Too far gone
A wise reader and former Portlander who shall remain nameless writes:
It’s been amazing seeing how Denver works — I live there now — compared to Portland. If you call, the police come quickly. The new mayor promised to enforce the camping ban and move 1,000 homeless folks off the streets in his first year. He succeeded and the cleanup has been miraculous. They plow all the streets when it snows. There’s no Arts Tax. In fact, voters lowered the state income tax by 0.5% last year. It’s a joint city-county. I could go on…
In a way it makes me sad for Portland, because I think it’s probably too far gone to turn around. Just look at how Gonzalez is being treated for trying to help people get off the streets.
When Portland first started skidding, I thought, "This is going to take 10 years to turn around." But let's be honest, it's probably more like 50. It's past time to bail.
Political Portland’s cure to it’s problems, is an endless supply of bandages
ReplyDeleteBecause the trajectory is worsening few adults living now will see a recovery of Portland in their lifetime. There's simply too much entrenchment of & momentum for the status quo mindset. Essentially everyone involved at every level can't and/or won't acknowledge or admit to any change of course needed.
ReplyDeleteThe State, Portland and Mult Co may have the worst people, governance & policies in the country ever.
Making matters worse is how the wealthy & elite are so well insulated from the degradation.
“ The State, Portland and Mult Co may have the worst people, governance & policies in the country ever.”
DeleteAnd it was not ever thus.
In Portland, the cure is the disease.
ReplyDeleteJeez, Jack. Lighten up.
ReplyDeleteA couple more dollars and a bit of time and we'll be ok.
Honest.
Can we blame this on Republicans?
ReplyDeletePortland media and Democrat voters will ALWAYS attribute the city's undeniable decline (and downtown Portland's graffiti-scarred, crime-infested, drug-ridden decreptitude) to Republicans, systemic racism, Amazon, white supremacy, Covid, Donald Trump, and capitalism. The "progressives" will NEVER admit they RUINED downtown Portland, with their BLM/Antifa riots, looting, courthouse sieges, drugs, vandalism, and Mike Schmidt's refusal to prosecute thieves, junkies, Antifa rioters, BLM hoodlums, and dope-dealing gang-bangers.
DeletePortland condones BLM/Antifa. So, it has to blame white republican capitalism
DeleteThose who can leave, will leave. That has been happening for several years.
ReplyDeleteOther locales have figured out how to have better cities and states, and are growing.
Just what exactly are Oregonisns getting for their above average tax dollars and higher cost of living? They're getting the refejects from other cities and states, making matters worse.
Those who can leave, have left with their dollars. In the oft chance they still have some ties to Oregon, they can always visit for less cost than actually living there.
Leave if you can, unless you have some magic to fix things.
Re: camping ban enforcement; isn't that one on the 9th Circuit? Denver is in a different appellate circuit, so a decision in the 9th doesn't apply, no?
ReplyDeleteI'm all for putting the blame on the downtown "puzzle palace" where it's due, but that one seems like it's laying at the feet of the Article-III courts.