among planners and others in the "business", PDC generally has a reputation as a difficult place to work--and a company that pays as little as possible, lowballing wages at every opportunity.

they also use a lot of contract (temporary) and intern employees.

But at least they're giving away tax subsidies to rich developers, so they've got that going for them... ...which is nice.

I've never been quite sure what the rationale behind their having "semi-autonomous" status really was.

Are there any PDC apologists here who can offer that up? Why should PDC not be administered as just another city bureau?

It's a little harder to hide the scams when you're a regular city bureau.

The correct question is:
Why should PDC be allowed to exist?

Thanks
JK

PDC uses option 2. Most Oregon cities use option 3

ORS 457.045 Election of method of exercise of urban renewal agency’s powers. The governing body of a municipality shall, in the ordinance adopted under ORS 457.035, elect to have the powers of an urban renewal agency under this chapter exercised in one of the following ways:

(1) By a housing authority of the municipality established pursuant to the Housing Authorities Law in which case the name of the body corporate and politic shall be the “housing authority and urban renewal agency” of the municipality.

(2) By appointing a board or commission composed of not less than three members.

(3) By the governing body, itself, provided, however, that any act of the governing body acting as the urban renewal agency shall be, and shall be considered, the act of the urban renewal agency only and not of the governing body. [Formerly 457.140]

Note "and shall be considered, the act of the urban renewal agency only and not of the governing body." In Salem the city council adjourns as the council and reconvenes as the Urban Renewal entity. Statute requires a separation, supposedly to eliminate the political motives in selecting urban renewal areas and projects.