I just started volunteering at OHS last weekend and could sense from some of the employees a sense of doom. Still it's research library is a amazing place that I am looking forward to exploring.

Sounds like a real bummer. These are the realities of life. Unfortunate, yet understandable.

'[The OHS] is exploring creation of a “heritage taxing district” empowered to collect a modest amount of property taxes, with voter approval, in Multnomah County.'

This is not asking for a handout from local government. It is asking for a handout from local taxpayers, after the taxpayers approve such with their vote. Two different beasts entirely.

None,
Two beasts? The beast still gets into my pockets. It does not matter which one. OHS needs to have a bake sale to help make ends meet.

I am as conservative as they come, but the Oregon Historical Society is one that really needs to be saved. Compared to the subsidies for bicyclists, OMSI, the Opera and other various performing arts groups I think we can afford a few more pennies per capita to keep them afloat.

John -

If you feel that way, get out YOUR checkbook.

Don't reach for MY checkbook. If my money is going to go to OHS, that is a personal decision I'll make. You won't make it for me.

By the way, is Oregon Historical Society, HS, if it obtains this bonanza from Mult Co taxpayers going tochange its name to the Multnomah Historical Society, and close its doors to folks from outside Mult Co and throw away its collection of anything having to do with locations or events outside Mult Co?

Thought not.

So the knee jerk reaction of the "Johns" of this world will get the funds from my pocket and allow those fine folks in the other 35 counties of Oregon to "skate".

Absolutely brilliant idea.

Sort of like the Sellwood Bridge and Clackamas County.

With the corrupted CoP Water/Sewer huge increases, 66& 67, and new Fed taxes on the horizon for everyone. Where do you guys expect this rising tide of cost of living expenses to end?

66& 67 were supposed to help schools, etc., and Beaverton Schools is now asking for more money? What do all these increases do other than line the pockets of a few and provide no benefits to us that make a difference? Draw the somewhere!

The Oregon Historical Society is a legacy cultural asset. The collections were created and preserved by generations before us (using, in part, government funding, at least in recent history). Continuing this legacy is not a hare-brained development scheme or eco-doggle, it is accepting responsibility for a gift we've been given by the people who built this city, county, state and nation. Considering the role that history is playing in politics these days alone, this is an important investment. Many a "bake sale" has been held and they are not working...

Skydogmo: . . .The collections were created and preserved by generations before us (using, in part, government funding, at least in recent history). Continuing this legacy is not a hare-brained development scheme or eco-doggle, it is accepting responsibility for a gift we've been given by the people who built this city, county, state and nation. . . .

Your words resonate with me as I have been saying essentially the same regarding the gift we have been given, created and preserved by generations before us - our Bull Run Water System and Reservoirs.

if they cannot get state wide support, close it down. Why the HELL should Multnomah county taxpayers be held responsible.

Where will this lead?

What could happen is that the best of the collections will end up in individual's hands/collectors never to be seen again by the public. These treasures are like Skydogmo said - created and preserved by generations before us. I will add they must be kept for all eyes to behold and be able to appreciate, not just privileged ones.

I understand some of the very best of basketry, and etc. is already in the hands of "elite" or collectors, so we cannot afford to lose what we do have left that is now available to public minds and eyes.

M said:if they cannot get state wide support, close it down. Why the HELL should Multnomah county taxpayers be held responsible.

Because it is not acceptable that these treasures be taken from the public. Is it acceptable to put millions of dollars into pet projects such as the stadium and streetcars, but not to preserve the history of our culture? We need priorities of importance in our culture. Impoverished we would be without books, film, art and music.

We would have enough to take care of needs, schools, health, and yes cultural institutions, if elected officials would just take care of basics and not spend outrageously on pet projects. What we have now is "spend like there is no tomorrow" and then they come to the public pleading for money for what is most likely "dear to people" such as parks, children, etc.

I'd vote to support this. OHS is a more useful asset and of greater public benefit than a soccer stadium for Sam and Randy's boy-king buddy or streetcars for wealthy DINKs.

But I agree it's unfair to let the rest of the state free-ride on Multnomah County taxpayers-the rest of the state needs to pitch in.

Also, I want to know why the OHS Board of Directors didn't see this coming and do something about it before it reached the crisis stage. Same question for other struggling cultural institutions around here. Sure, a lot of it was out of their hands -- recession, wealthy donors scaling back, endowments shrinking in the down market. But it's like they didn't even consider the worst-case scenario and start saving for a rainy day.

I agree with Eric that this would be a far better use of tax dollars than Sam's pet projects like the convention center hotel or his bastard, disowned baby, the columbia river bridge.

One question to those who think the levy is a good idea: Will you support the broader arts levy the city is considering? If OHS deserves tax support, why not the symphony and ballet, why not the toy museum and and velveteeria, hell why not clown house? I see no difference at all beyond taste.

I have memberships at several local public institutions, OHS is not one of them. Why should I be forced to support them?

Nonny: By the way, is Oregon Historical Society, HS, if it obtains this bonanza from Mult Co taxpayers going tochange its name to the Multnomah Historical Society, and close its doors to folks from outside Mult Co and throw away its collection of anything having to do with locations or events outside Mult Co?

It should be noted that:

1. The "Oregon" Zoo is one of only two zoos in Oregon (the other being Wildlife Safari which is private), and is a service of Metro and paid for only by residents in the Metro service district (generally in the tri-county area),

2. Portland International Airport is the hub and primary airport for the entire state of Oregon; yet it is part of the Port of Portland, funded by residents only within the tri-county area,

3. The Port of Portland's maritime assets (Rivergate, Terminals 2, 4, 5 and 6) serve all of Oregon and in fact much of the western U.S. and parts of Canada - yet it requires a taxpayer subsidy, paid for ONLY by residents of the tri-county area's Port of Portland service district.

4. The "Oregon" Convention Center is a service of Metro and paid for only by residents of the Metro district, in the tri-county area. So is the "Portland" Expo Center (formerly the "Multnomah County Expo Center", back when it was owned by the county; now it's owned by Metro and folks out in Hillsboro who have their own fairgrounds also get to pay for the Expo Center.)

So the OHS being funded only by the metro area has precedent in those other, much more visible government institutions.

Not that I necessarily agree (or disagree) with it...in fact the idea of putting it under State Parks seems to have some merit (after all Parks has taken over the State Fair and the Capitol Mall complex); or possibly under the Secretary of State Archives Division.

bjc said: One question to those who think the levy is a good idea: Will you support the broader arts levy the city is considering? If OHS deserves tax support, why not the symphony and ballet, why not the toy museum and and velveteeria, hell why not clown house? I see no difference at all beyond taste. . . .

My comments were not about thinking the levy is a good idea. I essentially ended by reminding folks that we would have enough resources if elected officials didn't spend outrageous amounts on folly.
Example: $57 million for the trolley.

So, if we had elected officials and administrators careful with their budgets as we need to be with our budgets, then citizens of a city instead of having to pay for everything coming down the pike, would have money to contribute to culture. People might want to go to the Oregon Historical Society more often. Not only do they pay admission, but whether they get to the location by auto or mass transit, that is an additional cost. At any rate, the more they need to pay on water/sewer bills, and all else, less income coming in, the less the public can support or have money to go to these wonderful institutions. So it is essentially a "negative swirling circle" we are dealing with here. Circling back to my point, if elected officials didn't go into these pet projects, outrageous spending, there would be more money to support our institutions instead of going to pet projects or bailing out bad decisions.