Dr. Sharon explains it all to you
Soon-to-retire Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran has a blistering op-ed in the O about the farce that was the 90-day fentanyl "emergency" declaration n Portland. A "useless stunt," she correctly calls it.
And she lists some concrete steps that could still be taken to start getting somewhere, finally, on the tent camping and drug addiction crises. Will anybody listen? It's hard to be optimistic, but we can all read it, and dream, here.
“Useless stunt” is accurate. It’s criminal that the wishful thinkers proposed it. Shallow thinking in the drug problem has became a lazy habit.
ReplyDeleteGood for her but……consider a few of the latest initiatives, graffiti repair and the recently revised anti camping ordinance. Even when our local leaders bump into a common sense solution, their army of city managers and workers seem incapable of implementing said changes and performing their duties as employees. Any chance they understand they benefit from the now seemingly permanent “industrial complex” devoted to Portland’s collapse? Does a city, county or Metro employee ever lose their job? Feels like a business model…….more chaos occurs on the way to progressive utopia, then more taxation, more non profits emerge then more press conferences lead to nowhere……the cycle repeats endlessly.
ReplyDeleteJVP recall attempt. Gotta throw a whole bunch of money at it and give it a shot.
ReplyDeleteVery rational statement and good ideas to get started. How about making her the dope czar? I doubt the posers would do it as it would very quickly reveal the emperors have no clothes, or brains, or maybe souls.
ReplyDeleteThis wouldn't happen in a zillion years...it makes to much sense. Besides, JVP is glad to see her go.
DeleteAlso wondering if this lack of progress is more than just incompetence. We know who is producing the drugs or materials, but it seems like a blackout on asking how much influence are they pedaling with the massive profits? Creating shell companies and organizations is child's play. Historically, the richest families here and abroad made their vast fortunes selling drugs, guns, and sex and likely still do.
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ReplyDeleteIn other news, the state dropped their criminal investigation into OLCC after a good whitewash. Just can't seem to connect the dots so no charges. Looks like the bribery scheme to buy legislators was completely ignored as well, along with all of the OLCC employees that participated in it or knew of what was happening.
Meieran's suggestions are more of the same, throw more money and resources at the problem. It won't go away because it's the same premise as before, it's county's responsibility to provide.
ReplyDeleteStop feeding the birds. It's up to each individual to figure out how to follow the laws, whether it's housing or drug use. If you don't, your options are jail/forced treatment, turning your life around on your own/voluntary treatment, the morgue, or a bus ride. Stop giving away tents and narcan and all the rest, it's just enabling more of the same and attracts ever more junkies and bums. Make it unpleasant to be a junkie in Portland.
Amen. But Meieran comes as close to that as any Portland politician might dare to suggest.
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