A plan has to have financial backing. What's needed is for enough other supporting businesses to pony up the dough.

Mr. O'Connor has a scribbled petition http://efiles.portlandoregon.gov/Record/75…. Are the people who signed it the owners of the businesses and are they committing money? Who were the two businesses opposing?

Because this has been a conflict between business owners, neighbors, vendors/performers, and city government for over five years, the very first step is getting these stakeholders to agree on a plan.

The people who signed my petition style endorsement form were business owners or authorized representative that had permission from the owner. It's just a way of demonstrating publicly that these people agree on our next steps.

No one would rightfully commit money until we have political stability, which would mean we are all in agreement with the strategic plan. Having a board of directors made up of leaders in the community and entertainers, will also build trust for financial commitments.

Last Thursday is one largest events in this city, so we will get plenty of commercial interest that will want to take advantage of this opportunity, but we will have to balance it with our creative integrity.

I'd rather not call out the two businesses that objected. They could not tell me what problem they had with it, so I can't make any adjustments for them until they can point out what they want fixed.

All in all, this really isn't that complicated and it should be a lot of fun.

They signed his paper - will they sign a check paying for the event?

HA. There are so many things wrong with this guy. 1. He's from Beaverton - really, what's his business having anything to do with LT. 2. There are nearly 200 businesses on Alberta Street so getting 56 signatures is hardly a ringing endorsement. 3. As an employee at one of said businesses that signed I personally know that we and many of our neighbors signed the petition to just make him go away. While persistence is often an admirable trait - that is definitely not the case here. He interrupted business and was irritatingly pushy. We realized if we signed his clipboard he would stop coming in and it worked. Reading the headline of this article made me hopeful that Michael O'Connor was letting go, sadly I was disappointed. So no, we're definitely not giving this guy any money.

Let's see if the community doesn't come out and shut the street down May and September by just showing up in numbers! What ever will the city/mayor do then? Riot gear?

What will the City/Mayor do when the mass Community show up May/September and shut the street down? Riot Gear? Tear Gas? = Art

I've lived on alberta for 5 years. I hate last Thursday with a passion

The businesses on Alberta, including bars and restaurants which see much, much higher sales Last Thursday have been extremely resistant to paying for anything. Binks is an exception and supporters of the one day Alberta Street Fair listed at http://albertamainst.org/who-we-are/suppor… are others.

Note the amounts and who is absent. And as Mercutio notes, the neighborhood association would just as soon shut it down after benefiting from gentrification. So where is the plan for the neighborhood association? They are more than a namby pamby stakeholder, they hold the veto.

We have had at least one organizer who thought they could make a living herding the Last Thursday, TT who quickly quit. Art on Alberta https://artonalberta.wordpress.com/ stayed far away from the Last Thursday s*it show for lack of business support, ultimately disbanding.

Personally I believe the City should shut it down.

In a way, they are doing it by small cuts - reducing hours and months. They could also reduce blocks to 27th for the bus. Or they could do it cold turkey. Then if the businesses believe it is in their interest to revive it, they will come up with the funds. The City has a good idea of the economic health of the businesses on the street through the business income tax, and those benefiting, bars and restaurants with OLCC licenses, are easy to see by the lines out their doors on Last Thursday.

So have to agree with Stover on this.

The "petition" is being brought to businesses to sign during peak hours when employees are busy and also is being signed because of the annoyance of someone looming over the employee that they sign it to make him go away. Not to mention, he has never been apart of the community and has NO IDEA what it's like for residents and business owners OR the expanse of which the chaos spills over to (surrounding streets). WHY IS HE BRINGING IT TO FUCKING BEAVERTON WHERE IT BELONGS?!?
Leave us alone.

Correction: Why isn't he bringing it to Beaverton where it belongs?
Also, there needs to be a vote between businesses. Not a petition.