I'm not sure it was a hit piece in the same way Willy Week's been flogging Eileen Brady. I suppose calling attention to the fact that she's lost union support is not going to help her campaign, since union money and volunteers are crucial in campaigns around here, but she is given ample space to defend the decisions she's made. I actually think she comes out looking rather good, and Nolan comes across as what she is: a bought-and-paid-for union stooge.

When pet masters remove the leash from a house trained pet, they expect the pet to stay home.

I'm not sure it was a hit piece

It wasn't one of their hard hits -- it was one of their passive-aggressive hits. Lots of quotes from people who aren't supporting her, but the only person quoted on her side is Fritz herself. And nothing good said about her record in office.

Trust me, they want Nolan. Bad. All the rich people do.

One of the things about the city wide elections is it costs so much money it is difficult for new people without connections to make a dent. Someday the voters will wake up and demand district representation.

Citywide elections are nothing but a scam.

"One of the things about the city wide elections is it costs so much money it is difficult for new people without connections to make a dent. Someday the voters will wake up and demand district representation."

Check out San Francisco before you support that. San Francisco switched to district elections, and some of the people elected under district elections in SF make the Portland City Council look like the Athenian Senate.

This may come as a shock to some, but just because the union I belong to endorses a particular candidate does not mean that I plan to vote for that candidate. I am still capable of making my own decisions.

Dutch: How do you feel when your union dumps money into a candidate you don't like?

Garage Wine--my husband belongs to a union, and not by choice. (Do very many people actually CHOOSE to belong to unions any more, or is it just a condition of their employment?)

We don't like it that his dues go to candidates we don't support, but there's not a lot we can do about it. Theoretically there's supposed to be some way that we can request that his dues go to another purpose, but.....

Sounds like we are in for another "choke-hold" on the agenda if the insiders get their way.
Amanda, if you are reading this, you have been asked, what do you have to lose? - ask for the Waiver for our water, travel to DC and talk to Lisa Jackson head of EPA about our good water system. Tell her how sustainable it really is. Jackson has said science should prevail on this matter and we have science on our side.
Stop with that old boys (girls) networking here, trying to please.
In my opinion and it sure does look like it, Mary Nolan is part of that network.

This would be a signal to the people of our city that you sincerely are a people's candidate.

It always ticks me off when union members reflexively assume that any attempt to limit their benefits is "anti-union". Public employees in particular need to come around to the idea that their benefits could potentially bankrupt the city, especially with all of the unfunded pension liabilities. Amanda definitely seems to be interested in representing the citizens of Portland as opposed to special interests. Mary Nolan...not so much. It remains to be seen if Amanda's high-minded approach of limiting individual contributions to $50 will be rewarded by the voters.

Michelle: While many "shops" make you pay your fair share to the union for the benefits they bargained for and gained in the contract there is also protections in place that allow you to opt out of becoming a union member.
There is precedent for obtaining a proportional percentage of any union funds that the union spends on political causes. See Beck v. CWA.
Jumping out of the union may not be a pleasant experience depending on where you work. Raising a stink about getting your dues that they spend on politics probably makes it an even uglier situation.
Then there's reality: Corporations spend tons of dough to hasten the extinction of union jobs. If unions don't spend money to fight those forces then the end of middle class America is coming much sooner than later.

Spud: "fair share" is narrowly defined in Oregon, to the extent that if you don't have a religious exemption, you pay full bore, and opting out is not generally possible. Moreover, unions commingle "dues" and do not permit individuals to "opt out" of having their money used for politicians or political causes that they personally oppose.

And here's the reality: unions oppose Boeing's right to build a plant in a "right-to-work" state. Unions bankrupt employers. And that's why the only sector in which union membership is increasing is in the government sector.

Wow Max, I could swear there were 17 more teachers in my building last year than there are this year. So you must mean some other part of the government sector were the union membership is growing.

Union members also do the real work so brokers can pretend to work while they make money. You might want to read some John C. Bogle.

"were" is where--dang it.

And my local union claims publicly that they only use 10 percent of dues for political action. The larger percentage pays for negotiation of contract etc...

I don't necessarily believe that's the correct percentage. I take both the good and the bad along with my union membership. The union money might not always buy the wisest public policy but you'll never convince me I don't have the right to organize, bargain collectively and (until corporate money is no longer considered speech) spend union dues on whatever politician is deemed a friend.

The only way to deal with Portland city hall is to exit the city, and pray it doesn't follow you. The city is addicted to state and federal monies extracted from outside the city, and Metro is used to herd people back towards the city.

The federal monies have a pretty good chance of sharply declining at some point in the next decade or so, as Obama speeds the U.S towards default, hyperinflation or both (new federal monies are not printed but rather borrowed from the likes of China;and new revenue from increased tax rates are spent rather than used to close the record spending-revenue gap).

Multnomah county's electorate and leaders in particular are simply addicted to free federal monies, borrowing new monies, and enslaving the city to future retiree benefits; all the while not wanting to hear the city financial auditor about the path of financial unsustainability they are on.

All a resident can do is exit, and prepare for broad based government default in some significant degree. Very sad is the world of Obama, Kitzhaber and Adams leader types.

Very sad is the city of Portland when insiders control...

As Jack commented:Fritz is by far the lesser of two evils in the race.

Agree. Disappointed as we might be with Amanda on matters, in my opinion we would be much more upset if Mary Nolan gets into council. Apparently she represents the insiders big time!