Sam Rand swan song: Be thankful we didn't screw you worse
Portland's creepy mayor has come up with a new mantra for his last 216 days in office: Every time he does something to detract from the livability of the city's neighborhoods (and that's pretty much daily), he tells you how it was going to be worse, but his noble efforts limited the harm. Here's one of the City Hall minions on the latest round of garbage fee increases:
A pending residential rate hike for trash pickup, proposed by city staff at $1.20 a month for the most common monthly service, would be close to $2.00 a month if not for the savings in the new [food slop composting] system, Armstrong says.
Then the mayor himself lets rip with a lengthy self-congratulatory press release about the damaging reductions of basic services in his last city budget. Among the spending cuts that were threatened but not implemented are:
Public Safety and Neighborhood Involvement:· Full funding for the Service Coordination Team’s work for the first six months. Plus, a plan to cut costs, coordinate strategies and funding solutions for the remaining six months.
· Additional funding for Police ID Techs at the level of City use in County Jail bookings (73%). This requires an additional $393,083.
· Full funding for our program to aid commercially exploited children and youth through SARC and Janus Youth (an additional $97,000).
· Full funding for the Lifeworks NW NOW Women’s program.
· Restoration of a Crime Prevention specialist position at ONI.
· An additional $20,000 for the mediation work of Resolutions NW.
Housing and the Social Safety net
· Full funding for Short Term Rent Assistance (an additional $200,000).
· Additional funding for Homeownership at $250,000.
Parks:
· Additional funding to keep Buckman Pool open ($79,720).
· Additional funding for daily maintenance of our parks ($93,000).
Education, Youth & Schools:
· Outdoor School ($50,000).
· Funding for the restorative justice program at Parkrose ($27,000).
· Additional funding for our Youth Planners program ($10,000).
"I threatened to close Buckman Pool and stop picking up the garbage in the parks, but then I didn't do it! I am your hero!
"That splashing on your shoe? It's raining. Hard."
| Posted at 10:43 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (14)
It's telling that people on both sides of the political aisle dislike Sam so strongly. He hasn't pulled the wool over *anyone's* eyes.
Posted by TacoDave | May 29, 2012 11:06 AM
I used to work with a guy who was just like Sam. Like Sam, he'd let loose a major contribution to the liveability of the immediate area, usually after spending the night before eating pickled eggs and drinking beer. Then, immediately after quietly doing so, he'd make a formal announcement, usually along the line of asking "Do you guys smell barbecue?" And yes, we had the same response to the attempted subterfuge as you do. In fact, I think someone hit him in the face with a loaded paint roller for a particularly vile one.
Posted by Texas Triffid Ranch | May 29, 2012 11:10 AM
Sam's legacy: lies, debt, cronyism, shady business dealings, and forcing lifestyle and behavior change on citizens through the mayor's office. The fact we couldn't get a recall to succeed still shocks me.
Posted by NEPguy | May 29, 2012 11:37 AM
Jack...are you sure that's rain on our shoes??
Posted by LexusLibertarian | May 29, 2012 12:02 PM
Services have been on a continuous decline for his entire tenure. But he is right about one thing: we can thank him and Randy Leonard for it.
Posted by Snards | May 29, 2012 12:20 PM
And destroying city thoroughfares by misappropriating street maintenance dollars to pay for unjustifiable infrastructure all for the personal gratification of slacker bicyclists.
Posted by TR | May 29, 2012 2:07 PM
The fact we couldn't get a recall to succeed still shocks me.
He was given a pass by the "community leaders" and new ones projected to come in are being given passes by likely the same people as well.
Do these people not see the flaws and do not care about our city and our well being?
Look at list of some of the supporters?
What does that tell you?
Posted by clinamen | May 29, 2012 2:22 PM
What it tells me is that crony capitalism is very difficult to stop. Once the politicians figure out how to direct money into the wallets of people who will in turn provide political support, it is all over for the common taxpayer.
Liberals have figured out a way to point taxes (Urban Renewal and Federal matching funds are two of the ways) directly into the pockets of their political supporters. Everyone else is being starved out of the system. Sam added the trick of calling the bribes "green and sustainable". Lots of the liberal sheep in Portland felt a warm tingle up their leg when they heard the words "green" and "sustainable". The fact that it was all a lie didn't cross their minds.
Posted by Andy | May 29, 2012 2:38 PM
"he tells you how it was going to be worse,"
If nothing else, they need to learn some new excuses, we've been told that about giving banks $1T already.
"The fact we couldn't get a recall to succeed still shocks me."
You haven't seen the two candidates we have for mayor? Sam's probably kicking himself since he probably could've won this election again.
Its Portland, we're just not that smart.
Posted by Steve | May 29, 2012 2:40 PM
So, I just called waste management, b/c they didn't pickup a load of styrofoam bubbles in a black garbage bag. Because the lid on my garbage can was slightly raised, that is considered "an overage", (even though my can was 1/2 full). I now pay $32 every time they pick up ONE garbage can!! Thanks SAM, you are doing a great job... off to look at private company to pick up trash!
Posted by Elaine Larsen | May 29, 2012 5:11 PM
I'd congratulate the mayor but he seems to be doing fine congratulating himself.
Posted by Jo | May 29, 2012 6:19 PM
Notice that he didn't include the $7 million for schools in that list of things we ought to thankfully pay for.
Posted by Michelle | May 30, 2012 7:39 AM
It's like getting a Thank You card from the IRS after they received your interest and penalties check.
With a cheerful, "It could have been a lot worse" inscribed by the Commissioner.
Posted by Mister Tee | May 30, 2012 9:21 AM
In my SE neighborhood, a 3-story skinny house is currently being built. It's a first -- all the others around here are 2-story. By Sam's logic, rather than moan about the extra light being taken away from the neighbors on the north side, we should be grateful it's not four or more stories. Go by LED flashlight!
Posted by Alice | May 30, 2012 11:22 AM