Big money, big business…

…big trouble for ordinary people in Portland

Anna Griffin’s article on Charter reform in today’s Oregonian reports Scott Andrews, president of Melvin Mark Properties and a former chairman of the Portland Business Alliance, “expects Potter to have raised as much as $250,000 to spread his pro-change message.”

Our Mayor, reportedly pulling in a quarter of a million dollars from wealthy individuals in less than three months. Ordinary people must wonder what’s in it for those funders. Anna notes the unions are paying for much of the opposition campaign. But union money comes from thousands of workers, putting a few dollars per month into the union’s political action bank account. The opposition campaign funds aren’t coming from a few affluent people.

I believe those funding the Mayor’s campaign for more power for a single executive in Portland want to be able to push their agenda through just one decision-maker, rather than having to appeal to at least three of five. The powerful want to streamline power. I think some people in City Hall want the change because compromise and collaboration are difficult, especially for people whose careers have promoted them to being in charge and giving orders, expecting others to implement them without questioning. Early in his time on the Council, Randy Leonard talked about his frustration after years of leading firefighter crews, of having to call a committee before moving forward with initiatives. Over time, I think Commissioner Leonard has come to see that while there are some city problems where indeed, someone must make a decision and everyone else should fall in line, many projects in Portland aren’t like that. We citizens don’t touch our caps or curtsey when people in City Hall tell us what’s best for our neighborhoods; rather, we tend to tell politicians who try that approach where they can stick it – or why they are wrong, which is both more polite and more effective. Currently, we can tell five politicians what we want. They don’t always do it, but we have five chances to prove our case and find someone to carry our cause for us.

Under the proposed Charter, “increased efficiency” will mean decreased opportunities for citizens to know about and affect city plans, and only one point of access with real power. It will be more efficient for those whose agenda agrees with the Mayor’s; less, for those with other goals. If the Council had listened to citizens on the tram costs, THAT could have prevented the $57m price tag. Proponents of the Charter changes keep repeating “tram costs, tram costs”, as if saying it over and over makes the case for the proposed form of government. It doesn’t. Maybe the opponents should start saying “kittens and puppies” at every opportunity. “If you like kittens and puppies, vote against the Charter changes!” Makes just as much sense as those asserting, “The tram was too expensive, so vote to change the Charter!”

Mayor Potter was elected on a platform of giving neighbors more say in Portland City government. I have yet to hear from him or other proponents of the Charter changes, how the proposed new structure and Civil Service code would foster open government and increase citizen access to decision-makers. Everything I’ve read indicates they would do precisely the opposite. No wonder some power-brokers of the business community are funding the pro-change campaign so eagerly.