I'm voting for Saltzman. I've seen him over the years and with things in this city the way they are now I wouldn't trust the keys to a 16 year old driver. I think Cornett will be an excellent candidate in a few years but now isn't the time.

Saltzman provided the key vote providing untenable inducements to bring MLS to Portland. That alone should be enough to vote hime out. I don't live in Portland and don't vote, but if those inducements cause one penny to be siphoned off the state General Fund, I will be extremely angry and vote accordingly where I can.

Is there a way of back linking to the discussion already up on this? Steve Marx and I would have to repeat a number of exchanges to comment on this (which, personally, I don't intend to do).

My bottom line was I cajoled a friend in SE into supporting Jesse and giving $5, but today I think the only hope of someone getting real, from that field, would be Ed Garren. Jesse and Dan only seem different in terms of where they are in their careers. Jesse looks like a early Dan, and the fear is that Jesse would act like the current Dan, when he got to that point. Way back, T.A. made a very interesting point. Something like, "I like Jesse's people; they know how to win". That's the Saltzman element in Cornett that a lot of us don't like. It's just like Sam and Vera. Engrained cronyism.

You don't end up being in developers' pockets necessarily because you lacked ideals, but because you thought that cronyism was an acceptable means to the end, and that kills integrity over time. Slowly and almost imperceptibly, but it kills it dead every time. The concern with Jesse is whether or not that systemic rot is already doing its work, buried deep in his gut.

Alisa in Tillamook (hope the new system has .sigs!)

"Saltzman, on the other hand, boasts an 11-year record of accomplishment. As commissioner in charge of the Portland Police Bureau, he's also been a lightning rod for criticism"

11 years of what - T paraphrase Reagan are we realy better off than we were 11 years ago (developers can pease put down their hands)?

Saltzman (shrugging his shoulders) a lightning rod - LMFAO.

"Mary Volm is kinda unhinged IMO" and a COP employee to boot jsut liek TJ!

but if those inducements cause one penny to be siphoned off the state General Fund

Well first of all it would be the city's general fund not the state. Second the general fund is protected. He provided the third vote on the best major stadium deal in the country. Paulson guaranteed to pay the money back even if the league collapses. I realize the name is a lightning rod but in all seriousness it's the best major stadium deal in the country.

Garrett, I could agree with you if you achange it to, "The best publically financed stadium deal in the country." the deal is neither a "major" stadium, not is it privately financed.

It is, however a stadium for a privately owned mid-major sports franchise.

Kurt,

It is a publically owned stadium that needs a tenant. AAA baseball alone has been a failure there countless times because it doesn't generate enough revenue to support a team long term. Obviously it's an old fight that doesn't need to be brought up again but the PGE deal is nothing anyone should be angry someone voted for. It guaranteed a tenant and lease payments for years and if it had been voted down the Beavers would likely be moving to one of the many towns with empty AAA stadiums and the Timbers wouldn't exist. If it was a publically funded stadium deal I imagine Merritt Paulson would like his $19.1 million in cash he plopped down to remodel the stadium he doesn't own up front back. The other 11.9 million will come from the spectator facility fund that is there to spend on the cities spectator facilities...you know...like PGE Park.

Garrett, we can agree on your picture of the situation. Many, including me just do not support publically financed stadiums for sports teams.

Kurt,

That's fine I can accept that. I am just trying to point out that I think the criticism Saltzman gets for the police issues is valid but the criticism for the PGE deal isn't. Cornett is shrewdly using the misinformation that was spread around over the course of a year to his advantage. Cornett is smart and I suspect that privately he knows how good of a deal this was.

"the PGE deal is nothing anyone should be angry someone voted for."

Puh-leeze, Vera got sold a bill of goods by two amateurs to the tune of $35M and we end up paying for it. So now the only solution is to throw another $12M at it, ecept now we have one less tenant?

You need to get something in your life besides minor league soccer.

"Second the general fund is protected."

Another lie for conveniencxe sake. We got told that baout the $35M and guess where it is getting paid out of now. When Paulson leaves, then we'll be stuck for this $12M out of the general fund.

God, I dread how much they'll have to raise water rates to pay for this.

Some people have been reading the Bogdanski haterade I see. Paulson didn't enter into the agreement with the city in 2000. The original remodel of PGE was mostly for structural purposes so it wouldn't collapse in an earthquake. The city needs a tenant for a city owned stadium. I suppose in 2000 they could have just given it back to Multnomah Athletic Club so they could fill it in and build some condos but I like having a stadium in the downtown area to go to for events. The city invests $11.9 million from the spectator facility fund to insure a tenant until 2033, the city of Portland gets another major league franchise, PSU gets a stadium they can play Division 1 football in when they move up as they have stated they want to. On the other hand they could have no tenant paying off those original bonds. Saltzman made a smart vote on this. It will be interesting to see how everyone feels in 2025 when the Rose Garden needs to be rebuilt and Paul Allen likely won't own the team.

"On the other hand they could have no tenant paying off those original bonds. Saltzman made a smart vote on this."

Uh, they don't have a tenant paying off the $35M now. As you acknowldeged Paulson isn't going to pay this either.

Give me a better solution to fixing a problem than thtrowing good money after bad.

-I like any candidate who realizes we need to stop shoveling $$ to developers to build condos noobdy wants to buy. -Someone who realizes a private hit squad targeting businesses is just a lawsuit waiting to happen.

-Someone who realizes city bureaus should stick to their mission and stop taking over other portfolios (e.g.water bureau)

-Someone who realizes taking taxpayer funds and putting them into a separate fund (spectator fund etc) to be used only for MLS-type deals simply starves other higher priority needs like roads

-someone who realizes what a f-up south waterfront was (what biotech jobs?) as well as the tram

I was disappointed in The Oregonian's op ed too. It is premature - it's over a month until the vote and Saltzman's "fix" of the police system was DOA last week. Both Jesse and Mary are still pumping out good ideas and getting out in front of people. And, someone said above, Kitch et al weren't able to muster much of an argument to vote for Saltzman. Basically her argument is, I'm disappointed in City Hall leadership, vote for them again.

Important to note two other recent and weird unsigned op eds, "Editorial endorsements not intended to tell people how to vote", and "People keep tiptoeing around the question of 'unleadership'". The first, just patronizing and silly, the second revealing the real fuel behind the anti-Sam vitriol - The Oregonian.

Someone else commented above the editorial board of The O, always pro-business, anti-union, and curiously pro-mental health, has gone flat in the past couple of months, perhaps effected by the loss of sage characters like Doug Bates and the entrance of non-intervenors like the new publisher.

Thanks Torridjoe for your vote of confidence. I am ready to serve if a meteor strikes the next neighborhood association meeting and wipes out the current prospective candidates.

"No "taxpayer" funds are being put anywhere, and basic services like roads are not what the spectator fund pays for."

OK, how are they paying for the $35M Vera already sank into PGE Park? The SFF isn't covering that and it sure isn't Paulson doing it.

Don't be a fool, you know Sam will lie about this like anything that is remotely related to the truth.

It's based on fees paid by TICKETED PATRONS FOR RQ EVENTS. No "taxpayer" funds are being put anywhere,

So basically it's a sales tax.My issue is why not put this $$ into to the general fund and let millionaires pay for their stadiums themselves or float a bond before the voters?

Life is far too short to correct all the misinformation here, but I'll play Sisyphus:

Question for Steve Marx: You're buying a home recently foreclosed on. Are you going to pick up the contract from the previous owner, or negotiate yourself a lower price and interest rate?

Paulson has assumed the terms of the 2000 PGE Park deal and brought the payments back up to schedule. I'll wait here while you go find me an example of someone else doing that.

TJ: Mary was employed for years by the city. Her job gave her significant public exposure, and working there gave her some insight as to how the sausage is made. Big deal? No, but not insignificant, either.

Garrett, Kari: You're both right, though Garrett is more right. The Big Sky Conference, in which Portland State plays, is Division 1. But Big Sky football teams play in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division 1-A.

"You're buying a home recently foreclosed on. Are you going to pick up the contract from the previous owner, or negotiate yourself a lower price and interest rate?"

Funny, all the lonely soccer guys were bragging how good a deal this soccer stadium was for Portland.

I'd use flashcards, but what I see is: - PDX is still stuck with $35M debt and no help from Paulson - We've spent another $15M on PGE Park for the 4th attempt at a soccer league in 25 years - We now have one less tenant (the Beavers) to contribute to the SFF

<h2>You should really look at the potholes and collapsing infrastruture before you tell us how great a deal this was for Portland.</h2>