The “Vision” – does anyone care?

I’m struck by the absence of comments on my “Built Portland” post yesterday. That’s not especially unusual here, but even on Jack Bog’s blog, the comments on his post which initially alerted me to the VisionPDX survey aren’t many or particularly vehement.

Obviously, there are some people who care about Mayor Potter’s VisionPDX project. There are many diligent volunteers who have donated thousands of hours to the project, including 24 stalwarts who read through all the comments on the open-ended questions and tried to summarize them in the current Vision proposals. As with the Charter Review Commission, their work and dedication should not be minimized. But as with that group of volunteers, putting in lots of hours doesn’t necessarily mean that what is proposed is the way Portland should go.

Some people have been/are being paid to care – according to this week’s Tuesday Tribune article, $1.5 million will have been spent when the current phase is completed. That’s about $115 per opinion for the 13,000 people who’ve participated so far, so even if a lot more citizens participate in the current “Vision Month”, it’s likely to cost around $100 per engagement. A statistically sound opinion poll, encouraging engagement through the Neighborhood Association system (ours was never specifically asked to respond, to my knowledge – certainly no speaker came to present to us), and/or using the Auditor’s annual citizen satisfaction survey, would have gathered information at far less cost. While it’s true the process has engaged citizens who haven’t previously voiced their opinions, I’m guessing filling out a survey form and being put on the project’s mailing list hasn’t exactly changed lives for most of the 13,000 – or even encouraged their further participation in more here-and-now ways.

Regardless, my site statistics show dramatically fewer visits yesterday – fewer even than Tuesday’s self-indulgent Silver Anniversary posts. I don’t want to spend my time and energy reviewing something hardly anyone cares about – especially when I don’t find it particularly compelling myself. I think the premise of this project, to define a Vision, was useful only in encouraging outreach to people not previously connected to City issues. And even then, I’ve found most people are far more willing to carve time out of their busy lives to participate in something that actually matters to them – fighting bad development, working in parks or to buy them, that kind of thing.

I’m torn. If the Council chooses to do something – anything – with the Vision in whatever form it ends up, it will be important. If it’s adopted as a component of a Strategic Plan, for example. But if it’s accepted and put on a shelf, as policy documents (and even important research with specific recommendations for action) often are, then the fact that even fewer Portlanders are engaged in it than voted to change the Charter doesn’t matter.

Is it worth my time looking at other sections of the proposed Vision and posting comments here? Do you want to know even what it is you don’t care about?

I’d appreciate a little feedback, either here or via e-mail. Did you find the post on the proposed Vision for Built Portland at all interesting? Is it worth your time to read more information on other sections of the proposed Vision, if I decide it’s worth mine to write about them?

I have a review of one other section drafted, which I may as well post later today since I spent the time on it already. Beyond that, further information on the Vision process here will depend on what readers want.