Blogtown, PDX

Friday, February 23, 2007

Politics “This Is NOT A Business Alliance Ballot Measure”

Posted by Scott Moore on Fri, Feb 23 at 12:29 AM

Those were the words of Bob Ball, the real estate developer who is one of the chairs of the new Citizens to Reform City Hall campaign, which is pushing to reform the city’s charter.

“I’m really happy [the Portland Business Alliance] supports this, but this is a citizen-led campaign,” Ball continued. “It’s going to be led by citizens who want to see these changes.”

The other six campaign chairs all served on the Charter Review Commission. (Its treasurer, though, is a staffer in Mayor Potter’s office who is on temporary leave. Yes, you read that right.)

Ball said he hadn’t even seen the internal poll that charter reform supporters commissioned a couple of weeks ago. The funding for that poll was raised by local businessman (and PBA board member) Sho Dozono and conducted by pollster Patricia McCaig. McCaig is now volunteering for the campaign, but she and her clients refuse to divulge the poll results. (You’d think if the results were in their favor, they would have been slipped to the Oregonian two weeks ago.)

Ball also mentioned that a priority would be building community support for the charter changes, using the term “grass roots.” In 2002, he led a “strong mayor” campaign that lost bad at the polls, largely because it was seen as something that was drafted by Ball and his lawyer, with no community involvement.

This effort, at least, has the existence of a citizen commission behind it, even if 99 percent of the population had no idea it existed.

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Comments

I'm already bored with the campaign. What will Potter do once it loses? Resign immediately? Or go on another "Vision Quest"? By my mark, there's only about 15 months until the next mayoral primary (holy crap). Given the pace he's gone so far, I wonder if he has time to do much more besides ribbon cutting.

Posted by Morgan | February 23, 2007 1:19 AM

Um, remember that campaign polls are generally not horserace polls. It's interesting to see who's winning now - but campaigns are looking for actionable data... what messages will move voters?

Why would they release that kind of strategic information?

(FYI, I'm not working on either side of this campaign; and haven't decided how I'll vote.)

Posted by Kari Chisholm | February 23, 2007 2:11 AM

Speculation, but judging by Potter's performance on THom Hartmann last week, I would guess that perhaps the poll said "mention the tram because people's brains seize up whenever they hear it mentioned".

Posted by b!X | February 23, 2007 2:13 AM

Developers and Big Business love a "strong mayor" system. They only have to buy lunch for one, rather than five.

If a certain former mayor had the kind of power this proposal gives, you'd be able to bike the Esplanade all the way to Astoria, the Pearl would cover Knob Hill and there'd be a major league ballpark capping the Mt. Tabor reservoirs.

Posted by Dave Lister | February 23, 2007 6:07 AM

An esplanade to Astoria sounds awesome...

Posted by Amy Jenniges | February 23, 2007 7:48 AM

Well said Dave Lister, well said.

And don't forget the subsidized sky bridges linking all large buildings downtown. This way the gentry won't have to meddle with the homeless masses on the sidewalks downtown.

Posted by L | February 23, 2007 8:31 AM

I believe we should replace the current government with a true "strong mayor" system - the person in Portland who can bench press the most is automatically given the mayorship. Elections will be replaced by feats of strength.

Posted by Morgan | February 23, 2007 8:31 PM

This is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign this is a citizen-led campaign!

Posted by PBA Talking Points | February 24, 2007 8:35 AM

It is a citizen-led campaign, by seven citizens who own businesses downtown and who receive $200,000 in funding from the PBA. The grass roots are blue.

Posted by Mark | February 24, 2007 11:12 AM

I've been looking but seem to be unable to locate any links that lead to the changes proposed themselves. I'd like to read them to compare to the previous charter. Anyone know where I could find that link? Or why http://www.portlandonline.com/ isn't available?

Posted by August | February 24, 2007 2:01 PM

Portlandonline is notorious for pooping the bed (when, oh when, will the city invest in post-1998 technology?), but you should be able to find what you're looking for here.

Posted by Scott Moore | February 24, 2007 6:00 PM

Seriously, this proposal is the worst idea for Portland that I've heard of in a long time. I hope that people take the time to recognize the major downtown land owners who are the real forces pushing for this.

The mayor is just a stooge, or, worse, a co-conspirator.

Posted by West Hill Billy | February 24, 2007 10:12 PM

Little Bobby Ball, despite his terrible track record in Knappa, Ore., thinks we are dumb enough to buy his dumbcunt bs in the big city.

Think again, ball-boy.

Posted by Jimbo Potter | February 25, 2007 1:13 AM

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