Yeah, but what about that story of a young Charlie that walked across the Willamette to cure a young woman of cancer by letting her touch the hem of his coat? That should count for something.

If you think this is gonna hurt Charlie, Portland voters are stupid, they'll accept any liar as a politician as long as he keeps saying green stuff.

"Portland voters are stupid, they'll accept any liar as a politician as long as [they] keep saying green stuff"...and keep saying "we should take a look at that". "That" being garbage, urban renewal, potholes, CRC, light rail, street cars, Bull Run, water/sewer service...the list goes on.

Both Smith and Charlie take most issues they are confronted with and state "we should take a look". I'm tired of looking, and majority of citizens are too.

I'm not all that troubled about the lies themselves, and I actually believe his story here. I've worked on a ton of political campaigns over the years, and I've seen firsthand how they are chaotic and haphazard. I'm more troubled by the fact that he will apparently sign whatever is put in front of him, without any questions asked about whether or not the basic facts behind what is written are true. It speaks to poor organizational skills and oversight, both of which are required of any mayor worth his salt.

I cannot even remember (and I am almost 60) and have lived in or near Portland since the 1950's a Mayor who wasn't a lieing sack of Sh**. It must be something in the water.

This is what happens when you have little or no choice. It started with three handpicked candidates having just enough differences in their hair color to make them a little different. This guy Hales is as good or bad as the other guy still running, similar to the one he beat, and no better than the one he might replace.

Both Smith and Charlie take most issues they are confronted with and state "we should take a look". I'm tired of looking, and majority of citizens are too.

Unless it's a streetcar line, then Hales will ramrod that through without stopping to think.

If it's a pothole, then it takes twenty people to stand around and "think" about fixing it. And then deciding that to fix the pothole requires an EIS.

They're not potholes, they're water features.

Is it too late to vote Cameron Whitten? I seriously think the occupy candidate who is at least openly loony beats Dumb and Dumber.

I've lived in Vancouver for six months now. The only significant decline in quality of life is driving past more dilapidated neighborhoods and trailer parks. The zoning is weird, and there's clearly more poverty and lower-middle class housing than most of SW Portland.

In the plus column, water/sewer/garbage rates are about half Portland's. There's a lot less traffic (unless you're driving to/from Portland), and there are far fewer kids begging for spare change (just been asked twice in six months). Rents, property prices, and property tax are mostly lower, especially on newer construction.

Booze prices just went up, but that's Olympia's fault. We do shop for big ticket items in Portland and dislike paying sales tax when we don't. We'd have to spend over $80k/year to equal what we used to pay Oregon in income tax.

Now we're getting somewhere. Hales may be just slimy and unaccountable enough to be mayor of Portland!

Seriously, our "talent" pool here is sooooo shallow.

Was THAT the St Johns neighborhood of Skamania County, Washington?

Can we vote for or write in Ron Still this time?

From Charlie's Facebook page:

"You may have seen a story in the Oregonian today about a letter to the editor over my name that appeared in the St. John's Review in April. The letter, which was drafted by a volunteer and edited by former campaign staff accurately reflected my position in the importance of a community policing presence in St. Johns.

At some point after my approval of the letter, an anecdote was inserted that was very similar to one that had appeared in an old Oregonian article. Obviously I did not know that had been added to the letter, but it was wrong and sloppy of my campaign and for that I am very sorry. Systems have been put into place to try to ensure that does not happen again.

What will not change is our commitment to be in every part of our city to talk about the specific neighborhood issues that are important to the people who live and work there."

Talk talk talk....blah blah blah...
Same old, same old and the voters in Portland seem to continue to go for it. Just goes to prove, 'you can't fix stupid'.

Translation:

If my staff lied, it's not my fault.

I'll do whatever it takes to get elected, even throw a volunteer under the bus.

Once I've been elected Mayor, we'll be lying on a daily basis, so don't get your hopes up.

Since it's a given that one of two painful choices will be elected mayor in the fall, can we start the recall campaign now?

I want to amend my statement. I always thought Bud Clark was a bit of a goofball but better a goofball then a lieing sack.

I think Tom Potter was pretty straight too...he just got tired of fighting of the whole bunch of liars who really run the show.

Hales or Smith. Brother.

Apparently Hales going house to house, he has heard that people want basics taken care of so he has made this a campaign issue. However, in my opinion one has to be careful with what Charlie says and what Charlie means. Basics to Charlie means what?
As I recall, in his large 4 page brochure for the primary not one mention of the word water. Isn't that odd? Jefferson Smith is not much better in that matter either.
Remember Leonard endorsed him, what does that mean?
This is the elephant in the room apparently not to be discussed.
By the way, is Hales still employed by HDR?

I am a regular reader of the St. Johns Review - they have a very good history writer, but for the most part they are somewhat of an event and business booster. The letter referred to is in the April 27 issue, it starts with an anecdote involving 'community policing' and spotting an officer "Sarah." He would be referring to Sarah Westbrook, who did work at the old North Precinct - I think as a sergeant. She is now a Captain at Central Precinct. The 'old' North Precinct closed in 2009, and I think Sarah had been way long gone before then.

It would appear Charlie's staff was reviving a successful campaign promise by going after the votes and affections of the St. Johns folks who did not want old North Precinct to close. The implication that 'community policing' left the citizens to fend for themselves when old North Precinct consolidated with Northeast Precinct is somewhat disingenuous and does a disservice to the hard working officers assigned out there. The same officers and sergeants kept working out there, but they had to change their pants in a different building. Lombard and Burlington did not turn into Florence and Normandie...

The closing of that building as a police precinct had been in the works for years. It was a matter of the right fiscal circumstance and timing for the right politician to pull the trigger, which wasn't going to happen in an election year or by anyone who planned on running again. After a somewhat lackluster effort at keeping the doors open to the public at the PPB Training Division, it is now locked to public access except for a few community groups by appointment. The St. Johns folks have a valid point on this one..the incremental closing of a lively 24/7 police precinct was a serious loss.

Does Charlie know that if you go to East Precinct or the new North Precinct after 6 p.m. the doors are locked there also? I'm not upset with him for fudging on a St. Johns memory, in fact I'm touched he remembered..but he promises "a 24 hour community policing facility." Does he have some serious or realistic plan in place for this? Are his affections only for St. Johns or do they extend to the other precincts. They need 24/7 'community policing facilities' and his love too.

"They're not potholes, they're water features."

Best comment today. Thank you Isaac.

Portland never learns.

Portland voters are stupid.

Better than the best comments of the day. Truer words have never been spoken.

http://www.politifact.com/oregon/statements/2012/may/05/charlie-hales/it-true-charlie-hales-private-sector-never-billed-/
His critics have complained about this for two reasons. One, Hales quit while in office. And two, he took a job with a company that conducted business with the city. It rarely looks good for an elected official to jump to a private company that makes money off that city’s taxpayers.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
There was no revolving door, because he didn’t get in. It’s true Hales has never billed the city for his work with HDR -- but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

How good can it look then for that same official to jump to a private company and then want to jump back into the city as Mayor?

Can we say the same here, that there is no revolving door? In my opinion, if he does get into our city hall chambers as Mayor, I am very concerned about that revolving door, in this case a “reverse” revolving door - here we have a political one leaving to work for a company and then reversing and wanting to come back into the public arena as Mayor making major decisions. It seems to me a conflict of interest here, and as Mayor, Hales would have to recuse himself on any decisions including water decisions or relationship that would involve HDR.

http://www.hdrinc.com/about-hdr/news-and-events/news-releases/2010-07-22-hdrs-water-business-group-awarded-oregon-jwc-aqui

Where are investigative reporters?
Where are they on some of Jefferson’s background?
Where are they on some history here on elections by insiders in our community, such as pre-selecting the three “viable” for the public and not allowing others in important debates?

As I write about Hales, I want to state that I am not for the other candidate Jefferson either, nor was I supportive of Brady.
Many of us here wanted Scott Fernandez as Mayor, some have said they will do a write in, a write in campaign this time may be necessary.

clinamen, I think it's fair to conclude that WWeek does not have a wall between opinion and reporting, and the Oregonian only pretends to; having endorsed Hales, they're going to have a hard time doing much investigative reporting on these issues.