The annual soak

I'm pretty rusty when it comes to blogging. I've missed so many subjects over the past seven months, I hardly know where to start.

Let's ramp up slowly, with a subject that's tried and true, if a bit wonky. Our property tax bill got here the other day, and as usual, it's hideous. It's roughly 3¾ percent higher than last year, with a three-year compound growth rate of just over 3⅓ percent.

A couple of things are noteworthy in the part at the top, from Portland City Hall. The developer welfare scam known as "urban renewal," dying down in recent years, is reviving somewhat this year. And the city's scandalously unfunded police and fire pension system, which covers only the oldest of the retired uniformed officers, is growing like topsy. That money goes straight to current benefits: the bank accounts of those lovable, legendary, possum-throwing Portland cops of old. The bluecoat pension checks now suck up more than 30 cents out of every property tax dollar the city collects:

That is truly obscene. Complete and utter mismanagement. And bad for the city's credit.

Meanwhile, our ballot is here for the upcoming "special election," in which the city is telling us that a hefty increase to property taxes is needed just for basic maintenance of the parks. The electorate of Portland has never heard a tax pitch it didn't automatically love, and so we can expect another increase on next year's bill. It's "for the children," don't you know. And for "equity," of course.