League joins charge against Portland urban renewal
The folks who say that Portland is breaking the law in its latest doings with its "urban renewal" slush fund have a new ally -- the League of Women Voters. The league has reportedly filed a brief in the pending state land use board case arguing that the Pearl District is no longer "blighted" and thus no longer eligible to be an "urban renewal" zone.
They reportedly haven't joined the part of the challenge to the legality of the city's goofy "satellite district" maneuver, under which Pearlie property taxes will be beamed to the far east side of Portland to build a school for a school district that doesn't want to pay for one itself. Apparently the League of Women Voters finds nothing wrong with that.
When you've got both the public interest groups and the fat cat developers all saying you're screwing up, maybe -- just maybe -- you are in fact screwing up. Just a thought.
Comments (6)
I commend the League of Women Voters for their involvement on challenging the extension of UR in the Pearl and beyond. I haven't read their brief, but I hope that they are also challenging the concept of when Urban Renewal areas are extended in time (like the Pearl) that a full analysis of the term "blight" is required to meet state statutes. Several times Portland has extended urban renewal areas beyond their initial 20 year life, even though the "blight" as outlined in the initial documents have been met or substantially met. Just saying that "blight exists" isn't good government.
Maybe it is time for the Oregon legislature to visit the Urban Renewal issue and give better definitions to the statutes.
The extension of the Pearl URA will allow the issuance of twenty year bonds through 2021, meaning we taxpayers will be paying for the Pearl until 2041. I will be 95 years old by then. Odds are I won't be around to finish the payoff.... you younger folks can pick up the slack for me.
In the meanwhile, the police stations are closed at night, the streets are horrible, the parks look like crap and the city council is trying to tack a fee onto almost everything that should be a basic service. We are being fleeced.
Who cares - I am sure Randy and Sam will come up with some arcane theory that we are all too dumb to understand to justify taking committed moeny from road repairs and police to fund his pet projects. I mean look at the wonders he did with PFDR.
Joel,
I am all for funding education and building schools. The issue here is whether or not Portland is following the law when it comes to URA's. Oliver Norville, the prominent attorney who wrote most of the legislation on URA's and wrote the original charter amendement back in 1958 creating the Portland Development Commission is of the opinion that Portland is not.
The Pearl District is no longer "blighted." Now there's a revelation. Kudos to the LOWV for their stand, but anybody who cares anything about the rich stealing from the poor should have taken a stand a long time ago.
Joel, I am all for funding education and building schools. The issue here is whether or not Portland is following the law when it comes to URA's. Oliver Norville, the prominent attorney who wrote most of the legislation on URA's and wrote the original charter amendement back in 1958 creating the Portland Development Commission is of the opinion that Portland is not.
Hm, I posted a comment in this thread a few days, and Dave Lister seems to be responding to it here, but my original comment has vanished. I'm writing Friday Dec. 12 at 10:00 am.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (6)
I commend the League of Women Voters for their involvement on challenging the extension of UR in the Pearl and beyond. I haven't read their brief, but I hope that they are also challenging the concept of when Urban Renewal areas are extended in time (like the Pearl) that a full analysis of the term "blight" is required to meet state statutes. Several times Portland has extended urban renewal areas beyond their initial 20 year life, even though the "blight" as outlined in the initial documents have been met or substantially met. Just saying that "blight exists" isn't good government.
Maybe it is time for the Oregon legislature to visit the Urban Renewal issue and give better definitions to the statutes.
Posted by Jerry | December 9, 2008 10:40 AM
The extension of the Pearl URA will allow the issuance of twenty year bonds through 2021, meaning we taxpayers will be paying for the Pearl until 2041. I will be 95 years old by then. Odds are I won't be around to finish the payoff.... you younger folks can pick up the slack for me.
In the meanwhile, the police stations are closed at night, the streets are horrible, the parks look like crap and the city council is trying to tack a fee onto almost everything that should be a basic service. We are being fleeced.
Posted by Dave Lister | December 9, 2008 12:58 PM
Who cares - I am sure Randy and Sam will come up with some arcane theory that we are all too dumb to understand to justify taking committed moeny from road repairs and police to fund his pet projects. I mean look at the wonders he did with PFDR.
Posted by Steve | December 9, 2008 9:20 PM
Joel,
I am all for funding education and building schools. The issue here is whether or not Portland is following the law when it comes to URA's. Oliver Norville, the prominent attorney who wrote most of the legislation on URA's and wrote the original charter amendement back in 1958 creating the Portland Development Commission is of the opinion that Portland is not.
Posted by Dave Lister | December 10, 2008 1:18 PM
The Pearl District is no longer "blighted." Now there's a revelation. Kudos to the LOWV for their stand, but anybody who cares anything about the rich stealing from the poor should have taken a stand a long time ago.
Posted by Ted | December 11, 2008 7:24 PM
Joel,
I am all for funding education and building schools. The issue here is whether or not Portland is following the law when it comes to URA's. Oliver Norville, the prominent attorney who wrote most of the legislation on URA's and wrote the original charter amendement back in 1958 creating the Portland Development Commission is of the opinion that Portland is not.
Hm, I posted a comment in this thread a few days, and Dave Lister seems to be responding to it here, but my original comment has vanished. I'm writing Friday Dec. 12 at 10:00 am.
Posted by joel dan walls | December 12, 2008 10:00 AM