Just think of him as John Cleese--there is a resemblance--and then he's in the proper perspective. Unfortunately for all of us, he means it, with our dollars.

He makes silly statements. He takes silly positions. Does he do silly walks? Please say yes. It would be something redeeming...

JK: Its just another way to shovel cash to the usual Portland pigs at the trough.

As for the toy train, it serves no useful transportation purpose. (That is why we call it a toy.)

The real reason for light rail is that it spends a lot of money without actually improving congestion so it gives Sam braging rights while leaving congestion, which deluded planners think will drive people out of their cars. The reality is that hardship is the only thing that has been proven to drive people out of their cars on to public welfare’s cattle cars (as we are currently seeing - most city planner are idiots or liars - see: PortlandFacts.com/Smart/SmartGrowthLies.html for a list of their lies)

Light Rail: Costs too Much, Does Too Little.

Thanks
JK

You may disagree with Sam's vision of Portland's future - but comparing him to RM Nixon is more than a bit of a stretch. Sam's not a crook. I am betting this is a bet you will lose.

And who will develop "Portland's goals"? Mayor Sam? He can always tap into the results of Mayor Tom's visioning thing.

Don L.

"Sam's not a crook."

Depends if your definition means saying one thing and doing something else. He won't get deposed since this is Portland and the voter base isn't the most critical-thinking group.

However, I think the post-makeover Sam's taste will get inflicted on us. He really should learn the word compromise, though. If he keeps insisting on doing stuff his way, it is gonna cost us a ton for anything.

Well, his pollitics are certainly Nixon-esque.

Look at the succession of dirty tricks he pulled on Dozono.

Probably has his enemies list in his top left hand drawer.

Unfortunately, there's "no controlling legal authority" that can/would dump a far-left kook like Adams out of office in Portland. He is exactly what the City deserves.

There are so many examples of Adams' dishonesty and incompetence that doesn't matter whether or not he is a actual "crook".

I too think his Majesty will not survive a full term. Portland's house of mismanaged, misguided and misrepresented cards will soon be a messy pile of Sam's fiscal malfeascence.

Oh, you'll be stuck with Sam for at least four years, and probably much longer. He's what Portlanders wanted, and if there's one defining characteristic of Portland, it is the inability to concede that a mistake was made.

I just cant believe these people that are running Portland sometimes. And the fact that they want to spend billions on a new bridge that doesnt have any more lanes of auto traffic than the old one is just stupid. (And calling it 12 lanes is about as crooked as it gets, its an outright lie.)
And then a toll on top of that? Its a major artery for the west. What is that going to do for commercial traffic?

Congestion is going to be much worse.

And I have a feeling that the people in Clark Co. are not going to vote for light rail into Vancouver. Again...

What scares me the most is i was reading the other day that Sam is still relying on Vera. (see the post on leonard for police commish.)

"Authoritarian, condescending,and headed for a similar ending to Nixon's." is exactly
why I didn't vote for the guy. One can sense his true inner-being in his attitude and it's not nice I fear. I too am afraid that he'll be a repeat of the Vera era as he was main puppeteer pulling her strings.

Sam's not a crook.

That's not his problem -- I don't think. But he's got the attitude problem, a weak educational background, and too much ambition. The city's going to have a collective nervous breakdown, and he may have a personal one to go with it.

Working people, the folks that pay taxes and as such the bills for things like this, have got to stand up and say loudly NO MORE. Sam's vision of this bridge bears no resemblance to the wishes and desires of the large majority of the folks that would actually use it.

I live in Vancouver and work in Oregon. I love my job but I don't love anything about the land use planning or PDX politics or stupid housing prices. I'll gladly pay tolls when I get to stop paying Oregon income taxes. Sounds fair to me.

I live in Vancouver and work in Oregon. I love my job but I don't love anything about the land use planning or PDX politics or stupid housing prices. I'll gladly pay tolls when I get to stop paying Oregon income taxes. Sounds fair to me.
JK: YOU are THE problem. You are supposed to get with the program and :
Live in a crappy, overpriced, Portland town house.
Send you kids to a crappy school
ride the crime infested, cattle cars we call MAX.
Shop in the neighborhood mixed use, overpriced, stores like Natures instead of WallMart.

DO you part to save the wine country, the earth and the Urban Growth Wall. If people like you keep escaping, Sam, Vera & Rex will have to put up machine gun towers.

You have to accept a lower standard of living so Oregon wine growers can get cheap land. (I am going to be so happy when they are finally put out of business by the, likely, coming climate cooling.)

Thanks
JK

Tram Adams is just delusional. He is clearly more interested in his own interests, and those of his "friends" than he is in the real public interest. "Portland's needs" . . . more like "Sam the Tram's wants". He seems to think he IS Portland. He also has no sense of respect for City Limits, either. He's an Expansionist Imperialist . . .

Jack, I think your observations have Truth. In my experiences with Sam at his townhall meetings, neighborhood meetings, city council and other about town events, his condescending, arrogant, special interest manipulations could easily lead to his demise.

He often uses "I" when "We" is more appropriate."I'll have my people get back to you." He doesn't answer well thought out questions if it doesn't meet his agenda. He re-frames the question to his liking, or ignores it. His "smart", searching for humor replies ignores the earnestness of the inquiry. He often ignores the financial, common sense aspects of issues. He stretches the truth on budgets, finances, project costs; but has an uncanny way of projecting to the average Joe his supposed knowledge of the subject without really knowing.

But, then again, we are letting many of our politicians prosper with these characteristics, aren't we?

Well, with the leadership we have in this state (NOT) Adams has reason to crow. The mayor of Portland is more powerful than the governor.

I personally like his requirement that the bridge be an "iconic" structure - kind of like the horrendous overcrossings they are building along 205 for the MAX - these things look WORSE than the raised structure for the freeway itself. Go look at the Powell Blvd. crossing - the freeway overcrossing is nice smooth concrete, where the MAX bridge has exposed girders and looks like hell.

When you decry the look of the freeways, and then build transit right next to them that looks worse, you have then given up any ability to be taken seriously, in my opinion.

When he goes, he is going to take Randy down with him. Has anyone noticed their interaction during council sessions? The little back and forth giggles and secret body language. They look like a couple of high school kids with a crush on each other.

@John Benton:

Be careful, in liberal Portland you may be called a bigot for using words like "crush" in that context!

JK:

Hey Methuselah, Nature's hasn't been around for quite a while now.

The crime infested cattle cars of the Max are neither as crime infested nor uncomfortable as you seem to think.

No one should have to send their kids to crappy schools, but I think that if people want to keep moving into gentrifying areas, they should send their kids to the local schools and get involved.

Cheap land for Oregon wine growers? Have you seen the prices for drinkable Pinot Noir? The land can't be too cheap.