How to get fired from a city job
Say something that challenges bunk coming from a city commissioner:
"They feel like it’s their time right now," says Alan Stubbs, a loan officer with the Portland Development Commission who helps small businesses in Lents with money set aside for the neighborhood by City Council. "[The stadium] would basically devastate our budget and hamper our ability to help small businesses. If our budget gets blasted by this, we could be sitting there with an empty building and no budget to attract businesses. That to me would just be horrible for Lents."That was brave, Mr. Stubbs. Extremely brave. Good for you.
| Posted at 2:32 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (4)
The money quote from that article was actually from Paulson, justifying why the funding for affordable housing in Lents could be cut in half:
If he wasn't so filthy rich, I think he'd have a great career in PR!
Posted by darrelplant | May 27, 2009 4:20 PM
Holy Shizzle! That mic was ON?!?!?
Posted by Alan Stubbs | May 27, 2009 5:46 PM
One more thing - The ECONetics report Randy keeps blowing about for new job creation. Paraphrase from:
Section 4.3 - Construction of the stadium would create fewer jobs than if the money was left in taxpayers' pockets.
That's the kindest thing they say. Yet Randy is trumpeting it on his pseudoBlog as stating this will create 450+ jobs.
Keep going Randy, the more people don't want it, the more he wants it.
Posted by Steve | May 27, 2009 6:15 PM
What does Mr. Paulson consider "affordable housing?" I've heard this same line of patter from others who can afford to buy anything and live anywhere. These people think that $1,000 a month for a studio apartment and $280,000 for a shack = affordable.
Their answer to people who can't afford it? "Get another job" or even "get a better paying job" or "go back to school and get a degree" as though those are actual options for the low-income.
The sad truth is that - for too many - there are little to NO affordable housing options in today's Portland.
And those places that ARE affordable aren't stable. I know folks who have moved it only to be evicted when their "affordable" apartment complex is sold either to be converted to luxury apartments/condos or slated to be torn down for "infill projects."
Yup, tearing down affordable housing to build luxury apartments which are seen as a better use of "the asset" are considered "infill projects." It doesn't just apply to vacant lots anymore.
When this happens several times, what was a small nest egg completely disappears. Life on the street or a shelter follows.
Posted by NW Portlander | May 27, 2009 8:28 PM