"Clean money" follies: nonstop nonsense
The beat goes on as the City of Portland stubs one toe after another with its ill-conceived "voter-owed elections" system of taxpayer financing for municipal campaigns. Now we see that the city is commencing a new game of "Who Had the Pickle?" with City Council candidate John Branam. The city is questioning some hefty payments that Branam made to his campaign svengali, Phil Busse, and it's demanding documentation. The response seems to be "We don't need no steenkin' documentation." Save room on your calendar for another day-long trip to Tualatin for a state hearing.
Aren't "voter-owed elections" wonderful? Now the candidates don't have to waste time raising money from wealthy donors. Instead, they can spend the whole campaign season hassling each other over violations of the rules, and getting called on the carpet themselves.
Meanwhile, last night, the munchkin advisory commission on the "clean money" fiasco recommended that the city cut back by $50,000 the $200,000 that's slated to go out to Jim Middaugh, who's running on taxpayer money to succeed his boss, the brains behind the system, Erik Sten. If Stendaugh winds up in a runoff against Nick "the" Fish, the election will be in July. Here it is April and we still don't know how much public money Sten's officemate will get to play with in the runoff. No doubt the City Council will make up some more rules as it goes along between now and then.
And what does all the "clean money" buy? Over the weekend, we got another taste of front porch goodness:
It's a lovely flyer from Jeff Bissonnette, who's in the pack of taxpayer-funded wannabes (including Branam) trying to get into the City Council chair being vacated by Sam the Tram Adams. Bissonnette, a U of O grad who's spent his career fighting evil private utilities, doesn't have much of a resume to boast about. Here's a sample:
"Low energy assistance programs"? Geez, nobody told me they had those -- I've been needing one most of my life.
Anyway, now that the candidates don't have to spend private money on their campaigns, they have plenty to blow on that important political accessory... sweaters! Bissonnette and Branam seem to have a duel going in the wool department:
Later this week they'll be shaking hands with taxpayers and handing out literature out in front of the Lloyd Center Gap.
| Posted at 2:36 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (16)
"recommended that the city cut back by $50,000 the $200,000 that's slated to go out to Jim Middaugh"
What no Chateau Petrus at the next voter event? Every time I look at this collection of clowns that VoE dredges up, I wonder who's more of a fool them or the voters who put up with this garbage.
Meanwhile the potholes grow (with Mayor Sam they'll probably each get their own charettes.)
Posted by Steve | April 1, 2008 6:41 AM
It looks like Bissonnette should be seeking low calorie solutions, not low energy.
Think of it as the Boyle's Corollary: if you can't manage your own weight, what makes you think you can manage a city?
//Just saying.
//Some of my best friends are fat. Really.
Posted by Mister Tee | April 1, 2008 7:29 AM
Hmmm... probably "low income energy assistance programs".
Posted by Kari Chisholm | April 1, 2008 8:04 AM
Maybe it's for the chronically lazy?
Posted by john rettig | April 1, 2008 8:24 AM
Yo, Mister Tee. I don't even want to hear what you have to say about Chris Smith.
Anyone else find it ironic that a man who is so obese can claim to be the biggest supporter of cycling as a means of alternative transportation? Only in Portland, only in Portland.....
I heard through the grapvine that if Chris Smith is elected he's going to create a new division in the Portland Police Bureau. It will be personally headed by "Citizen Smith" for maximum accountability.
http://www.gunsnhoses.com/PRODUCTS/DonutPolicePatch.jpg
Posted by Faceman | April 1, 2008 9:32 AM
OH, the story on that CCC meeting last night is even better. The public notice for the meeting went out via Email from Portland today. Hard to have public input when the meeting is annoucned the day after it happens.
Posted by jhbjrpdx | April 1, 2008 10:05 AM
"find it ironic that a man who is so obese"
Don't forget Mr Adams' Project 27) or whatever he is calling it)
CoP employees will be required to ride bicycles on the job. Next they will be allowed to have only one child.
At least that keeps the freeloading elected officials in fighting shape somewhat. Sam is losing touch with reality and doing things just to show he can.
Posted by Steve | April 1, 2008 10:11 AM
Wow. I know Jeff - never thought of him as overweight. Looking at the mailer I still do not see how THAT would be the comment one would make. Seriously - it is both mean and off the mark.
Posted by Christy | April 1, 2008 10:18 AM
I wonder... did the Branam campaign get a Fed ID # so they could make the proper payroll tax withholdings on their heftily paid employees. They can't call these people "contractors" unless these "contractors":
Provide similar services for multiple clients.
Provide their own workspace and tools.
Make their own quarterly tax deposits including both sides of FICA and Medicare, and estimated FWT and SWT.
Posted by Dave Liste | April 1, 2008 10:19 AM
Free legal advice
Posted by cc | April 1, 2008 10:39 AM
cc:
That's good information. I printed it out and put it in my payroll file. I would be willing to bet that most campaign workers cannot be considered contractors, but most campaigns pay them as such. They are probably all in violation, to some degree.
Posted by Dave Lister | April 1, 2008 10:50 AM
Between Bissonnette's "low energy assistance" and Branam putting the wrong web address on his flyers, makes me wonder why they cant spend public money on a decent proof reader, or wait was that part of Busse's work?
Posted by gl | April 1, 2008 12:07 PM
So which is worse? A shill for corporate that has financing for the prizes that gets handed out, or a poor person without connections being sponsored by the tax-payers? If the handle is loose on the bucket do you fix the handle or throw the bucket away?
Posted by KISS | April 1, 2008 12:53 PM
So which is worse? A shill for corporate that has financing for the prizes that gets handed out, or a poor person without connections being sponsored by the tax-payers?
Two things:
1) If you assume anyone without public financing is "A shill for corporate...", and further believe that anyone with it is a "poor person without connections...", then you're, at best, misinformed.
2) If you think that "So which is worse?" is a question whose answer justifies wasting taxpayer (it's one word) money on the farce of VoE, you're beyond help.
Your bucket metaphor leaks.
Posted by cc | April 1, 2008 1:14 PM
Project 27?
April Fool!
Posted by max | April 1, 2008 4:26 PM
Project 27? When one can't tell a Sam's absurdity with one that is reality, then we know how weird this city has become.
Posted by lw | April 1, 2008 8:54 PM