Good news! The streetcar is awesome!

Funny thing, though. Because the "report card" ends in June, it misses the fact that "CL" streetcar was just taken out of action ...

I will only ask the question, was any of the money that we paid towards getting our roads paved, etc. instead sent over to assist that Milwaukie Light Rail project?

Clinamen, I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you. So far as I could tell, the moratorium on roadway overhauls still won't be lifted until 2017.

C'mon, this is round one propagandizing for this: http://www.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2012/11/27/portland-considering-local-gas-tax-and-street-maintenance-fee

and just like Bush, quit looking for someone to blame and get with the program sheeple.

"According to a report in Willamette Week, the audit will likely scold "the bureau and City Council for committing to new capital projects … while not setting aside enough money for basic road upkeep." Still, the specifics of the audit won't be made public until Wednesday."

DEFERRED MAINTENANCE?

Say it ain't so!

I'm sorry, but as far as I know, deferred maintenance is the prevailing paradigm at each and every city bureau. I know it is the case at Parks & Recreation and we can actually see the results in the degradation of the city's parks. As such, the cost of our services will continue to spiral up and out of sight. Failing to maintain that which one already has will just increase the later costs to fix the problem, which, by then, will be far beyond what regular maintenance would ever have been.

*sigh*

Sammyboy’s entire term of office as the dictatorial mayor of Portland was a joke. His arrogant pet project first budgeting process practically bankrupted the city. The citizenry will be paying the costs for his lack of good judgment for a long time to come.

just like Bush

I feel sorry for you.

Deferred Maintenance in the Water Bureau too!
Never ending taxes here and there as a result of the agenda. Let us not forget there are still three in there who went along with most of it and am not so sure about the two new ones being on our side.
Almost ridiculous is that we are still being told we need to make room and do more "projects" that will be necessary because millions more are coming!
One "look over" at this city and roads, schools, taxes, etc. ought to give any new ones considering to move here a clue.

Not to worry if our infrastructure is falling apart, we must pay to park and enjoy Washington Park, the wading pools and bathrooms are no longer open at the neighborhood parks, roads aren't paved, no sidewalks in east county, etc. . . . at least City retirees are happy and healthy and can get sexual reassignment survey covered should they happen to need it. I know it warms my heart to think of it.

Oops, that would be "surgery" and I guess it only applies to active employees . . . but who knows.

Given the amount of attention and money lavished on the Portland Streetcar, frankly it should be performing at better than 100%.

It would be great if the City of Portland had to report statistics on city-wide transit service, or for that matter the percentage (both in land area, transit-route-miles, population served, jobs served, etc.) of city owned-and-operated transit, but as the City would say "That's TriMet's problem" and forget about it.

NW Portlander,
Have you also noticed the past few years our city looks dirty and not kept up. There would be jobs for people here, power wash the dirt and grime, clean streets, etc.
As it looks now, maybe it fits in with the Fashion Grunge look. It would be nice to have pride in how our city looks and operates. Instead of city retirees being happy, how about the rest of the population being happy, going to nice parks, open clean restrooms instead of porta potties and now having to deal with the garbage fiasco.

Isn't it nice how low ridership means less wear and tear on the streetcar.

Maintenance ain't sexy, and we all know SammyBoy strived for sexy.