ran again.

Who is Sho Dozono, and why should I vote for him??

Don't know anything about the guy, and his website is not much help. Is he a Democrat or Republican? Is he smart or not so smart? Will he be just another downtown/insider, steering business to his buddies, amassing chits to cash in after he leaves office??

Who is this guy?

Dave, Sam has missed many "deep pocket folks", especially those who feel strong about setting right priorities on transportation, urban renewal projects, and his emphasis on social issues and not running a city. There is also the factor of east city issues that Sam pretends to understand, which you understand. The media has done a good sales job for Sam on how he thinks he covers all bases-which journalist wouldn't miss an easy photo-op with a press release?

The best example I first think of in Sam's shell game is his declaration that we have a "massive congestion problem" and we can tax ourselves out of the mess. He has never answered why he applied $138 Million of state gas tax money (STIP) and applied it only to bikes, peds, etc. and not to road repair. He never responds to the fact that he helped take $48M from the general fund to give to the SoWhat URA to bail out the tram, trolley, and other infrastructure (Amendment 8). The list goes on, beginning with the Burnside Couplet.

If Sho Dozono comprehends some aspects of Sam's double talk, he can capture some of the deep pockets outside of Homer and Co.; and I believe the general public, even though it dulls one's mind, understands "congestion" and the tricks of urban renewal.

Appears we have a traditional downtown businessman here who would be pitted against the downtown utopian crowd. Both have powerful financial banking, but I don't see much benefit for the east side from Dozono any more than from Sam.

Ain't none of them populists. Both of these guys would spend vast sums of public money on things that benefit the few.

I might vote for the first candidate who will say--and back it up--that government doesn't have to spend several times--or magnitudes--as much money on things as private enterprise.

Since Sam has decided to impose another tax (supposedly for streets - but he'll use it for streetcars) without a vote of the people, he has irritated many voters. The question is, are there enough concerned voters to outvote the socialists and free-loaders that have come to this town. My fear is that the answer is no.

I too am a fine upstanding member of the "Anybody But Sam" club. Go Sho - heck, go ANYONE but Sam.

Sam Adams is aligned with others in deliberatly causing additional congestion and severe traffic choke points.
ODOT, and to some extent PDOT, is finally coming out with condemnation of Sam's total disregard for traffic engineering.

History will show him to be a perveyor of reckless and irresponsible policies.

Elect him again to no position.

I've lived in Portland now going on 20 years and every neighborhood has improved by an order of magnitude since I arrived in 1988. Not just downtown. Westmoreland, (Westmoreland!) where I holed up in my wife's grandmother's basement was dank, just about every other storefront was shuttered. And it was better than most. I ride my bike all over this city and it has simply blossomed. It isn't just downtown that got better (yeah, I know some of you are going to say it got worse, but you're not being objective) it was everywhere. So it should come as no surprise that people who live here are satisfied, even delighted with this city. Read: that's how people get elected. Double-edged sword? Yep, it's gotten expensive, which is troubling, (what west coast city hasn't) but it's those progressives that seem so despised here who've taken up the mantle of trying to make it more accessible for people of more modest means. I have my moments of exasperation, and I do think that often city council loses sight of simply providing core services. As for Sam Adams, he's a skilled politician, who apprenticed under one of the most talented (whether you liked her or not) politicians in Oregon history, and I say that as measure of her skills at accomplishing what she set out to do. We have the alternative in the mayor's office right now, and it's pathetic, even sad to watch. It's a contact sport, my friends, and Sam's damn good at it. People seem to want to assign all kind of sinister motives to Sam Adams, and all I see is a man of tremendous energy, a discerning intellect, curious, compassionate, ruthless political skills, great good humor, and accessible. He didn't grow up in Laurelhurst with a sense of entitlement, he worked his way to where he is. He gets it, he lived it, and it doesn't seem to me that he's forgotten it either. I think Sho's a wonderful, big hearted guy who has many of the attributes I just described for Sam. Except one. No political chops. Anyone but Sam? How small and dim a viewpoint.

taken up the mantle of trying to make it more accessible for people of more modest means.

What a steaming crock. Vera and Sam and Opie and the rest of that ilk have driven middle-income people, and families at all economic strata, out of the city in droves. They have sold Portland's soul to Homer Williams and Gerding-Edlen and Peter Kohler and whomever else Neil Goldschmidt told Vera to kiss up to. And they're bankrupting the place.

I'd fisk the rest of your ludicrous comment line by line if I had time, but I'm busy today with more important things.

Portland is a great town, and a nice place to raise kids if you have a lot of money, but it is no thanks to Sam Adams. Sho Dozono may not be much better, but he really can't be any worse.

GO SHO!!!!

What a steaming crock. Vera and Sam and Opie and the rest of that ilk have driven middle-income people, and families at all economic strata, out of the city in droves. They have sold Portland's soul to Homer Williams and Gerding-Edlen and Peter Kohler and whomever else Neil Goldschmidt told Vera to kiss up to. And they're bankrupting the place. Jack Bog said that.

Jack:

Some of your best comments on this blog yet.

I won't go into my reasons for anyone "BUT SAM!"

Sho, can and will represent ALL of us, his business comes to all of us at one time or another, and if anyone can point out the same for Sam..be my guest!

Breakdown those points you said above you didn't have time for, and thank's in advance for it.

Sho's a great guy. Good business sense. Highly respected philanthropist and certainly no slouch when it comes to understanding social services and other issues important to the community. Another plus in the column: I think he'd work hard to build up Portland as a good place to do business, perhaps leading to more jobs and better living standards across the board.

An interesting question to ponder, tho: given the composition of the Council, can someone like Sho be effective? Or will he just be rendered an irrelevant spokesperson, much like the current mayor has been. And can we afford to have another four years of a council run amok in pursuit of personal interests (e.g. Sten and the URA fiasco)?

There are two council seats up for grabs. It would be Sho and a newcomer. They could be agents of change.

What in the world did Vera Katz ever accomplish? Capping 405? Cim/Cam? I mean she was great at self-promotion, but you could count her meaningful accomplishments on one finger.

Agents of Change: LOL. Have you looked at the field of candidates recently?

Lewis would try to change things a lot. Fritz, at least somewhat. Smith or Rojo would just make things worse.

Don't forget John Branam! He's got the schools background (good or bad, depending on your perspective) and seems to be reasonable, sensible, and intelligent.