1/Yet of course there is now an effort in Portland to repeat this "failed costly experiment." It would take 2% of the general fund budget- $16 million, & allow a small fraction of Portland residents to decide how to spend it!Hardly participatory or democratic! www.seattletimes.com/opinion/edit...

If Oliveira knew about the first $11 million in August, and told the mayor and city administrator in September-why wasn’t the full council apprised? When did Oliveira start working with only Avalos and Dunphy - and not the whole committee- on how to spend the $$? www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

1/PRESCHOOL FUND BALANCE NOW EXCEEDS $600,000,000!!!!! As I have been predicting since last year, the Preschool fund balance now exceeds $600 million per the FY 25 County Financial Report The fund balance increased by $125 million from FY 24's $485 million to nearly $610 million in FY 25…

On Veterans Day, I always say thanks to my dad and those who served their country in World War II.

Not moving in the right direction. Metro spokesman Nick Christensen says. “But for every 10 people that we move into permanent housing, 14 are becoming homeless in greater Portland.” www.wweek.com/news/2025/11...

“I love our parks, but this levy asks Portlanders to pay for inefficiencies the bureau hasn’t fixed,” Councilor Dan Ryan said Friday. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

A City Council first! Good work by @councilorclark.bsky.social, who arranged the session, saying "It’s really important that people understand how local government is funded if we’re going to pay for the programs that people want throughout the city.” www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

Portland rises- pretty cool! "As SNAP benefits are poised to cut off Saturday, Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown, some local businesses in the Portland area have already stepped up to help people who will temporarily lose their food assistance." www.wweek.com/food/2025/10...

Or if not accident (meaning someone started a fire in a storage shed), not targeting an elected official. That’s why it’s important for the mayor and others to wait for facts before making false assumptions.

Last week my team joined Governor Kotek and other leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new live music performance venue at Lloyd Center. This three-story, 68,000-square-foot venue will welcome up to 4,000 guests and create 17 full-time jobs — and it is fully financed with private dollars.

"Voters are being asked yet again to raise taxes to cover what is, at its core, a problem of poor fiscal management." www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025...

Last week I toured both of the Portland Farmers Market offerings downtown with Executive Director Katy Kolker and her staff. I learned a great deal about how local food is sourced, how the market operates, and how it supports access through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

youtu.be/IYJyEl4fXGI #portland #parks #fiscalresponsibility

#portland #frog #resistsnce youtu.be/bw5zxdSObso

“We found that Parks has not developed the plans necessary to fund critical services and amenities in the long term.” The parks bureau didn’t have a “long-term fiscal sustainability plan” that would have exposed “impending funding gaps before they became a crisis.” www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

“Portland’s Parks Bureau has no plan to pay for reasonable parks upkeep, even as the bulk of its assets continue to crumble and the agency remains without a long-term solution to cover day-to-day operations, the city’s elected watchdog said Wednesday.” www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

A smaller levy won't solve Parks' problems. But even with a 75% tax increase, Parks can't afford to offer any new services. The city needs an urgent conversation - one that leaders can't duck - abt operating costs, keeping pools open & making sure light poles in Irving Park don't fall on kids.

Lol! www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...

Columbia, Missouri next to the University campus.

The truth is out there somewhere!

Portland is a “war-ravaged” city that is “on fire,” President Trump warns. But I braved the artillery fire and militia checkpoints to bring you this video report from the front lines.

May have done the right thing but I must say- what about Clarence and Ginny Thomas? www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

Good move! www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

War torn Portland. Under siege!

“And as the city prepares to ask voters to authorize a jump in property taxes to fund parks, elected leaders need to prove to Portlanders that they can collaboratively pursue solutions other than just making residents pay more.” #portland #taxes www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025...

This week Jon Blumenauer gave me a tour of the new Pearl District showroom for The Joinery, which has sold furniture designed & built in Portland since 1982. An award-winning certified B Corp since 2010, The Joinery operates with a deep commitment to its employees, the environment, & the community.

Jon Stewart (2022): “When a society is under threat, comedians are the ones who get sent away first. It’s just a reminder to people that democracy is under threat. Authoritarians are the threat to comedy, to art, to music, to thought, to poetry, to progress.”

#freedomofspeech #1stamendment #censorship

Good to know, Stephen Miller!

Good news for Intel- and Portland! www.oregonlive.com/silicon-fore...

Meanwhile the council takes junkets to Vienna. www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

“Public money, by law, is supposed to be subject to public scrutiny. Private investment managers refuse to submit themselves to the public. They want to manage public money for hefty fees, but they don’t want to be subject to public scrutiny.” #FollowTheMoney www.wweek.com/news/state/2...

Great analysis on city council paralysis by @shanedkavanaugh.bsky.social www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

The Supreme Court is forging an America where weighing race can be used to harm minorities, but not to protect them.

Not to diminish what's said here - because it is insightful, correct, and important to understand right now - but if the USA devolves into sectarian violence over *this guy*? The dystopia will also be a brutal self-parody.

They can't even agree on what goes on a consent agenda? Don't opponents like Kanal know that any member (or even memeber of the public) can pull something off the consent agenda? www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

#epstein #coverup politicalwire.com/2025/09/10/y...

1/High in Alaska’s Brooks Range, streams that once ran so clear you could drink from them are now the color of rusty tea. The water looks hazy, smells metallic, and can stain rocks orange for miles. #climatechange #globalwarming #alaska #environment www.earth.com/news/alaskas...

Is there no qualified firm in Portland to oversee school construction if Portland Public Schools decides to outsource oversight of school construction projects in Portland? Does the school district believe an expert must be from at least 500 miles away? www.oregonlive.com/education/20...

The veil of secrecy is securely in place in the new city government. The promised open government and transparency are MIA! #followthemoney #orpol www.oregonlive.com/business/202...

Shoutout to @sophiegreenleaf.bsky.social for such a quick turnaround on breaking but not necessarily surprising and not very big news. (Like, I just got home from the GovCom meeting.) So, I'll break the other not very big news that there's no real news to break on Council committee restructuring.

So this is where we are with Trump's increasing madness right now.