I wish the major media in this town would drop the franchise for distributing kool-aid.

This is Portland, where the average voter has the attention span of a squirrel.

And why doesn't this town have term limits?

Because it for the bike mafia.
http://bikeportland.org/2011/05/04/off-road-bike-trails-figure-into-new-property-acquired-by-parks-bureau-52535

"The current mayor has trouble differentiating his derriere from Tom Moyer's unfinished office tower construction site,..."
===

I love these quips.

Hard enough for somebody like me to have to struggle a bit (Hmmm, gratuitous slam on his orientation? slam on lousy, sleazy, inept developers?)...

But easy enough for me to not have to go to that 2nd cup of java to get it (Oh, hole in the ground...)

"Looking at re-election again next year, now he's asking the sewer bureau where"

Gee, guess who runs BES - Saltzman, the same guy that got stuck with Randy's train wreck at BDS. Amazing how Sam/Randy can do stick their dirty laundry on him.

"Randy gets religion (again)"

BTW - Randy's always had the same religion - He's the messiah.

I am beginning to dread the mayor's race. A good challenger could boot Sam, but a muddle of so-so challengers will guarantee his reelection.

I don't think I could vote for Saltman, even to unseat Sam. I'd have to vote for some third-place also-ran just out of principle.

I think it is time for the power brokers to get behind Cogan or someone.

BTW, I would love an open debate in Council session about how the sewer and water bureaus spend their money.

Speaking of land abuses, what ever happened to Randy's "sweetheart deal" with the Oregonian property never disclosed in the PWB budget, but mysteriously appeared when he needed some good media coverage? Over valued by two times the market price too.

Open debate?
Lucky if a citizen gets three minutes of testimony, if too many citizens show up, they cut your time.
Also, there are meetings where citizens are not allowed to speak.
And you can be sure if meetings are conducted outside of the chambers, they are fairly well controlled and manipulated to get the outcome they want.
Plus, freedom of information act? Have to pay get information, even though we already pay for staff, have to pay more for staff time.
What is this?
Why do we allow this "faux" democracy?

Changing out the mayor won't make much difference because it won't change out the rest of the official party members on the city council who'll only change positions and keep pulling all the same secret deal / secret agenda BS.

The recent recession has allowed a very serious weakness in this city to turn into a full blown infection.

What kind of religion did Randy get on his trip to New York?

Phil - great catch! When I was writing about this the other day, I suggested that they'd somehow find even more money under the cushions for bike paths. Thanks for the link!

It's 'allowed' it because Portland has become the beloved poster child of the limousine liberal class. Anything goes as long as they get to look good and feel good about themselves. The rest of us are viewed as either subsidizers because it's our duty to do what they say is the 'right thing', or we're in the way because we don't think correctly.

Mr. Grumpy:Changing out the mayor won't make much difference because it won't change out the rest of the official party members on the city council. . .

Agree.
The whole house of cards should fall. . we need a new deck.
One that is not stacked.

What will the "beloved poster child" do when they find out it is all about words here, that behind the closed curtains, hypocrisy reigns?

Do not get it that they apparently still adore Adams after his position on Hayden Island, and that he does not stand up as a Mayor should to ask for a Waiver for our sustainable Bull Run Water System including the healthy open reservoirs?

Forget about Leonard, he has shown his colors and they are very dim and ugly shades pervade. You won't hear the words Waiver out of his mouth, he prefers variance so he can keep spending our money.

But the Mayor of a city that claims to be "sustainable" yet won't utter that word Waiver, well you can see we are in a world of hurt with this Council.

On second thought, Mayor might "utter" that word Waiver,
what we need is for him to seriously ask for a Waiver!

"about how the sewer and water bureaus spend their money."

BTW - Inside rumor that CoP is doing an internal audit of PWB and its not looking good. Whether Randy lets something like that see light of day is another question.

Hmmm... I wonder if Adams could get himself re-elected if he started stumping for the EPA waiver and turned coat and ratted out the PWB? Of course even if the PWB shananigans came to light, all he has to do is create a new Bureau of Wasteful Ideas.

Stand by for updates...

Mr.Grumpy,
What would we do if we couldn't write about our angst about the Portland scene? Writing helps me get it out, so I can sleep at night.
Apologize if I carry on too much on this blog at times, but 3/4ths of what I write never hits these pages. I have years of witnessing around here. Maybe it is all for a book one day, "The Demise of our City of Roses ©." The City that Works has a relatively "new" Rose Garden, suppose the historic one is "too yesterday."
Thanks to Jacks blog, we know we are not the only ones who see through all this.

"I don't think I could vote for Saltman, even to unseat Sam."

Enjoy 4 more years of Sam then. At least Saltzman is the only guy who kinda stands up to Randyy.

Admiral Randy going ships ahoy on a voyage out of here!

Then there's no need to have to stand up to the bully.

One, it gives the Commish

Quibble: can people stop referring to Portland City Council members as "Commissioners"? It just further inflates them, and emboldens them.

Of course, I suppose my request is akin to asking people not to feed the bears.

Here's a curious observation...

If you login into PWBs online website to examine your bill, the browser titlebar changes to "Revenue Bureau".

See for yourself before they change it.

I'm surprised that Randy has presented a Council Resolution to invade Pakistan.

Then change his mind with a thirty minute speech of his thoughtful reconsideration. But, there's still time Randy. Anything to make citizens think you don't shoot from the hip, an insightful person, to win an election.

Is the Admiral the kind of guy who knows how to take a ship for himself?

the "has" should be "hasn't presented a resolution to invade Pakistan"

Whether Randy lets something like that see light of day is another question.

Pretty hard to see the light of day from where the sun don't shine!

BTW - Inside rumor that CoP is doing an internal audit of PWB and its not looking good.

Maybe someone will fly around city hall this week to see what the buzz is.

There are two separate bureaus - Water and Revenue. Water provides the water, but the Revenue Bureau collects the payments for the bills for Water (and Sewer) and some other sources of income for the City of Portland.

And the mess at Sewer (BES) - much of that foisted on the Bureau by his Lordship Sam. BES had no interest in building bike lanes, but the bureau was threatened by the Mayor.

Mayor needs those "all for bikes" votes.
He won't get many from my ruined neighborhood.