I didn't realize until today that the Blazers were against this. Wouldn't it be a trip if the end result is no Timbers and no Blazers?

Maybe I'm hallucinating, but I think beating the urban renewal / TIF mafia on this is a milestone. That we peasants with torches and pitchforks frightened Saltzman and Leonard enough to pull back from aiding Adams in raping the stufdents at PPS is remarkable.

The City is still going to take a huge bath on this, and the damage is bad. Its so bad that it justifies defeat of Saltzman next time around, and is yet another reason why Adams should be recalled at the earliest possible opportunity.

Yet it still isn't as bad as it could have been.

Yet it still isn't as bad as it could have been.

We'll see. Although they'll give up on the urban renewal district now, they'll try to come up with some other way to slip it to the taxpayers without being noticed. The city's name is going to be on those bonds, and so you had better not go back to sleep until after all the fine print has been signed.

With a franchise from that crummy league in hand, these guys are only going to get bolder. The countdown is on to "It's too late to turn back now."

I wonder what Steve Janik's hourly rate is? He has to be one of the best paid yes men in Portland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgkHVFCzPhA

"Dad, It's Merritt. Can I get a 15 million dollar advance on my allowance. What? How about the TARP money?"

"I wonder what Steve Janik's hourly rate is"

You can't afford him or prob Ball-Janik.

So, what have we learned:

- Merritt Paulson is smarter than Randy
- Leonard was only jerking Lents around to run cover for the real objective of the sing the Mem Coliseum. THis has earned him a position on the hall of fame for liars in Portland politics.
- Misfit 21-year-olds whose only goal in life is going to MLS can have a lot of pull
- We may be a major league soccer town, but not quite as major as Atlanta, Miami or Montreal who had the wisdom to tell MLS to get lost
- Saltzman really doesn't have a mind of his own
- Yes, kids, Steve Janik is the man behind the curtain.
- Finally Sam and Randy are in love again.

Re. weasling the urban renewal money out of the city . . . what's to stop Adams from assembling yet another advisory committee that reports only to him and not to the council to "prove" that using the money is right and necessary (ala the burning need for a publicly-funded convention center hotel)?

This is Portland's shameful version of a Presidential signing statement, produced without any accountability to the public and without any disclosure or oversight.

Dad, It's Merritt. Can I get a 15 million dollar advance on my allowance. What? How about the TARP money?"

Yes I think Bill you have hit the nail on the head.

I would imagine that Randy said to LLP , the only way Saltzman will go with us, is if we allow him to be seen to strip out the Urb renewal $15 mio in front of everybody. That'll be your "negotiation cost" and your skiis will just have to be a bit further out.

The reward to the Paulsens of $15 mio in a MLS franchise packaged with an AAA baseball team in a new stadium, is going to be far higher than putting that $15 mio in a Money market a/c at 1.5% p.a.

And also remember the AAA Beavers baseball team is part of the ML San Diego Padres farm system. Has anybody asked LLP if the Padres are "helping" with this huge upgrade to their farm teams facilities ?

Time to add Fireman Randy and Bobblehead Saltzman to the recall list !!!!

Kudos to Fish and Fritz !!

I'll tip my hat to Fish, who was clear about this from the outset. Amanda played it coy until it was clear that the deal was going through, then cast a garbage-time "no" vote.

Integrity awards to Fritz, Fish and Wheeler. There is no need for a 6-month moratorium on recalling Fireman Randy-- How about it, Portland? Let's get started! Oh, and "Yes-man" Saltzman, too. He can't think for himself, so why let him stay?

I would not overdo the recall thing. It sounds a little like impeaching Clinton. Let's save it all for Mayor Creepy, who's got a real chance of losing his job here. After all, Fireman Randy didn't kiss a teenager in the men's room. Although he does kiss developers' rings, it's strictly ceremonial.

I just sent off my note to Leonard putting him on notice that I was disappointed in his performance, that it was a shame that such promise has been flushed down the civic toilet, and I will be opposing any election bid he may plan for the future.

He has now clearly demonstrated his fiduciary irresponsibility and deserves to be turned out at the first available moment. All we need is a decent candidate to take him on...one with guts and a sense of public duty, which seems to be in a minority on the Council at the moment.

Dave Lister? Are you still in Portland, or have you come to your senses and moved on?

If you're still here, would you reconsider running against Fireman Randy?

I'm with Jack re the recall of Randy (mustache or not) and Saltzman, but for Christ's sake, PLEASE STOP VOTING FOR THEM!!!

Running against sleazy Dan would be just fine, too.

I think you're being a bit hard on Kabuki there.

Randy behaved like an Orc at the hearing today.

I would like him to be gone sooner rather than later.

Let him run for Governor after he's turned out of office. Do you really think he could win a statewide seat?

Do you really think he could win a statewide seat?

Yes. If he keeps shoveling Portland tax dollars on top of Eastern Oregon rapeseed farmers.

I think you're being a bit hard on Kabuki there.

I used it as a metaphor for a form of strange, drawn-out, fictional drama whose outcome is clear, and which is being performed repeatedly over the years strictly for entertainment purposes.

Isn't there some saying about getting the government you deserve?

A lot of it was staged but when Randy got mad at Ted Wheeler that was genuine.
Ted had the audacity to call him on the urban relief thing and Randy made a passionate defense of the urban renewal system as the way previous councils had built Portland into the city it is now.
I was inspired by these words and read a little history. You know, if you go back far enough you even get some occasions when the blighted area was actually a blighted area and not some half-baked scam that the commissioners pulled out of their butts.

Now it's just a pork pot for guys like Don Mazziotti and his pals. Awful.

I guess Mayor Wheeler probably thinks he snatched victory from the jaws of defeat today with Saltzmans intervention about the UR deletion from the plan.

"Let him run for Governor after he's turned out of office. Do you really think he could win a statewide seat?"

Don't forget, he's bought and paid for by the public employee unions. They are not a trivial force in elections here and Randy will give them whatever they want.

Randy doesn't have any Salem creds. He would be a disaster as Governor.

Shelly Lorenzen of League of Women Voters did a fine job today of explaining UR, then refuting politely Adams and Randy's interpretation of UR.

Today's vote was a strong disconnect from what the League, Wheeler were saying about UR. Yes, $15.5 Million of UR money from a non-existent URA isn't in the picture now.

But there is still the Eastside URA money of $18.5 Million that is. This money is still of very questionable usage for a ball park and tearing down the Coliseum as both pointedly stated, and many of us agree with. The Eastside URA money is still a big deal that should be contested. The Coliseum and Rose Garden is not blighted. Taxpayers spent over $34 Million of UR money in this area in just the Rose Garden project, why should $18.5 M be added?

The arguments about urban renewal today apply for tomorrow.

I believe that Commissioner Fritz stated that one of the reasons she was voting against the proposal was it would keep the Eastside URA going beyond its scheduled termination date.

It's not over yet. St. Louis has two soccer stadium options lined up, although still no deep-pocket investor. Meanwhile MLS Commissioner Don Garber is saying the franchise decision might be delayed until later this month. The Canadian press reported earlier in the week that one franchise might be announced in March, and another in April.

Go St. Louis! Go Vancouver BC!

It may be best not to send any emails to Randy the "Dandy" or to Mayor "I'd like to watch guys running around in shorts" Sam. Send your displeasure comments to MSL Commissioner Don Garber here:
askthecommissioner@mlsnet.com

I did.

"Randy doesn't have any Salem creds."

He was a state legislator

"He would be a disaster as Governor."

Granted

"the projects increase property values in the area, producing additionally tax revenues that would not otherwise be available"

That is such BS.
These guys are both stupid and disgusting liars.

There is no way for the increase revenue to happen. Even if the property value increased, the property tax increases are limited to the current and routine 3%/year already happening.

It's not like all of these adjacent properties are going to have their property taxes increased 4, 5 or more percent/year just because Randy and Sam say so. It aint happening.

The increased revenue these lying pigs are talking about happens without the Urban Renewal.
They just want to divert every yearly increase away from basic services, for decades, into this boondoggle.

Some how these Urban Renewal TIF Liars must face some consequenses for their blatant lying.

Steve - I completely forgot that Randy was in the state legislature. Just shows how much of an impression he made on me.