This Week in the Mercury
Monday, August 23, 2010
News David Bragdon: The Exit Interview
Posted by Sarah Mirk on Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 12:42 PM
I don't have a TV so I missed KGW's interview with exiting Metro President David Bragdon this weekend, but I just watched it online now and it includes some priceless parting shots.
KGW asked Bragdon exactly what he meant in his quotes from my story about Portland suffering from complacency and a "paralysis of analysis." Here's his response:
We have not been creating jobs in the core area of portland for a long time, the vacancy rates for offices and retail is alarmingly high... some of these fundamental indicators for our city and our state are heading the wrong way. And I think that's often masked by things that I consider to be more superficial. You know, like the fact that we have great food carts. Well, that's terrific, but a lot of third-world countries have great food carts, too, it's an indication that people can't afford restaurants.THANK YOU for hitting that home. In the media coverage of Portland ranking as the best city for street food in the world, the popularity of Portland's cheap food was portrayed as part of the, you know, funky bohemian appeal of Portland rather than an indication of its massive unemployment.
Toward the end of the interview, Bragdon also says the leaders of the Columbia River Crossing project should be fired. This is nothing too new, but I don't think Bragdon's ever said before that the CRC leaders should be straight up replaced. From the show:
The project management team needs to be replaced. They have failed. This has been managed unilaterally by the two state freeway divisions. The expert panel of engineers and bridge people from around the country have pointed out that the finance plan does not add up and that the environmental work is very shoddy and is going to take another year. The two highway divisions have bungled this incredibly important job. There needs to be a project manager who can make decisions but do it in an inclusive and trustworthy way.
Full (21 minute!) video below the cut.
1
He can speak the truth on the way out the door, I guess.
The problem with Portlanders getting worked up over unemployment and low wages is that to reverse it you have to take businesses and their concerns seriously.
I mean, here you are lamenting the city's poor employment picture, but how many times have you vilified the Portland Business Alliance when they're trying to lobby for things that would help businesses? Can't have it both ways.
The problem with Portlanders getting worked up over unemployment and low wages is that to reverse it you have to take businesses and their concerns seriously.
I mean, here you are lamenting the city's poor employment picture, but how many times have you vilified the Portland Business Alliance when they're trying to lobby for things that would help businesses? Can't have it both ways.
2
Blabby:
What have they lobbied for that would help business? Things that are constitutional, I mean?
What have they lobbied for that would help business? Things that are constitutional, I mean?
3
They lobby all the time. I don't know all their issues. They support the CRC for one, as they are concerned with freight mobility. They were against Measures 66 and 67. They have been working to clean up downtown and keep it safe for a long time.
I'm just saying that much of Portland (and I think that the Mercury takes this tone) is basically suspicious of business, but then laments the lack of "real jobs." Where do you think jobs come from?
I'm just saying that much of Portland (and I think that the Mercury takes this tone) is basically suspicious of business, but then laments the lack of "real jobs." Where do you think jobs come from?
4
Aren't food carts creating jobs? Let's think about it. 260 carts open day in and day out withing downtown and the close in east side. 3-4 people per cart - hmmm 1000 jobs? What about the tertiary companies that support the growing food carts - cart builders and suppliers. Aren't those jobs? I understand these aren't high paying manufacturing or logging jobs of yore and that maybe decisions throughout the years have brought us high unemployment, but why dog on something that is actually working and creating tax revenue? Many people waited for "the system" to figure things out and create jobs for them. When that failed, they created their own jobs in the food cart industry. Is that wrong Mr Bragdon? Full disclosure, I advocate for the carts.
5
What Portland needs are jobs that fill downtown: information/service sector jobs.
The problem with that is service sector jobs rarely need downtown ($$$) office space (at any rate,) these days. You can rent out your conference space if you need it for clients. Your workers can telecommute with top of the line equipment and save tens of thousands on rent PER MONTH.
Pessimist here, but [overrated] carts aren't going to hold the city up, and there are fewer and fewer reasons for businesses to locate in the core of a city these days.
The problem with that is service sector jobs rarely need downtown ($$$) office space (at any rate,) these days. You can rent out your conference space if you need it for clients. Your workers can telecommute with top of the line equipment and save tens of thousands on rent PER MONTH.
Pessimist here, but [overrated] carts aren't going to hold the city up, and there are fewer and fewer reasons for businesses to locate in the core of a city these days.
6
@dieselboi - Food cart jobs must be minimum wage, right? And I expect tips would be a lot less than servers could expect in restaurants. People surviving on minimum wage don't create tax revenue.
I'd call out 260 new small business entrepreneurs as a great thing, but the actual jobs those businesses offer are pretty shitty.
And do they really create a supporting industry? An order of 260 food carts wouldn't make much of an 'industry,' and most of them are hand-made by the owners anyway.
I'd call out 260 new small business entrepreneurs as a great thing, but the actual jobs those businesses offer are pretty shitty.
And do they really create a supporting industry? An order of 260 food carts wouldn't make much of an 'industry,' and most of them are hand-made by the owners anyway.
7
Blabby:
See, this is what I mean. The CRC's current incarnation is going to hurt business by increasing congestion. Measure 66 and 67 preserve the public services that make a vibrant economy possible. The PBA is a cartel that advocates for itself. They are not advocates for "business" anymore, if they ever were.
Being pro-PBA is not necessarily pro-business, and vice versa.
See, this is what I mean. The CRC's current incarnation is going to hurt business by increasing congestion. Measure 66 and 67 preserve the public services that make a vibrant economy possible. The PBA is a cartel that advocates for itself. They are not advocates for "business" anymore, if they ever were.
Being pro-PBA is not necessarily pro-business, and vice versa.
8
Oh, so we just have to give businesses a good lecture about how they really DO like 66 & 67. And how they really DON'T like the CRC. I'm sure that will work. Once they see the infallability of your logic, and your shiny liberal arts degree, they'll realize they've been wrong all along.
9
I guess you're right Blabby. "Businesses" have done their research and they know what's good for us.
Shhhhh.... let businesses do their thing. Don't listen to the pointy heads and their silly silly liberal arts degrees.
Shhhhh.... let businesses do their thing. Don't listen to the pointy heads and their silly silly liberal arts degrees.
10
No AMA, businesses don't know what's good for us. They know what's good for THEM. And what's good for them creates more and better jobs.
Listen, all I'm saying is: Don't be dismissive and suspicious of business, and then ask why they aren't showering Portland with high paying jobs.
Do one or the other if you want, but don't do both.
Listen, all I'm saying is: Don't be dismissive and suspicious of business, and then ask why they aren't showering Portland with high paying jobs.
Do one or the other if you want, but don't do both.
11
Blabby, I'd recommend you go look up Plaid Pantry CEO Chris Girard and his statements about the CRC. He's a really smart guy who actually looks past the next fiscal quarter.
And I'm as pro-business as you get. I know many local business owners and I promote their goods and services any chance I get. I am absolutely suspicious of business lobbyists like those at the US Chamber, NFIB and even PBA, because they are often creating blanket legislation and policy that simply cuts taxes or provides a direct monetary return for specific businesses (those giving their organizations the most money) that do not actually spur investment/lending or create a "business-friendly environment."
And I'm as pro-business as you get. I know many local business owners and I promote their goods and services any chance I get. I am absolutely suspicious of business lobbyists like those at the US Chamber, NFIB and even PBA, because they are often creating blanket legislation and policy that simply cuts taxes or provides a direct monetary return for specific businesses (those giving their organizations the most money) that do not actually spur investment/lending or create a "business-friendly environment."
15
"No AMA, businesses don't know what's good for us. They know what's good for THEM."
They know what they THINK is best for them *right now*. They do not know what is best for them long-term. Big difference.
They know what they THINK is best for them *right now*. They do not know what is best for them long-term. Big difference.
16
"I don't think either of you know what you're talking about."
Ok. I'm bored with this argument too. Everything sucks. The end.
Ok. I'm bored with this argument too. Everything sucks. The end.
17
I'm with Blabby, and the comments taking him to task are indicative of why Portland continues to slog along in economic mediocrity. It's a great place to kick back and enjoy the night life and remain poor by choice. But when it's time to get serious, buy a home and maybe raise a family the vaunted "creative class" gets the heck out of here.
19
@Robert,
I can't seem to see how your comment is relevant or adds anything to this discussion. Yes, the twenty-something professional photographers waiting tables part-time are probably going to up and leave, and good riddance.
What you fail to provide is any indicator of how businesses grow in Portland or how we stop slogging "along in economic mediocrity."
Vague remarks of "business rocks!" and "hippies are lazy!" don't do much for economic development, sadly.
I can't seem to see how your comment is relevant or adds anything to this discussion. Yes, the twenty-something professional photographers waiting tables part-time are probably going to up and leave, and good riddance.
What you fail to provide is any indicator of how businesses grow in Portland or how we stop slogging "along in economic mediocrity."
Vague remarks of "business rocks!" and "hippies are lazy!" don't do much for economic development, sadly.
20
We are a small city with a port that is to difficult to get to, no major research university, and one fortune 500 company that hasn't been bought out by a major multi-national.
We have real structural impediments to making Portland an economic powerhouse. We have tried to counteract these by making quality-of-life a selling point. That has worked somewhat, but it's not a perfect solution. Especially since real economic powerhouses can out-compete us on that front too.
This isn't about culture, or hipsters, or "anti-business." It's about a combination of economic, historical, and geographic factors combining to make Portland an "almost" powerhouse.
The question then is how do we make it into a real powerhouse, instead of an almost? - with another equally important question about what we lose in the process, and whether it's worth it at all.
"Pro-business" doesn't work in places that don't have the contributing factors right, and "anti-business" doesn't matter in places that do.
It's just a straight up false argument. One that belongs in the comments at Oregonlive.
We have real structural impediments to making Portland an economic powerhouse. We have tried to counteract these by making quality-of-life a selling point. That has worked somewhat, but it's not a perfect solution. Especially since real economic powerhouses can out-compete us on that front too.
This isn't about culture, or hipsters, or "anti-business." It's about a combination of economic, historical, and geographic factors combining to make Portland an "almost" powerhouse.
The question then is how do we make it into a real powerhouse, instead of an almost? - with another equally important question about what we lose in the process, and whether it's worth it at all.
"Pro-business" doesn't work in places that don't have the contributing factors right, and "anti-business" doesn't matter in places that do.
It's just a straight up false argument. One that belongs in the comments at Oregonlive.
21
"We are a small city with a port that is to difficult to get to, no major research university, and one fortune 500 company that hasn't been bought out by a major multi-national."
Portland has three major freeways, an international airport, and is barely above sea level?
OHSU is a massive research hospital/university.
Nike and arguably Intel. Intel's largest campus is in Hillsboro/aloha Oregon, period.
But yeah, I feel we need a very large push for education. You don't have successful cities without large educational institutions.
Portland has three major freeways, an international airport, and is barely above sea level?
OHSU is a massive research hospital/university.
Nike and arguably Intel. Intel's largest campus is in Hillsboro/aloha Oregon, period.
But yeah, I feel we need a very large push for education. You don't have successful cities without large educational institutions.
22
David keeps jumping on my bandwagon!
Last year I told City Council that the head of ODOT needs to be fired if we are to get an ECONOMIC AND FUNCTIONAL Sellwood bridge.
Ditto for WASHDOT and the CRC.
But I agreed with (and emended) his proposal to name SE Division for Gertrude Stein.
Last year I told City Council that the head of ODOT needs to be fired if we are to get an ECONOMIC AND FUNCTIONAL Sellwood bridge.
Ditto for WASHDOT and the CRC.
But I agreed with (and emended) his proposal to name SE Division for Gertrude Stein.
Most Commented on Blogtown, PDX
-
Mandatory French Fries on Sandwiches: CONDEMN OR ALLOW? by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey
-
Black Bloc Trashes Belmont; Cops Make Arrests by Nathan Gilles
-
TriMet Budget Cuts Rundown: Fare Increase, MAX Cuts, Killing Free Rail, Oh My! by Sarah Mirk
-
The Simmering Battle Between Occupy and the Black Bloc by Denis C. Theriault
-
Woman Arrested in Last Night's Police Brutality March: "I Was Outside My House" by Denis C. Theriault
-
Let's Play the Game of
LoveThrones by Erik Henriksen -
Proactive Cops Worry About "Tone" of Anti-Police-Brutality March by Denis C. Theriault
-
CAT BREADING UPDATE: Which Mercury Employee Succumbed to the Pressure? by Bobby Roberts
-
Should All of Buckman Declare Itself Historic? by Sarah Mirk
-
Tonight! KATU Wants Everyone to Be Afraid of Marauding Crazy People! by Denis C. Theriault
Our Friends
- UrbanHonking
- Culture Shock
- Portland Roundball Society
- Steph Cassano
- Cort and Fatboy
- Street Roots
- Powell's Books Blog
- Portland Transport
- Portland Afoot
- Bike Portland
- Eater: PDX
- Portland Food and Drink
- Mr. Movie
- Sunday Softball
- BlueOregon
- Sightline Institute
- Ultra: Arts Portland
- Bitch Magazine
- Blazer's Edge
- Reading Local: Portland
- Portland Food Carts
- Stumptown Vegans
Our Enemies
The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.
Bands Page
Housing
Jobs
Musicians
For Sale
Wheels
Services
Health
The Arts
Friends 'N' Neighbors
Bulletin Board
Personals
Adult
About Portland Mercury
RSSGoing to Seattle?
Comments (22) RSS