Here's an idea: ban the word "equity" from political discourse in Oregon, unless it refers to a member of the actor's union.

I am not sure how the breathtakingly high priced organic offerings at New Seasons equate to Eileen having spent her career in support of "food equity".

Man, it's just terrible how we're keeping so many people from eating healthy food. We need a mayor's commission on Produce Equity. Pay the director $100K.

Food equity? What's the problem? Stenchy's getting well fed.

What in the world is "food security"? Last time I checked there was more than enough food available, provided you could afford it.

Isn't the real reason that some people don't have sufficient food related to job security?

"What in the world is "food security"?"

The bureaucrats popularized the concept of "food insecurity" to cover up the embarrassing fact that not enough people in America actually go hungry to justify the enormous bureaucracies developed around food stamps and similar programs.

So, if you are worried about how to pay for food, or have a somewhat monotonous diet, you are "food insecure", and justify government intervention.

For example, Oregon spends $78 million a month on food stamps - or about twenty bucks for every state resident. If you stopped the food stamp program, how many people would actually miss a meal? Obviously, some would, but not enough to justify a program that spends nearly a billion bucks a year in Oregon. A more liberal definition is needed.

I would agree that the use of "equity this" and "equity that" has made the word useless.

However, there are many, many hungry people in this state and country. The Oregon Food bank distributed more than a million food boxes this past year. Yes, there's bureaucracy involved with food stamps - but stop by a Winco or Walmart at midnight on the first of the month, and see how busy it is - a lot of those people, yes, food insecure, didn't eat much the last week or so of the month.

This is getting insulting. That WW article asked them how to cure poverty and they all brought up streetcars and MAX and busses.

Are these people are really that stupid? I mean they didn't even get close to answering the question beyond a pie-in-the-sky "build it and they will come" answer. I don't know of many employers who look at mass transit as a reason to locate any place.

So now Eileen tries to reframe the issues by telling us we don't have food equity?

I understand that there are families that struggle to afford food. What's not clear to me is what can, and ought to be, done at the city level besides working to make Portland a more attractive place to do business and a more affordable place to live?

Food is already available in sufficient quantities to provide nutritious meals for Portland's residents. What's in short supply are living wage jobs to purchase the food.

This seems like a way of talking around the issue of poverty.

The whole thing is a campaign issue meant to appeal to foodies and activists, like me. The thing is, I know it's an issue, but I also know that in Portland we don't need any more city/county help than we're already getting.

There's probably no more important issue to me, as I actually sell food to people in the city. That said, we already have a food policy council that works with the county on making sure there are farmers' markets for each neighborhood, that the city and county support local food providers where they can, and that kids are getting better food in schools and learning how to cook. That's more than plenty.

The whole problem of food deserts, neighborhoods where you can only buy food from convenience stores, is diminishing on its own, not increasing. Entrepreneurship is stepping up to fill the gap and it doesn't need any financial support from the city. Any remaining problem is education/demand side, not supply side. At most, some zoning/permitting issues might be required, but most of them have already been addressed.

A final note, I've heard New Seasons is interested in opening convenience-sized stores in these neighborhoods. If she is elected, I wouldn't be surprised to see some special benefits for just such a business. As a farmer, I love New Seasons. They charge a lot because they actually pay farmers enough to live on. But they're doing fine (more than fine). They don't need any help.

What about tax equity? And government spending equity? What about elected officials' fiduciary duty?

What a bunch of preening, chatty, cucumber sandwich-eating nincompoops.

Portland's about to really get in a pickle with any of those 3 "main candidates."

WWSFD?

What would Scott Fernandez do? www.scottfernandezformayor.com

Whenever government sees a problem, the answer is always that government has to fix it. If there are poor people, give them money. If people can't afford housing, build them housing. It all comes down to government doing more and people less for themselves. What we really need as a nation are more jobs and less government "help". As they say, you get what you pay for.

So it has come to this. Everyone can now look to taxpayers to provide an EQUAL quantity and quality of food, clothing, shelter, transportation, recreation, vaccination, education, medication, mediation, certification, monetization, hospitalization, communication, insulation, occupation, inoculation and self actualisation?

There's a name for that isn't there?

Mojo, while I stated that I disagree with Brady's intent to spend any more municipal resources on this issue, it is certainly not "cucumber-eating" to speak with the city's poorest people about their access to healthy food. Giving the various parts of the electorate what they want to hear is how you elected in a democracy.

LTJD - I'm pretty sure the majority of liberals only want to set a floor for the basics of life, not equalize everybody in a Soviet era shade of grey. That you suggest it indicates you've already pigeon-holed those who you disagree with.

Question: What happened in Rockwood in the aftermath of the Portland-Gresham light rail line?

Answer: The Fred Meyer center closed; citing increased shoplifting and other crime. Subsequently, Safeway closed, citing the same reasons.

Result: Artificial creation of a "food desert" where none had previously existed.

Solution: Build more light rail!