Yep, the ball is in Ted Wheelers court and this is the chance for him to stand up against Scams stupid project and say NO! Scam must have some serious mental issues to even spend one minute talking/thinking about building a "convention hotel."

One of the most ironic statements in the letter by Edlen:

"Portland is the most sustainable city in the country and Oregon the most
sustainable state and the Headquarters Hotel need [sic] to reflect this community value."

Meanwhile this Summer's blockbuster movie is soon to be wrapping up filming in Stunt-town:

"Total Recall '09"

Hey Sam the Scam: Philip K. Dick is on the back line for you with a pair of comp tickets to the premiere at Memorial Coliseum.

I think the Mayor didn't read past the task force's recommendation on page one of Edlen's April 14th letter. The risks associated with this project are discussed on pages two, three and four.

There is nothing secretive about all the fast track construction. Sam "the bend over" man will most likely have no visible source of income shortly (hopefully after recall time). Therefore he needs to 'kiss a few butts' no pun intended, so the under the table money will end up in his hands.

Proposed new bumper sticker for our sustainable city?

"Keep Portland weird, retain mayor Sam"

The master plan is for Sam to get all of these balls in teh air at once. Then tell Portland they need him to see this mess thru.

I loved the article with both suspects - Edlen and Ashforth - being mentioned. This thing is so wired, $12M is the down payment.

So which kind of Ted are you Commissioner Wheeler? Roosevelt or Bundy.

A man of the people or the zombie boondoggle?

It's mind blowing that Adams can't connect these different boondoggles in his mind to figure out the overall impression he's giving right now.

An additional $12 million just for more PLANNING of this thing. If the County can't call b.s. on this then I'll have to give up on them along with Metro and the City.

This city is on the brink of financial chaos and the fast tracking of hundreds of millions of dollars by leonard and adams is with one purpose, their political futures. However, it is also a time of opportunity for ONE of integrity to say NO and provide real leadership. Who will it be. Ted Wheeler, David Lister, Nick Fish. Won't one of you please stand up for christsake and really challenge this MADNESS. It is no longer O.K. just to wait for these bastards to fail again,then pick up the pieces. Our children's futures are at stake

Thinking more about that additional $12 million for planning. If that's available, let's give it to the County to help with their $40 million hole. Jeez, this town is f***ed.

For this news to come out the same day that Portland Public Schools is saying that they have to cut *another* 40 million or so from their budget is just completely insane. INSANE! It reminds me of one of these people you see at the hospital, out front by the parking lot, an oxygen tank parked nearby, smoking.

Perhaps this piece will shed some light on what's going on.

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/col/2009/04/05-44/Eric-Hartley-Cordish-ahead-of-the-game-in-slots-fight.html

Sam Adams must realize that he won't survive the coming recall so he's trying to fasttrack all of his boondoggles.

It's starting to look like he's going to go down Blagojevich-style - fulfilling as many pay-to-play deals as he can while he clings to office.

Maybe we should be thinking about using the referendum process to put some his worst proposals up for a public vote.

I wasn't aware that I wasn't being heard on this subject. I have said before, and will say again now, that this is not the time for the City (or anyone else) to invest in a quarter of a billion dollar hotel project that the private sector has taken a pass on as too risky. The hotel business is in the tank, the convention industry is hurting nationally, and it is highly questionable whether anyone could float the required bond in this market. What isn't clear about that???

I have repeatedly asked for the financial analysis completed by Metro and others that supposedly shows that this thing pencils out, but as of this time I have not seen anything that leads me to believe that it does. I am willing to look it over, but I'm not holding my breath...

Ted Wheeler
Multnomah County Chair

Thanks Ted. Many of us will support and follow you. Push harder and harder. Speak out at every opportinity. Fight leonard and adams again and again and again.

Ted, your position so far on the hotel project has more than 50% support. Please keep thoughtfully expressing your understanding on this issue.

Also, will you be staying the course on the urban renewal issue surrounding both the hotel as well as PGE Park, the MC and the ballpark, very likely to use UR money in some tricky fashion? The taxpayers are with you.

I think Mr Wheeler will proved right.

On a side point, it looks like Paulson has an allergic reaction to the truth, especially the 300 new jobs claim:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/04/promise_of_soccer_jobs_hits_a.html

The only good thing is how he is going to make Adams and Leonard look like total idiots for supporting him.

Mr. Wheeler. I hope you remain consistent on your stand and push hard against the idiots at Portland City Hall.

I think that Sam the Scam/Tram is just applying the same faulty grasp of economics that caused him to file for personal bankruptcy. And I wholeheartedly agree with PanchoPDX. Sam must know his time is very limited and is trying to fast track his boondoggles (shades of Miss Vera).