From my contacts with her I believe she'll be voting no. I hope she can network to affect other commissioner votes, which is unlikely, except for Fish.

But her no vote is important and her networking is important because an urban renewal education renaissance needs to occur. There are some other past commissioners that would be voting no, and I hope they voice their opinions. Besides League of Women Voters we need some education groups to step forward.

Fish is bought off. Only Fritz could possibly say no.

We know the Fireman always votes with Creepy, but has Fish already removed his spine for this vote?

If he fulfills his "take care of basics first" campaign pledge, that would make it 2-2.

Watching last weeks council meeting, you'll see that Leonard and Fish falling all over themselves to show how much they loved this idea.

When the PPS representative was whiffing a softball question, Randy Leonard stepped in and something to the effect of, "If I were you, this is what my answer would be ..."

The PPS rep then agreed that that was exactly what he meant.

It was downright farcical.

Of course, most people don't know that ...

You see, the Oregonian didn't waste one single word on the council hearing. There must have been a story about vegetarian cats on bikes somewhere.

If this area is considered "blighted" then what are we calling the really run down areas in Portland? If we are being honest we could at least re-define the measure by which we decide to fund such projects.

Fish's spine was removed the minute he was elected.
Is there anywhere in Portland where the Saltzmans don't own property?
Dane's a Legend all right!
The fix has been in for a long time....sad.

The five-person, commission form of governance that still burdens this city is conducive to this sort of predetermined affirmation. Political focus should be upon establishing a representative democracy in lieu of serial, vanity autocracy. But not having experienced a representative democracy in Portland for generations, all memory of its benefits may have been effaced.

This will ultimately be the tipping point that leads to an all out prohibition of Urban Renewal with Tax Increment Financing in Portland.

The genesis of justification, the false pretense that the UR funding is generated by the venture, will finally be understood by enough "stakeholders" and media. The subsequent outrage over the real source of funding, (pilfering of essential services) will finally drown out the politicians despicable public deceit.

With assessed values reaching real market values (region wide) the fraud of TIF will be fully exposed. As that 3% yearly increase in property taxes gradually vanishes there will be no Increment left to borrow against.
It will be impossible to tell the cold blooded lies that it is created by the UR projects and investments.

TIF with all it's debt and sacrificing of essential services has been a municipal con job of the worst kind by all of the worst politicians, bureaucrats and consultants.

Too bad so many of them will escape having to face any consequences.
Instead they will be rewarded with lavish retirements with offender Hales possibly becoming Mayor. What a sick scenario.

I'll predict the next election cycle in Portland will produce a Jack Bogdanski like Mayor and city council ending the reign of insanity once and for all.

I don't think Portland can withstand another reign of insanity.
230 days left might take us over the cliff.
What would another 1460 days bring?
Those that can will get out.
Those that can't may end up living in a city of subsidized tiny living units.
Property taxes will drive many out of homes.
There will be plenty of room for the "millions" coming we were told we had to accommodate and that we have lost our quality of life for in this city.
Truth being it wasn't for the millions, we are losing our city to a "club" that hasn't cared except for their own selfish interests. There has been no concern or stewardship of our infrastructure, schools, public safety, or for the commons. The whole affair has been entirely held close to the vest and rigged.

Fish has a Letter to the Editor in the morning Oregonian pledging to be diligent about insuring transparency for the 30 percent housing set-aside in the new URD. Game, set, match.

Fish's spine was removed the minute he was elected.

Maybe he was born without one.

Watch out for this one in charge of subsidized housing and parks yet.
What does he intend to do with the Fulton Community Center and property?

I don't live there, but feel the loss of that human scaled community center.
I guess it just doesn't fit the profile of the new urban "redo" look!

Whoever is in charge here is on a mission, as long as something like this area
in downtown can be redone under urban renewal, heaven help the rest of the city.
Even if you think your neighborhood is quite nice just the way it is,
there can be no peace as one can never tell what plans may be rolled out
next in line for the "redo!"

Urban Blight

TRANSLATION:

The extremely ugly sight of politicians making nonsensical arguments about why we should continue handing over public assets to the construction mafia.

This is a case where he could do the right thing and not recuse himself and vote no.

Doesn't Oregon law limit the amount of "Urb" that can be declared as an Urban Renewal area?

Isn't Portland getting really close to that limit, since they don't ever retire any URAs?

I E mailed Commissioner Fish to urge a "No" vote, using Fish's phrasing about "basics".

I have not had a response; with Fish, unlike Fritz, I really don't expect a response.

Portlandia definition of Urban Blight:

"I'm the Mayor/Councilor, I don't like it, off it goes"

Portland mottos:
If it's "blighted" replace it at the expense of the taxpayers to the benefit of the local cabal of developers.
If it moves, shoot it, taze it, or just ignore it.

Clinamen, I've finally figured out why Fulton Park Community Center is on Fish's chopping block. It has to do with the proposed Barbur Lightrail. The few people on the Barbur CACommittee want to densify the area around the Center. Since Parks owns the Center and the Community Gardens to the south there is over 15 acres of "blight". Lightrail by Metro standards requires nodes of densification.

So, for the South Portland neighborhood they have targeted historical Lair Hill, SW Gibbs under the tram, SW Hamilton/Barbur where Swan Market is, and Fulton Park for densification. Worse yet, is that these "nodes" should become "20 minute" commercial/mixed use centers.

And even worse SW Barbur will be designated as another Urban Renewal Area since these nodes are blighted and not meeting Metro's density requirements. That how it works in CoP.

But I think Tigard, King City, Tualatin and Sherwood will prevail on their Initiatives. And as time creeps on urban renewal will be on Portland's ballot.