One thing I learned on Amand’s campaign that was when looking at the Portland City Council agenda.

Emergency ordinances only get one reading and become effective immediately.  When an item is on the consent agenda it is grouped in with all the items and voted as a block.  I have learned that commissioners rarely look at the consent agenda… unless they want to slip something through.

Take for example this emergency ordinance that will cost the city $35,000Now I like bicycling in Portland… but the way that Adams is getting money to fund a hand-built bike show (which I volunteered at last year) by placing an item on the consent agenda is troublesome at best.

Last month I was gathering signatures for the recall in front of city hall while AFSCME local 189 was holding a rally because the city cut  but budget an laid-off workers.  This is in conjunction with the Adams canceling the leaf depots because he said that Transportation could not afford the $100,000 to keep the depots open.  He even suggested a city wide surcharge on trash services.

It makes no sense to me that if the city is strapped for cash how we can afford to subsidize a show for hand-built bikes that have a starting cost of about $3000.

I am all for the city wanting to increase cycling, however I think that keeping leaves off the streets and fixing pot holes will increase cycling with in the city than anything else.  The Oregonian had a prime example of what I mean with this photo:

Photo by Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian

Categories: Bicycling, Portland politics
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