Not to be outdone in the bizarre idea department, City Commissioner Erik Sten now believes that the already cash-strapped City of Portland -- the city that can't afford all-night access to cops, good schools, or respectable mental health care -- should suddenly become a national pioneer on public financing of local political campaigns. Oh sure, we'll spend the extra $1 million a year that we have lying around. You know, the $1 million we were going to use on the ice skating rink...

They estimated the annual cost at $750,000, which could come from the general fund. Sten also tossed out other potential sources -- from an advertising tax to some sort of garbage fee that he joked could be used to "get the garbage out of politics."