LETTER: CLICK FOR A LARGE ONE.

The Portland Business Alliance has emailed all its members to tell them about the passing of the sit/lie ordinance in city council today. The email, whose subject line was “Good news from City Hall - Sidewalk Obstruction Ordinance adopted,” reads in part as follows:

“We are very pleased with the leadership shown by Mayor Tom Potter and the City Council on this important issue. These recommendations will significantly improve the livability of our Central City for everyone who lives, works, shops and visits there,” said Alliance Vice President Mike Kuykendall, who also serves as president of Portland Downtown Services, Inc. and co-chair of the SAFE Oversight Committee.

Kuykendall is reportedly in Alaska right now, but was clearly sufficiently confident of the ordinance passing to have prepared his comments in advance. Either that, or he cared enough to phone them in.

Alongside the ordinance, the PBA has committed itself to helping locate a permanent day access center for the homeless in downtown Portland. Its commitment in so-doing will now be closely scrutinized by homeless advocates. You can read more about the ordinance in this week’s issue, although the PBA has refused the Mercury’s repeated requests for comment on the issue.