"These are terrible choices that we have to make."
But enough about elections...(ba-dum.)

There's no light at the end of the tunnel. Just move out of the City.

I wonder if he(Fish) will be at the budget hearing this afternoon at IRCO Community Center today.

People need to show and blow the cover off this stuff.
1 to3:30 PM
10301 NE Glisan St.

Where's the oberstgruppfeuhrer who rammed through CESAR E. CHAVEZ BOULEVARD? Or hasn't she noticed that the only cuts being proposed are to the programs that the poor rely on and that the better-off provide for their own kids?

Ooops, momentarily thought substance was more important than symbolism, sorry.

Speaking of unnecessary covering the reservoirs at $400 million (plus debt service). The story that has not been told is the covered reservoir fiasco going on up north (Seattle Times, Major Do Over For Two Seattle Reservoirs). Poor workmanship and planning left reservoirs in Seattle with leaky roofs and defective plastic covering, replaced by new toxic plasticized asphalt water barriers. MSDS shows petroluem based substrate/benzene additives. Under pressure and moisture from the soil above it will degrade and deteriorate,(a microorganism carbon- rich buffet) entering the drinking water through cracks already present in the cement covers.
Here's the first twist. The project designer who wrote the specifications, was the same group who wants to cover our reservoirs and has the bid for our new Powell Butte reservoir. Twist number two. They have moved to another company, working under a different name. The plot thickens.

give me a break they are dismantling schools.portland public schools all funds budget increased from 607 million to 630 million a 23 million increase and thats stable and adequate funding.the all funds budget increased this year in pps from 14,524 per pupillast year to 14,889 per pupil this year.

The O reported that Samadumbs "found" $20 million for his bike project. I wonder how many families could benefit from even a small portion of that money routed to the programs that Nick Fish is so sad to cut.

Here's Aqua-lert's link:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009485902_reservoir17m.html

Gee, covering the reservoirs out of fear...sounds familiar.

Nick, There is a time for being a good Boy Scout, observing Democratic Centralism and reciting honored party line for People's Republic of Portland. This isn't it. Nor is anyone who asks you to operating in sane good faith. They are either delusional or dishonest.

I'm not a math major,, but going from $607M to $630M is a 3.79% increase. That's not exactly stratospheric. The per-student amount going from $14,524 to $14,889 would be a 2.51% increase. Again, not bad. Even ignoring salaries, etc., prices for things like fuel for the buses and vans, textbooks, etc., go up.

re: Aqua-lert

Twist number three. The VP of the engineering group from the Seattle problem, covering our reservoirs, and Powell Butte is none other than Shaff's buddy.

Fish claimed in a letter that was shown recently on this blog that he supported the lower-cost water treatment option, well – no.

The low cost would have been to stand up for our community with a No vote and a commitment to fight for our Bull Run Water System. New York City is fighting. Fish should have made a trip back to his home state to see how they do it there. Treating for a “problem that does not exist” (Commissioner Nick Fish – 2009) So, Mr. Fish understood the situation, but went along with the rest to move forward with expensive projects. Of course, the Council said they would still continue to request an exemption from the LT2 rule. Words are cheap, the vote, actions and commitment are what count.

The less expensive option by the way that Fish and the rest voted for is an incremental step and the water bureau will eventually insist on the full scale expensive filtration plant. There is no excuse, if we the citizens understand, why can’t the city council understand?

Our community should not have to pay over a billion dollars including debt service for a public health problem that does not exist. The LT2 regulation was based on politics not science and lobbied for by those who stand to benefit financially.

The lack of a strong council may have opened the path to international water corporations someday owning our water when the bill comes due and our people and businesses can no longer pay.

We should not support anyone who will not stand up and fight for our 100 year old sustainable Bull Run water system. Some are making excuses that Fritz and Fish are new and better than the other three. Look at the votes. We deserve leaders, not a council of wimps and hypocrites. The most gracious thing that could be said is that they are not fully informed, and if that is the case, they shouldn’t have the job.

Don't forget folks ... Nick "No Wake" Fish established a no wake zone around Ross Island. A proud achievement that benefits every single Portland resident!

Did you know that Joe Glicker expresses his love of concrete in an article where he's running the same agenda (twisted) on Portland Public Schools... hummmmm

http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2010/02/portland_school_board_supports.html
an excerpt:
"Parents and community members spoke at tonight’s meeting, however, sharing with the school board their recommendations to slow down the process, reconsider magnet schools and preserve what they considered to be successful school programs.

“You’ve spent 18 months talking about high school redesign in abstract and goals,” said Grant High parent Joe Glicker. “It seems you are spending only two to three months to talk about the concrete aspects. That spawns the conspiracy theories and diminishes community support for bond measures and taxes.”
Yes and we have open reservoirs that stand beyond your conspiracy theories... although we have the same problem... SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS. Preserve what is considered successful at the schools and STOP DIGGING AT POWELL BUTTE... so the people say!

LA's solution to covering a reservoir: Bird Balls

http://www.la.cityzine.com/2008/06/10/local-news-black-balls-covering-our-reservoir/

And, there are also concerns about health dangers related to covering standing water supplies.

AND, didn't we practically give away on eBay the first set of covers purchased too hastily the last go around?

Hey, we ned to fund PGE Park, Randy's neon and the stereetcars. Something's gotta give!

Hey, just had a thought re. MLS and Portland's water. Who cares about water quality? There's money to be made!

"Let them drink beer!"

Once PGE Park is renovated, let the populace crowd in, quaff brewskies and twirl their scarves.

Budget be damned!

Parks has come to this pass BECAUSE of Zari Santner and her pals. The only way to know that a parks commissioner has the interests of the Portland public at heart is that Zari and every parks and recreation manager whom she appointed is terminated from City employment.

Don't cut programs, cut excessive administration and the Friends & Family program of contracting, and bring an end to the 'legacy' type of park planning that panders to development charlatans.

Fish, Flake, Fish, Flake, Fish, Flake, Fish, Flake, Fish, Flake, Fish, Flake, Flake, Flake, Flake Flake.

$20 million in consulting fees; no money for schools or parks or services; increased rates for everything; covers of the reservoirs; and now Fireman Randy is going to pay $5.2 million for a new building permit system.
Why aren't the citizens of Portland at the gates of city hall with your pitchforks????

Portland Native: Why aren't the citizens of Portland at the gates of city hall with your pitchforks????

Who knows why?
Is it because most people are city folks and don't have pitchforks?

Why aren't the citizens of Portland at the gates of city hall with your pitchforks????

Because those of us with the means to do so are getting the Hell out while we still can. In my case, this involves the sale of precious musical gear and other things, that I will most likely not find again.

But, it will feel so wonderful to finally be free from the clutches of these Stalinist bastards and their one thousand Usurious Mandarins...oh, what a relief.

What a shame that such a great American city, with so much lost potential as a major Seaport, center of Industry, Tourism, etc is just a running joke to the rest of the Nation.

ex-cabbie,

Where are you moving to?
Where do most of the folks move to who want out?

I've talked to some who say that our good healthy drinking water is one reason they have stayed here.

Sorry about your musical gear. . I understand your feeling of relief and for freedom.

Speaking of "getting out," here's an important post from Roger Ebert on our future:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/02/the_gathering_storm.html

Speaking of running out of money, I drove over the Sellwood Bridge last night with a friend, a guy who used to be a radiographer who did things like radiograph welds on bridges and stuff. He said that, even 30 years ago, a bridge inspector he knew refused to drive over it, ever.

This is a wake-up call for Portland- the city that works?

The global financial crisis is about in the second inning and there is a lot more crap coming our way.

Our City officials better stop smoking their pipe dreams and face the facts.

We are in a long stage of declining revenue and there is much work to be done to repair the existing infrastructure.

The Construction Mafia has just about killed this town- now is the time to change that incestuous relationship.

Could this be the stick that is supposed to get us to vote for the new parks levy that was described in this blog a couple of weeks ago? And if so, could we all call their bluff, as Jack has done here, and vote no; not because we don't like parks and kids, but because we are all sick of having out tax dollars skimmed off to subsidize city hall's developer friends?

Good comments by Ralph Wood.
Good comments posted by Alice.

We know there is economic chaos and globally as well. If ever there was a time in our lives to just take care of basics, the time is now.

The incestuous relationship in our city with the Construction Mafia and city hall's developer friends must stop. Instead, I guess all want to retrieve as much as they can at our expense.

I actually consider it insane to be putting our citizens at this difficult economic time or any time for that matter into over a billion dollar debt for a public health problem that doesn't exist. Degrading our healthy drinking water with added toxic chemicals if we cannot stop this, is another huge reason to be outraged!!

Do these "so called leaders" have no conscience?

Jack--

I am a strong supporter of our summer neighborhood playground programs.

Each general fund bureau has been directed to submit proposed cuts. Up to 1.7 million at Parks alone.

We are guided by the recommendations of a budget advisory committee made up of key stakeholders.

I am working to find ways to save these programs--as I said when asked by a reporter.

We have to make some tough choices this budget cycle-and I have a record, based on the last budget cycle, of supporting basic services.

Nick

Nick,

It all sounds well and good, but we are tired of hearing you and Randy say we need to fund "basic services", now nothing more than a fear -mongering PR buzz word. If you were really serious about basic services you would dump the hand -picked well coached stakeholders group, start from a zero budget, and take responsibility for your spending. Start with showing Zsa Zsa the door. Have a good election.

We could start by cutting programs in the reverse order that they've been added, on the theory that the most basic services are those that have been around the longest. So: start by cutting (eliminating) every program that was new in the 2009 budget. Then cut those that were new in 2008, and work backward until the budget is balanced.

Mr Fish - you want to save money for the parks? Stop voting for stupid new programs suggested by others on the City Council. You really don't owe Sam and Randy anything and I am guessing the sooner you stand up and voice a semi-independent, common sense opinion, the more likely you will be re-elected.

Just to add insult to injury, my Portland water bill showed up in the mail Saturday. My 'contribution' to the Big Pipe project has been substantial. So what happens when Sam finds $20 million in slop in that project? Kick it back to the people who provided it in the first place? Hell no.

Fish is a spineless weasel who could put a stop to a lot of this b.s. if he'd put his political ambitions aside and do what's right for the majority of the city's residents.

The thing is, his political ambitions and doing what's right for the majority of the city's residents should perfectly align. Why don't they?

I attended the budget "meeting" at IRCO on Saturday. Sitting at one of about 8 tables, going through 33 Million in add packages, 8 million in cuts, and we were supposed to make everything balance in about an hour. Many of the items had limited information - and really no opportunity for attendees to identify their priorities, save for a brief little demographics session at the end.

I did note that, with about one third the budget of OMF (the finance and admin folks), Parks had twice the amount of OMF cuts. Someone who sits on the advisory board for Parks, seemed like a straight shooter, noted the lengthening list of maintenance that is not getting done at Parks, and yes, they will be trying for a bond measure at an election coming soon.

But, Jack, alas, you're correct that funding for a lot of specious activity seems to be found, but basic maintenance falls further and further behind.

We here in Brooklyn love our summmer program and Craig Montag the director of over 30 years. We can not see a program that thousands upon thousands of kids have been through die because the City needs more paper or security for the Mayor. Yes I did go to a budget forum and a few of the new add items were just that $110,000 for Mayoral Security!!! when a program at Brooklyn Park which benifts our kids is going to be cut. Why do our City officials want to kick the kids out on the streets but pay $200,000 to send the Symphony to Carnegie Hall. It just doesn't make sense