Fernandez makes a pretty damning charge here, that I certainly hadn't heard before. The way we interact with the federal government on water issues has been manipulated to raise water rates? Our people are avoiding stability to keep a slush fund for pet projects growing?

That would be a headline in some towns.

Could you imagine the late great Mike Wallace tearing into that?

So what do we get? More coverage of a divorce lawyer in a pretend election than we get of Scott Fernandez. It's ridiculous.

Scott seems to be the only adult running. I like what I've seen of him, so far - and I find it telling that none of the alleged "front runners" has had the guts to comment on this blog.

The guy makes a lot of sense. None of the other three have demonstrated that they are deserving of a vote. Scott is highly qualified for the job. He got into the race later than the others, and hopefully he can gain some traction over the next few weeks. I agree that the major media outlets are blowing it by not covering him more extensively because he has a lot to offer the City of Portland if elected mayor.

It would be nice to have a technocrat instead of an ideologue for a change. Lets solve problems instead of indulge in some sort of governmental group therapy.

Scott is in the "first they ignore you" phase of the campaign.

Between the sheeple and zombies it might take an alien intervention to get to the next phase- and even that is questionable.

Come on local media! Do you want bland with your lame, or is it time to light a fire of democracy and be part of something real?

I understand the conundrum. There has to be some measure of a candidate's viability or else you're covering every nut job in Portland who wants to run.

The polls aren't used. At one stage Max Brumm was 8 points behind Jefferson Smith, and he was still excluded from some debate or whatever. Okay, Max was at 2% and Smith was at 10, but it's not how they do it.

My understanding is that they use money raised as a yardstick, and as Fernandez points out, that's how the cronies get to control the coverage.

There should be a path for someone based on qualifications especially if what he or she is saying is actual news.

What we need are editors making calls based on good judgement. Hey, they're not shy about affecting the process with their endorsements.

Instead, we get drunk driving and call girls, and editors showing bad judgement.

My experience on the Portland Utility Review Board, and reviewing budgets over the last decade, clearly indicates we need a new, disciplined direction. Portland City Council has become addicted to debt and spending and it has to stop. As a city we are close to financial disaster if we keep following the same path. Unfunded pensions and cost shifting city expenses to property taxes are unsustainable.

Bingo!!

Jack,

I heard Scott on the radio this morning for the first time. Based on what he said, he seemed like a credible guy. It's concerning when a candidate can't raise enough money to put on a credible campaign--either he's not really committed or for some reason, he can't get people to financially support him. (And not everyone who financially supports a candidate expects pay-back.) Since you're a believer, why not hold a virtual fundraiser for him. Encourage your readers to pony up $50 or $100 each. If 200 of your readers put a bit of money where their mouths are, Scott has enough dough to actually do something.

why not hold a virtual fundraiser for him.

Or one could click on the link to his campaign on upper left sidebar...

If you want to raise money for the guy, you shouldn't just assume people will go to his site and do that on their own.

Scott Fernandez will be outside the Bagdad Theater tonight
on 37th Ave. and Hawthorne to light up the street with information
on privatization of our Bull Run Water. The Big 3 (silence or double
speak) will be inside partying. Store Fronts have posted Orange posters
"Stop Privatization of our Bull Run Water " along Hawthorne and
Citizens for Portland's Water will be out in force distributing
flyers and talking to people going in for inside event. Show up
and help us. Supposed to be TV and radio coverage. Let's see if
they dare cover this event.

Check the website for upcoming events to meet Scott Fernandez.

http://scottfernandezformayor.com/Upcoming%20Events.html