Don't vote is the correct answer. By not voting we can de-legitimize the dogma driven government of Portland. And that's just a start. Just don't vote for ANY candidate. You can still vote on measures such as the recently passed Clackamas County measure 3-386 measure assuring that those who pay for urban renewal will get to vote.

Metro the same. To get at TriMet we must change to an elected board. How do we do that?

Yes, if today had happened to be a leaf day in my neighborhood, my awesome "spot check" would reveal that I was out of compliance, despite the fact that I had raked EVERYTHING the day before. The overnight rain and wind caused my neighbor's two trees to dump thousands of leaves on my sidewalk and street, and, because I'm inconsiderate enough to have a job that requires me to leave early in the morning, I wasn't able to rake this morning. There's no way this can possibly be enforced.

But by not voting you eliminate your voice to counter the yes-nodders and extremists that have been flocking here (sort of like Afghanistan), and you can be sure they will , in large numbers.

Mr. Grumpy,
I would like to know how much of our money has been used to advertise for those you mentioned to flock here?

...and then how much of our money has been used to propagandize Portlanders to go along with the program?

Good grief! How much freakin' paper do these officious maniacs in city gubbmint consume and spew out every year? In TONS, I mean!

Add to that question, these ones:

1. How much money does CoP spend on postage?

2. How much did they spend (and per department/bureau/office) on postage & PR before Vera Katz came into Portland's quiet life, and how much each year since that occupation? (relative cost/expense adjusted for postage rate increases).

3. Is there no relief in sight?

4. What's a mother to do?

Spot Check?

All right everybody line up on your City owned parking strips and stand at attention.

Where's that Bojack character? What! Posting to his blog!

Get him out here and tell him to grab a rake on the way out.

These damn citizens are just so freaking tough to train.

And btw- if nobody had those evil cars, it would be whole lot easier to clean the streets.

Through bad planning and unforseen events, I wasn't able to rake before leaf day, despite opting out. So I guess I'm testing how well their spot check system works.

Our leaf day was Tuesday. Yesterday was one of the stronger wind and rain storms we've had in awhile. How clean do you think our newly scraped street looks today?

I was downtown yesterday, and saw a "clean and safe" guy inattentively attempting to rake the leaves into the street away from the curb, at the corner of NW Broadway at Everett. It was a loosing battle because the wind was blowing, the rain was pouring down, so the leaves washed right back to the curb, the drains were plugged with more leaves, and the evil cars were parked next to the curb limiting access to this fruitless effort.
It would have been funny except this just perfectly describes the ineffectiveness of most of the current administration's pointless mandated rules.

...before Vera Katz came into Portland's quiet life...

A book could be written about what happened to our lovely City of Roses.
Before Vera Katz.
After Vera Katz.

Why would we ever have voted her Chief of Staff Adams in to continue the agenda?
The trio was Katz/Adams/Hales - and now Hales wants back in,
or is it that the insiders want the fox back in the hen house?

For any mayoral candidates reading this, I'd note that I think the leaf tax has the potential to be a real game changer. I was at a function for our kids' daycare recently, and was struck by how many of the parents (who are a REALLY liberal, progressive group of folks) were outraged by the absurdity of this tax, and annoyed at how it was implemented. $30 isn't a ton of money, but to rake leaves in front of my house? Twice? On days you select months in advance, when the leaves may have already been picked up (or might not have falled)? Sheesh. Poorly conceived, poorly implemented, poorly pitched.

This is simply another lesson in the "reeducation" curriculum of Portland residents.

They aren't just trees, people. It's called urban forest. Better get your terms correct.

Less in-your-face government?

Works for me, Cuz.

By not voting we can de-legitimize the dogma driven government of Portland. And that's just a start. Just don't vote for ANY candidate

The problem is that if you look at the vote counts, the Metro races consistently have a LARGE number of undervotes (ballots received that did not have any candidate marked in the race). Yet, Metro continues to wield outrageous power.

I had thought that Tom Hughes would have been a breath of fresh air at Metro but it's apparent he's more of the same. It's time for the 'burbs to start competing with Metro and put candidates that can actually reasonate with the public to get votes...because right now most people don't give a rat's behind about Metro. No matter what, Metro will screw us one way or another, so why does our vote count?

I wasn't in a leaf zone last year, just as I shouldn't, considering I live half a block off Hawthorne across the street from the Bagdad Theater. I have one tree that is easily taken care of myself especially now that yard debris is picked up every week.

I received a $30 invoice yesterday the 16th. I never received anything earlier stating that I was in a new leaf zone or given the opportunity to opt-out. Checking online the opt-out date was November 1st and they already supposedly/somehow picked up leaves on November 5th (a 2nd pickup to be later this month).

I can definitely say there were NO leaves to pick up on my street on November 5th as they hadn't fallen yet. And there won't be any later this month as what doesn't blow away around here is easily picked up by me.

So I called to opt-out, “It is after November 1st, too late, there is nothing I can do”
Who can then? “Nobody”
I wasn’t notified, “There has been plenty of information put out there on the news and such”
I am quite aware of that but I wasn’t notified, “We have no control over mail delivery. Your notification was sent to same address as your bill”
I wasn’t in a leaf zone last year, so why would I think I was in a zone this year, especially my location? “???”
So what is going to happen? “you will keep getting bills”
Well I won’t be paying them, nice racket you have going.

Reading online I especially love this part:

"Please be assured that supervisors will use their common sense and good judgment to determine if you complied with the terms of the program. By observing the condition of the street and the amount of leaf debris along the curb, supervisors will be able to determine if you made an adequate effort. If the amount of leaves is only incidental, probably the result of additional leaf fall overnight or wind or rain, you will likely pass the spot check. Supervisors are aware that some leaves from neighboring properties can drift into a cleared area and that leaves can continue to fall overnight."

Sorry but I must disagree.
Not voting is just surrendering to the idiots.
ALWAYS vote, but if none of the candidates are suitable in your opinion write someone in, anyone, it doesn't matter.
This year I may write Jack in....

Failing to vote is to abdicate to your enemies.

If no candidate to your liking is nominated to run, agree on an unnominated alternative and vote for that person (or item) instead, en bloc.

I personally think that something like "enema-bag" would make a good mayor. At least better than the one we currently have.

I often write Jack in.

I realize he would never serve, but wouldn't it be really cool if he actually won something? Talk about a news story.

Of course, I can already hear the condescension of a miffed editorial calling the electorate infantile or temperamental for not going with the flow.

But what if he won, and refused to serve? Would we get a do over vote? Would the other candidates be so tired of campaigning or too broke from the first election to run again? Could it be used as a "none of the above" vote, and maybe bring some newer blood into the race?

Ahh, what a sweet dream.

None of the leaves on our trees had even fallen on our first Leaf Day. We sent in the opt-out form and their acknowledgement card had the wrong address, so they had to send a second, corrected acknowledgement card. This whole thing is a cluster****, and no way are they saving any money from the days when they just cleared the streets with no muss or fuss. If they can't afford it, just stop clearing the streets and fine property owners whose leaves are blocking storm drains and creating hazards. Instead we get happy doublespeak about how this is a wonderful service the city's providing.

Good grief! How much freakin' paper do these officious maniacs in city gubbmint consume and spew out every year? In TONS, I mean!

As much as they can load onto the delivery tricycle.