Portland's new motto: "The City That's Topsy-Turvy!"

Go by carousel horse!

Yeah sure let's bailout every core function neglected by sorry politicians.

Hey why not have another property tax boost to pay off TriMet's $700 million unfunded fringe benefits that is off books and getting not a dime form their budgets. It's only grwon to $50 million per year deficit.
Voters should approve a bond levy for TriMet because of the wonderful job they do.

Funny how Frieman Randy and company while attemopting to get this boost forfire are also among the many politicians who enable the gross fiscal madness at TriMet, PDC and other quagmires.

Why not? Randy saw he could stick us for 30% more for water the last two years after hitting us for 30+ year bump in property taxes for PFDR, so he must think he can get away with anything.

Besides we really need to finish that TriMet bridge so we can watch the Sellwood collapse after attending the soocer game at the new $100M expansion on the stadium after two MLS seasons on the solar powered streetcars.

Nice kids you've got there. It'd be a shame if they caught fire.

Give me a tax increase or I'll torch this puppy!

I think people would be more likely to support a bond for a new fire station than a new school. Who doesn't like firefighters, right? That thing will pass easy.

I saw the Portland Fire and Rescue chief describing the current sorry state of equipment last night on the news. He talked about a 20 year old truck still in use with an 11-page repair history. Why wait till now to pursue this? Why didn't this get addressed year's ago? Why isn't the chief in an uproar about the mismanagement of resources by city administrators, past and present? Why was he so polite?

If the news camera were on me, I would not be able to hold my tongue. This issue is no joke, peoples lives and property are at risk. These cavalier politicians are "playing with fire" with their fiscal irresponsibility. I guess fire fighting equipment isn't as sexy as gigantic, roof top neon roses.

This all started when a Seattle fire truck had mechanical problems. So brain-trust Randy got the idea how he could spend more taxpayers money, look good to his union base, and show us who is boss. It didn't occur to him to phase in new trucks and communication over time in a fiscally responsible way that did not add a burden to ratepayers. It keeps it out of his budget so he can bankrupt the retirement fund and cost shift over to property owners.

No doubt he is cackling today just how stupid we are to buy into something even he doesn't believe. What a dishonest piece of work. And y'all are going to enable him some more.

That thing will pass easy.

Especially since the city gets to write the ballot language. They'll hit the usual hot buttons: it's essential for public safety (bad things will happen if we don't get the money), it's only pennies per $1,000 of assessed value, and oh look! An eco-roof on the new fire station! Way cool!

It sounds like there's some necessary stuff to fund in this bond, but I'm with Amanda-it should have been budgeted for out of general revenues in the normal process.

Poor Nick Fish: he plays by the rules and runs polls and holds back his Parks levy. Meanwhile, Randy just charges ahead and does whatever he wants.

Now if we could just get those firemen to ride bikes...

Right-o, Allan L. --

Fires happen....Things burn....
[The SamRand Bros.]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRm5WcjOikQ

People, people: you've overlooked the most important point.

The building would have an eco-roof.

And I have news for Commissioner Leonard: this voter "gets it” very well, and damn well resents being put in the position of having to vote against public safety.

Maybe they could put the Fire Bureau under Trimet, so they can use federal transportation dollars to fund it!
Or even better, the water bureau! Hey, those tankers have to fill up with city water, right?

I may have to move back just long enough to vote against this.

This one will go down in a big, spectacular ball of flames. Bring it on, Randy.

If there is organized opposition to Sam/Rands stupidity, I will certainly be contributing over $500 dollars. It is time for us naysayers, complainers, not-seeing-the-big-picture, or whatever they want to call us, to put a stop to this insanity.

The $500, if passed, is what in 5 years I'll be contributing to a green fire station in additional taxes. If many of us calculate what we'd be paying extra and use it to defeat this bond, we'd be doing this city a good deed.

Randy could pay for the $72 Million he's asking for by not paying 20 fire fighters who are on disability that play golf every friday and build houses for their friends. I'll be doing this for the real children.

There are many people who have not seen the Randy Leonard Mayor Creepy video.

The two of them have replaced the notion of being dignified with humiliating behavior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMnY5FAKhl4

We already know Mr. Leonard believes he can get away with anything. I wish I'd saved the news clipping, but a few years ago he was quoted as saying "Portlanders will pay for anything as long as they know it's the right thing to do". And of course, City Hall always has a handy self-serving study or report from (who?) to make sure we know what's right since we're just stupid customers, er... residents that can't figure it out for ourselves.

His statement and the attitude behind it says a lot.

Here is another golden nugget worth delving into. Why waste anymore money on this when we spent $$$ making a state permitting system that works just fine. We don't need no stinken new permit system.

http://djcoregon.com/news/2010/07/15/bds-wants-new-electronic-permitting-system/

This could well go down in flames.... I will be working with my friends who will work with their friends and perhaps enough grass roots will kill it.

This isn't a bond for "essential services;" what the heck? The Fire Bureau already has a full fleet of vehicles to continue responding the way they have for years since taking over medical first response. This is to transition from using trucks and engines--in service and available, but designed primarily for firefighting--to more use-specific vehicles that cost much less, are faster to deploy, and can be equipped for a variety of non-fire calls.

There's nothing "essential" about this, site owner. It's an investment in an improved and more efficient department--but if the money is not voted, they can go right on responding as they have been. I support the idea because over the medium and long term it will save the city a lot of money, but it's less essential than remaking the city for transportation in the 21st century and getting away from throwing money down the drain at the car culture.

Whatthe ? -

You are confusing PFRB and Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue.

TVRF is in process of testing exactly the kind of equipment you describe.

In Portland, Fireman randy has already declared, without any test or evaluation, that PFRB has no need for any different (note that "different" does not equate with "new") and has no interest in looking at smaller faster vehicles with smaller crew numbers.

PFRB Chief John Klum, who really likes his job, has said nothing abot long term savings by going to smaller faster vehicles and smaller crews. Klum knows how things work under Fireman Randy.

Whatthe?/ Randy,

Why didn't you bring this up during the budget process this spring? Always wait until the last minute so you can push something through as an "emergency" or a "just in time" ballot item.
Live within your means for once and phase new things in over time. In "investing" it's like "dollar cost averaging". Maybe take an economics course while you're at it. Site owner and Nonny Mouse get it, why can't you?

I realize the money is probably coming from somewhere else and *dedicated* to a couple of fire museums but how can that kind of spending be justified when there are apparently glaring infrastructure needs which should be addressed first?

Sort of like gold-plating the Titanic as it approaches the 'berg.

Those sure look like newer, smaller vehicles in the picture provided by the Oregonian...

Whatthe? / randy

Oregonian photo, July 9 at:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/07/portland_city_council_to_ponde.html

Full size engine (pumper to east coast folks) wearing a nice PFRB livery.

Oregonian photo, July 15

http://mobile.oregonlive.com/advorg/db_96618/contentdetail.htm;jsessionid=4D874148BFE55AFC96F9EC42...

Again, full size truck.

TVFR is using some very interesting large 4x 4 vehicles either Suburbans or Toyota FJ Cruisers, for many runs, after having experimented with borrowed Oregon ANG Hummers during the two weeks of snow storms in December 2009 to get to incidents in the Wash Co side of the West Hills when "regular" fire trucks couldn't get through. Gresham at that time (December, 2009) did the same thing.

Port;and, with the same sort of topographical challenges in SW was not interested then, or since, in looking at more maneuverable or smaller units.regular

When pushed hard on the issue, management at PFRB responded thatthe Commissioner wasn't interested in anything that might result in smaller vrews, and that the commissioner wanted more stations with large crews.

Randy never has never stopped being a union shill, regardless of the excess costs often accompanying his shilling for the union.

Certainly not a person who has grown into the role of a Commissioner purporting to represent the best interests of all the residents and taxpayers of PDX.

And now he thinks he'll be Mayor in name as well as in fact...

It may be that as the agenda of adding more density yet comes on, that the issue of fire safety now cannot be ignored and smaller vehicles are needed to get into these tight spots, flag lots, etc. As the code changes into tighter and tighter densities, the smaller vehicles may be required for safety.
Seconds can make a difference between life and death and I am surprised that the whole matter of fire safety in all this infill has not been at the forefront of the density problems. Traffic congestion as well.

The problems are the irresponsible and arrogant actions of Leonard for not bringing it up during the budget process. Once again trying to put the community against the wall because of poor planning. We should not give him the media time he covets so much, and just vote no. Tell him if it's so important put it in the next budget. It can wait while we see the results of other communities.

Once again Nonny Mouse gets an 'A'.

Didn't Mayor Potter push thru funding to upgrade all the emergency personnel radios to 900 Mhz?