Tucson finds skeleton or two in Miller's closet
This is wild: Portland "transportation" bureau director Tom Miller was planning to jump ship and take a similar (but lower paying) job in Tucson, but according to the O, he flunked the background check. Wonder what that is all about. Was it the Brad Malsin beach cottage incident? The Mark Edlen string-pulling incident? Something else?
Congratulations to Tucson for having higher standards than Sam Rand Portland, although to be honest, that isn't too difficult.
The story was on the bikey grapevine more than a month ago, but the O is just running the background check angle today. Wonder what that is all about.
Miller's current job is presumably toast following the mayoral election in November. Thirty-nine years old, he is the former head of the mayor's office staff and an inactive member of the Oregon State Bar. A resident of Portland since 1998, he has been the city "transportation" director for about 15 months.
| Posted at 2:21 PM | Permalink |
|
Comments (12)
Parking meter indictments?
Posted by Dave J. | August 14, 2012 2:27 PM
That would be singular.
Posted by Jack Bog | August 14, 2012 2:30 PM
Maybe some deep pockets in Arizona said "Portland? Bikes? Anti-car? No way".
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | August 14, 2012 3:36 PM
Maybe what we call "business as usual" around here actually looks like conflicts of interest and unethical behavior elsewhere. Imagine that.
Posted by Snards | August 14, 2012 4:07 PM
The comments bring up some other very interesting issues, Jack, that might be of interest. Incidentally, the hint that your and other coverage may have been a factor. In particular, take note that CoP employees hired after July 1, 2011 and fired without cause automatically qualify for six months to one year of severance pay. Considering that (a) even most government jobs may only offer three months' severance, and (b) there's going to be quite the sweeping of Sam Rand patronage when the new creep moves in, how much is Portland going to have to pay for all of the video design dolts when they're back to being completely unemployable?
Posted by Texas Triffid Ranch | August 14, 2012 4:42 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLiLSRKms30
Posted by Mojo | August 14, 2012 4:47 PM
In reality, Miller had no qualifications to become the Portland Bureau of Transportation Director. He was just another overpaid crony - a yes person who preached the bicycle/streetcar agenda to PBOT for Sammyboy.
Posted by TR | August 14, 2012 5:04 PM
Tucson is in the early stage of building a short streetcar line. Portland officials including Miller were deeply involved in lobbying to convince Tucson of it's merits. Homer and his minions participated, along with Charlie Hales and his company.
Tucson is now realizing that many benefit claims of streetcar projects are false. That it is more the upzoning, TOD's, and other subsidies that created development. Miller as Sam's chief and now the PBOT director is part of the misconception foisted onto Tucson. Our mainline media doesn't paint this picture but I'm sure Tucson officials checked out other sources and questioned Miller's inability to see Tucson's transportation needs.
They have over 200 miles more of bike trails than Portland=a better bike city than Portland. They have much better streets.They believe in freeways and boulevards and left and right turn lanes. And density as Portland practices it isn't wanted in Tucson. But then all of Miller's misconducts certainly added to it, maybe even precedes Miller's policies not matching Tucson's.
Posted by Lee | August 14, 2012 9:47 PM
We shipped our solid waste to Washington and got Charlie Hales in return.
Maybe if we ship our political dregs to Arizona they'll send us an MLB or NFL team in return.
Posted by Jennifer | August 14, 2012 11:36 PM
Portland politicians sold Tucson on the streetcar concept imcluding seven streetcars manufactured by United Streetcar in Clackamas County.
Posted by reader | August 15, 2012 5:17 AM
But don't streetcars and light rail "spur development"? Um...apparently not:
http://urbanreviewstl.com/2012/08/no-matter-the-implementation-light-rail-doesnt-spur-development/
Posted by Max | August 15, 2012 11:45 AM
Maybe the newest charges against CoP's parking meter guru McCoy recently filed was Tucson's reasoning. It implicates Sam and Miller directly. And it may prove to be why Sam is leaving the mayors office and Miller is shifting in the wind. Miller's bribe of using Beam's coastal home, even though less than McCoy's in monetary value, is still a bribe. Will Miller be charged?
Posted by Lee | August 15, 2012 9:25 PM