He sent some campaign stuff to our recycle bin, and though the line about his "hard left hook" was kind of cute, the rest seemed spectacularly silly. Haven't marked that portion of the ballot as yet, but it won't be for him.

“Steve’s notorious for not listening to people and just kind of doing his own thing,” White says. “You need to respect and value every person who comes before you. I don’t think he has that capacity.”

Wunderkids don't need to listen to anyone because they're smarter than you and me. Just what Portland needs another pompous enabler with huge disdain for the citizens.

I'll say it again... Mark White is the correct choice for Position #4.

Steve is smart, but he has what most politicians have: The belief that if you take a million dollars out of Portland with parking meters, that money is just heaven sent. It's not connected to a million less for the non-government portion of Portland's economy.
He'll no doubt cite some study and argue that parking meters are actually good for business, but you have to look at the aggregate, and that's always additional revenue for politicians.

Anytime the end result is more revenue for government, you have to wonder if that isn't the real point, and the studies are just the cover story.

Plus, I believe there's an additional cost to our spirits. I really do. I hate riding downtown looking for a space and seeing all the different distinctions - often several in one block.

Think of all that fuel and time spent circling around trying to read these little signs that say, "No parking from 7 to 3 except if you're a truck or it's currently the dawning of the Age of Aquarius." Then you get out and the damn thing has a hood on it because they're building the latest construction scam. No thanks.

In my opinion:

Just another political careerist who wants a secure slot.

I do not see this candidate as one for our city council.

Congress or Multnomah County, maybe, but after reading the article, I believe Jack has it right again, we are heading for trouble.
Haven't we had enough?

Randy Leonard—who gave Novick advance notice he’d not seek re-election ought to be a big clue here. Has anyone checked where Novick's money is coming from?

Novick has said he wants to put fluoride in our water, unless he has changed his position on that, as far as I am concerned this person ought not be a decision maker on health matters for all of us. That should be an individual choice. This can be made available for children if needed without blanket medicating an entire community.

Jack's recommendation is Scott McAlpine for Commisioner #4 and I believe we need to seriously consider McAlpine.

...he has what most politicians have: The belief that if you take a million dollars out of Portland with parking meters, that money is just heaven sent. It's not connected to a million less for the non-government portion of Portland's economy.

Great comment!

Voters...it's time to look at the alternative candidates in all of the council positions. The alliances being formed already make Sam -Rand look reasonable . Vote for independent candidates

Smug and smart are apt descriptors for Mr. Novic. The word caustic also comes to mind. Back when I attended City Club, Novic often questioned presenters and made frequent comments. He couldn't resist proving that he was the smartest person in the room, and often dropped the backhanded compliment and the snarky 'gotcha' remark. As he launched his political career, his handlers worked with him to tone down the snark. Expect to see the true Novic to come out once he is anointed by the people and enshrined in his first elected office. Pity the city.

Make's a guy want to buy an old beat up pickup and accidentally back over parking meters...

What is it with these guys from Jersey? Oh, sorry...

The old Travelall is a great traditional parking meter elimination device.
These new smart meters however can be knocked over much more easily. And...if one slams them moderately hard they have been known to dispense some quarters too!
As for Novic, he is a loudmouth who yells first and may think about what he said afterwards: a loose cannon and arrogant to boot!
Poor sad Portland...nothing left.

God save us from these people.

He's already talking about issues far beyond the city's purview before his butt even touches a seat in City Hall.

Portland needs many many fewer "wunderkinds brimming with ideas" and just a handleful of people who are capable of getting streets paved.

In Portland, the bare minimum in city services is now out of reach, but borrowing tens of millions for every whiz-bang vanity project is a given.

I emailed him some time ago asking his position on a city income tax. No surprise: I never got a reply. Why should he reply when he doesn't need my vote? I just read that Oregon is now number 42 on the list of business friendly states in Chief Executive magazine. If we keep electing people like Novick, which we will, there really is no hope for economic vibrancy in this city or state.

I suppose the why doesn't matter, but do you suppose Mr. Novick has been compensating?

Yes, he's smart. But wisdom (particularly political) does not depend on pure brain power.

Sometimes humility and experience is also a path to effectiveness.

As long as Steve Novick has been around Oregon politics, this will be his first elective office.

May experience be a temper to his ego. We'll see what happens.

Mark White is a Randy Leonard protege, is he not? We are voting for Scott McAlpine.

Wow, nope, you're 180 degrees off on that. Mark White is NO fan of RL. In fact, one of his major concerns is what has happened in the Water Bureau under RL's watch.

http://www.markforportland.org/

Novick would be perfect as the captain of the secret police. That would be right up his alley.

LL, if you believe that about Randy-Mark, I have a bridge to sell you!

I am intimately acquainted with his relationship to the Water issue and he is absolutely no friend of the Water Watch efforts. In fact, he lobbied against the efforts of the Mill Park N.A Assoc Chairperson's efforts to bring attention to this problem, using his position as a member of the Editorial Board of the EPNO Newsletter to quash (successfully) the publication of information from both the chair and Scott F about the water problem and it's seriousness, and why? Ostensibly because that issue of the newsletter featured Randy!

As if he and his ego will listen, this guy Novick is asking the voters to send him some big ideas on his web site. So why not just flood the site with some such as: establishing a senior water and sewer discount for homeowners; or freezing property taxes for low income seniors like Washington State does; or saving the taxpayers money by eliminating the million dollars per line per year to run Sammyboy’s toy streetcar trains; or add bicycling fees when bicycle infrastructure removes commodity street parking that motorists already pay for with gas taxes; or that the CRC be paid for by only the light rail users; or adding parking meters for bikes; or creating higher system development charges for high density bunkers; or reducing small business taxes and fees; or bringing back choice and those often re-used single use plastic bags; or bringing back weekly garbage service and reducing the cost and garbage truck traffic; or scrapping the bicycle master plan; or scrapping the streetcar plan; or eliminating vetting for seats at the table on citizen advisory committees; or not just hiring cronies and yes people as staff; or just about anything else that is upsetting , costly, wrong, a misaligned priority or corrupt with the current jerk administration or city council; etc, etc, etc.

Interesting, Starbuck. Obstensibly? So that's your assumption?

I can't speak to those exact issues you raised, I can just speak to what my experience has been working with him on a few things over the past few years.

He's consistently remarked about the misappropriation of funds within the water bureau and the rising rates; the installment of unqualified "friends and family" in key positions; and the heads-up that Novick got from RL in the race.