Three cheers! But didn't you mean Grubby real estate developers?

Good luck, Ben. And contact me if you are looking for a way to convince them lubral but fiscally conservative voters or fence sitters about why they should vote for this.

The good folks over at "Our Oregon" claim that Loren Parks and the Clackamas County clerk were in cahoots:

http://ouroregon.org/sockeye/blog/clackamas-tea-party-gets-help-loren-parks%E2%80%A6-and-county-elections

If giving people a right to vote on "urban renewal" is Tea Party, then pass me the tea.

I don't understand how politics manage to get injected into these debates over signature counts again and again. Isn't there a way of limiting the subjectivity of the validation process - and thus this partisan maneuvering every time there's a tight count?

If the margin is a small percentage I'm pretty sure both sides go over every signature, figure out what the count really is, and then fight about it in Court if it ends up being truly a debatable dead-dead heat. Then a Judge splits the baby and either you got enough legible signatures from local registered non-felon voters, or you did not.

So this is all some premature you-know-what.

Real estate developers, while almost always being slightly greasy, are not often found grubby. That would suggest an honest days toil.

Hey Max & Our Oregon,

How is this initiative a tea party gig when the chief petitioner is a democrat and the biggest contributor is the liberal firefighter's union?

Looks like someone down the line went to park to get money and even he saw this was a no brainer.

But your corrupt crowd is in the minority on this so you're making things up about the whole thing and trying to tarnish good people.

It wasn't enough you and yours lied about the recent fee vote.
Now you're going to try and the same sleazy tactics on this?

The singanture verification was entirely professional and you can't stand it.

So why don't you contact the county counsel who watched it all and complain about the nothing you have?

Instead of your sleazy ways.

Jay jay,
This signature verification was entirely objective and honest.

Our Oregon & Scott Moore,
You couldn't written a more dishonest piece.
It isn't an anti-government measure at all.
It is pro-voter and pro- responsible government with broad support.
If it passes it will require voter approval of UR borrowing just as a Bond measure and Local Option Levy does.
Right now the county can borrow 100s of millions with no voter approval and no means to pay for it.
That's why the biggest supporter is the firefighter's union.
Another $5000 supporter was the highly respected Carl Miller, owner of Avamere.
There was no do-over. Only an honest and professional verification process.
The only way the initiative would limit the ability of the county board of commissioners to set up urban renewal districts is if they propose a dishonest "Portland" plan the citizens don't want and won't buy.
Commissioners know this and know the county residents do not want what they are trying to do.
Of course that could threaten the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail project.
It better. There is enormous opposition to that boondoggle that should stop with the transit bridge and save $1.3 billion.

Your suggestion that because some supporter went out and found a $5000 donation that ultimately came from Parks is a red flag is laughable.

Your corrupted side went out and got $50,000 from the contractors who were told they would get the Sellwood bridge project. So they give $25K each to the YES on the FEE (scam) and later get signed contracts.

yippee 3 cheers!

As painful as it is to say it...not everything that is supported by the so called "Tea Party" is a bad idea. Just the vast majority of them. They can be on the right side of issues, even by accident. Hopefully this gets passed and a monkey wrench gets thrown into the urban renewal machinery.

Ben,

You really should take your meds as prescribed.

I'm not associated with Our Oregon and have never been.

I simply linked to what they are claiming.

You're an a**.

Oh, and by the way, Ben - here's a link to what I had to say about it:

http://maxredline.typepad.com/maxredline/2011/08/our-oregon-nutballs.html

I'm a third generation Oregonian, a lifetime demo, and I'm impatient with name calling.

Because I spoke at several hearings questioning MLR, I have been berated, and even called a Tea Bagger by a senior staff member of TriMet. I presented facts before a TriMet Board Meeting that spelled out the taking of over $20 Million from South Waterfront's URA for MLR by Sam Adams without any vote of its URAC, and PDC even purposely misinformed City Council of the facts.

I didn't much care what I was called, but I'm tired of others and public officials typing people with or without knowing someones background. The dem/repub labeling needs to stop, especially for the issues of our metro area because it is such a blended mix of issues that has nothing to do with parties. I applaud Jack for posting issues that forgets the labeling and gets to the substance of an issue.

For MLR, what is wrong for voters to vote and help formulate the positions of elected officials on something like Urban Renewal which affects over 34% of Clackamas Co.'s budget and will indebt future generations?

"claim that Loren Parks and the Clackamas County clerk were in cahoots"

You need to re-read the article. It says Parks made $5000 contribution to the Tea Party and that the elections clerk re-counted.

I don't see a nexus.

Besides, $5K is just a junior grade contribution from out of state for people like Wyden and Bluemanure.

Sorry Max - I was really addressing Our Oregon and your comment was spot on.

I see BlueOregon has picked up the Our Oregon nonsense. No suprise, Mandadate Media is paid by the initiative and rebellion oppostion.
Is that a scandal? No.
But their smearing atempt is so Portland.