As noted here before, Portland currently has a charter revision commission in session, and it has the power to refer changes in the city's government directly to voters, without having to go through the five overlords on the City Council. One of the things the charter group is considering is a utility ratemaking board, which would have a say in the city's outrageous (and often outrageously misspent) sewer and water rates.
Now the City Council is debating setting up just such a utility board, apparently to try to pre-empt what the charter revision commission is doing. No doubt the council's version of the ratemaking board will be toothless.
If we were on the charter panel, we'd laugh and ignore the council's antics. But since the charter commissioners are council appointees, some of whom are probably looking for some sort of paying gig out of this, they'll probably allow themselves to be led around by the nose. Too bad.
Comments (5)
Utility Board have you reached your conclusion about water/sewer rates this year?
Yes we have.
Thank you. Please place them in the round file over there and our custodial staff will get right on it.
Evergreen Libertarian: Howz that fer a start? JK: A good start.
Then we should require:
1. All city land sales to be as a result of sealed bids.
2. All city land acquisitions to be at a cost of not more than the lowest of three independent appraisals. Appraisers selected by lots from all registered appraisers in the city.
3. Prohibit city providing infrastructure for new development – that is the developer’s job. The city can take them over in exchange for property taxes when development is complete.
4. No one gets property tax abatement/lower rate for any reason except charitable organizations.
5. No one gets streamlined permitting process, fee wavers or special treatment of any kind..
6. No city loans to anyone.
7. No city resources of any kind to encourage development, or any other crackpot scheme.
8. Anyone who (or who’s close relative, business associate etc.) donates more than $50 to a city political candidate cannot do business with the city.
9. All city dealings with non-government entities shall be sealed bid for amounts over $10,000.
10. If there is only one (or less than 3 or 4??) bidders on a project, procurement, or for sale item, the bid terms must be adjusted until there are enough bidders.
11. The city shall NEVER “partner” with business.
Then we can define the scope of city government:
1. Keep roads up to modern standards. Allow transit company to use roads at city’s actual cost.
2. Provide police and fire protection through competitive bids, with independently elected department head..
3. Provide municipal court??
4. Provide low cost water and sewer, with independently elected department head.
5. Provide system of putting residents in charge of zoning and land use planning their own neighborhoods. Must have secret ballot of all affected residents. Bill of rights for property owners. NO CITY PLANNERS ALLOWED.
6. Permitting process shall ONLY consider safety and item 5 above.
(Schools are not on this list because there are separate entities for this - PPS, David Douglas, Parkrose, etc.. But maybe government should not be in the schools business anyway.)
(Some may notice that there is no provision for city planners to do their mayhem.)
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (5)
Utility Board have you reached your conclusion about water/sewer rates this year?
Yes we have.
Thank you. Please place them in the round file over there and our custodial staff will get right on it.
Posted by Ralph Woods | July 21, 2011 11:45 AM
Truly hilarious. You'd only see this stuff in a satire film.
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | July 21, 2011 12:41 PM
OMG did you see this yet Jack? http://schumer.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=333556&
Isn't this the guy that helped to bail out Goldman Sacs? And isn't it Goldman Sacs that hold the Water Bonds here?
Posted by class clown | July 21, 2011 4:23 PM
Get rid of the commissioner form of government! Go to 15 small districts. Small enough for candidates to walk.
Howz that fer a start?
Posted by Evergreen Libertarian | July 21, 2011 9:37 PM
Evergreen Libertarian: Howz that fer a start?
JK: A good start.
Then we should require:
1. All city land sales to be as a result of sealed bids.
2. All city land acquisitions to be at a cost of not more than the lowest of three independent appraisals. Appraisers selected by lots from all registered appraisers in the city.
3. Prohibit city providing infrastructure for new development – that is the developer’s job. The city can take them over in exchange for property taxes when development is complete.
4. No one gets property tax abatement/lower rate for any reason except charitable organizations.
5. No one gets streamlined permitting process, fee wavers or special treatment of any kind..
6. No city loans to anyone.
7. No city resources of any kind to encourage development, or any other crackpot scheme.
8. Anyone who (or who’s close relative, business associate etc.) donates more than $50 to a city political candidate cannot do business with the city.
9. All city dealings with non-government entities shall be sealed bid for amounts over $10,000.
10. If there is only one (or less than 3 or 4??) bidders on a project, procurement, or for sale item, the bid terms must be adjusted until there are enough bidders.
11. The city shall NEVER “partner” with business.
Then we can define the scope of city government:
1. Keep roads up to modern standards. Allow transit company to use roads at city’s actual cost.
2. Provide police and fire protection through competitive bids, with independently elected department head..
3. Provide municipal court??
4. Provide low cost water and sewer, with independently elected department head.
5. Provide system of putting residents in charge of zoning and land use planning their own neighborhoods. Must have secret ballot of all affected residents. Bill of rights for property owners. NO CITY PLANNERS ALLOWED.
6. Permitting process shall ONLY consider safety and item 5 above.
(Schools are not on this list because there are separate entities for this - PPS, David Douglas, Parkrose, etc.. But maybe government should not be in the schools business anyway.)
(Some may notice that there is no provision for city planners to do their mayhem.)
Here is list of current city goodies to developers: http://www.portlandfacts.com/developersubsidies.htm
Anyone want to add to this list?
Jack - start a financial reform page or topic?
Thanks
JK
Posted by jim karlock | July 22, 2011 2:22 AM