While on this subject, a 2" burrow has appeared in my front lawn near the cherry tree that I'm not happy about because I've seen mole hills and this one doesn't have one.

An easy solution would be to switch recycling pick-up to every other week and garbage to weekly. Still 5 pick-ups every two weeks.

Additional issue is that it made the whole system more expensive. I am someone who can no longer afford to live in Mult Co/Portland. My income has gone down dramatically while fees/taxes have gone up dramatically.

The new political guard needs to consider how every one of these issues impacts people of modest to non-existent means. At the same time that they pay lip service to caring about diversity, low-income, seniors, people of color, poverty etc. We have an expensive, fancy new Office of Equity at the same time that working class people are being pushed out. Every increase in water, sewer, bus, trash, property taxes pushes more people OUT of this community.

Sadly, all three of these candidates are well-off (if not trust funded) entitled folks. Who don't know what it is like to have no money to the bill that is coming due. Did a single one of them have student loans to get through college? No matter their rhetoric, I doubt it.

Let's be fair. Maybe letting garbage sit around for 2 weeks will help cover up the stink from the new biogas plant.

If their diktats did not make our lives in Portland harder I would be more inclined to overlook the underlying corruption.

But I doubt that any of them would try to now take away waste management's recent 100% increase in profits.

Stenchy's right.

And the city cab cartel vs. others lawsuit is hitting at a perfect time. Maybe the garbage sitting around - as Bill mentioned - can cover up that odeur as well.

Links, I feel your pain. You are so right; none of the candidates have addressed the issues of the increasing expenses of living in the city. It is just not the poor or lower income folks that are affected. Any home owner faces increased property taxes, obscene water and sewer charges and utility rates increasing every year. It really is getting to the point of no return. This is not sustainable (I hate that word) but the three so called front runner idiots for mayor don’t get it. Unfortunately it will take at least one more election cycle before the electorate here gets it. By then it may be too late.

Portland is no longer for old farts or families. It is the land of young unemployed single hipsters on some form of government assistance. Peace out, now get out old timer.

...Every increase in water, sewer, bus, trash, property taxes pushes more people OUT of this community...

What is the ultimate plan here by those in decision making roles? Do they not realize that people are to the breaking point and having to move out or do they know that and they simply don't care? If they are deliberately pushing people out by policies, what is the motivation?

I'm used to a little hyperbole on the campaign trail, but when Scott Fernandez sent me his answers recently for an online interview, there was one sentence that kind of shook me up. Scott doesn't seem given to melodrama - he's more of a scientist/data type. So when he wrote, "In many ways we are at the crossroads of success or failure as a community", I've got to say it bothered me. I have the feeling he's right.

I'm not sure Portland is close to any political turning point.

The pain threshold (economic) is high for people to seriously consider changing their political outlook, which controls their vote.

That pain level just isn't there, yet.

(Portland will continue to shuffle along much as it has.)

Political inertia is strong.

You see, at this point, the rational seems to be, sure taxes and fees go up, but the deciding political voting block will generally go along with it, those who can't pay the bills go unremarked except for a few expressions of concern with the possible thought they can be subsidized with some program or another.

And you will continue to vote these libs into office as you pack your bags and leave.

Jim Evans is right on the mark. The New Portlanders are seriously into "inner peace". It's all about having that warm and fuzzy at the center of their personal universe, and as long as they, the majority of voters, keep getting spoon fed the messages that keep them feeling good about themselves, nothing's going to change.

Personally, I always liked the walking Klein bottle analogy.

...keep getting spoon fed the messages...

Do they even teach the subject of propaganda in schools these days?
It happened to be a subject I was interested in, and has helped me
to see through much of what we are exposed to.

I'm trying to understand where urban waste disposal is dirt cheap in the Northwest. Portland looks to cost $27/month, Gresham $27.50, Seattle $37/month, Vancouver, WA $26/month, Tacoma $36.50, to cover garbage, recycling and compostables. Anyone?

I'm not sure Portland is close to any political turning point.

If they only knew what the watchdogs knew. Years ago, a neighbor stopped me and asked "There is something wrong in Portland, isn't there?" I think many sense things aren't in a positive mode, but are isolated or kept from critical information or analysis.

When the doors are closed to serious investigative reporting, debates are closed to serious candidates, meetings are closed to serious question and answer periods, heaven help us.

I highly doubt any of them would even attempt to lower rates... heck, I'd be surprised if they don't go up again.

This is pure pandering, and everyone knows it, and not one informed vote will change over this. OTOH some gullible folk might switch from one clown to the other, and call themselves insightful.

Did you know that the brown slops bucket isn't given out to new trash accounts? That was a one-time deal. We generously left ours for the next owners, I'm sure they love it.

The rock-hard amalgam of baking soda and crud at the bottom was too difficult to chip out ... but hey, it's green. Well, it's brown, and it smells, and it spreads disease, but it's really green.

Good thing the summer heat doesn't settle in until after the primaries...