Showing 1-114 of 114
Re: “People Have Problems with Big Jugs”
At least this is better than the horrible experiment with milk in bags that used to be around here in the seventies.
According to youtube, the Canadians are still using the milk in bags technology.
Re: “People Have Problems with Big Jugs”
At least this is better than the horrible experiment with milk in bags that used to be around here in the seventies.
According to youtube, the Canadians are still using the milk in bags technology.
Re: “Good Morning, News!”
She won four SAG awards!
Really. It's on her wiki page.
Re: “Beaverton Hooters: Closed”
"They have been given the option to move to positions at the Jantzen Beach Hooters location."
Does the Jantzen Beach location have no employees currently or would everyone just be on half shifts? Most likely that was said with a very corporate fake smile and "good luck with that" was left unsaid.
Re: “Anti-Columbia River Crossing Protest on the Waterfront”
Don't build a new bridge. Idling in a traffic jam that extends from Vantucky all the way into downtown Portland is so green.
Re: “A Tool (well, tool library) Against Gentrification”
You guys are so dumb. This makes perfect sense.
People need tools to damage their houses so that the neighborhood will become a less desirable location to move into.
Re: “Pizzazz Auditions: Just Around the Corner!”
Has WSH come out of the closet yet?
Re: “Pizzazz Auditions: Just Around the Corner!”
Has WSH come out of the closet yet?
Re: “What Do You Know...”
http://www.salemhistory.net/commerce/northwest_natural_gas.htm
"Changing its name to Portland Gas & Coke Company, it built its third and last gas manufacturing plant, Gasco, on the West Bank of the Willamette River in 1913. The new plant made gas from oil, not coal."
Apparently they dumped the waste from turning oil to gas in a pit on the site. It is still an uncleaned toxic waste site. From searching the web, it sounds like they were working on stopping the waste from moving into the river as recently as last year.
It's a cool monument to an old Oregon company, sitting on top of a pile of their own shit, waiting for a handout to cleanup their mess. It's the equivalent of a spent nuclear plant of a century before.
Re: “What Do You Know...”
That is a happy thought dumpy. By day it may be a home for wayward children, and from dusk till dawn it's vampires.
Re: “Timbers Today!”
If they estimate $75 million, you can count on the final price tag being at least twice that once roads, other infrastructure, and poor planning are accounted for.
The "leverage the "full faith and credit" of the City of Portland" hook means Portland, as the co-signer on this debt, pays this bill when the tenants leave or go out of business.
They are telling us that they will nearly sell out two stadiums every time they play a game, yet the existing park now is mostly empty for most games, and many of the filled seats are freebies. But if Portland spends $100 million or more on one guy's business idea, he might pay some of it back.
The track record indicates that we will be stuck with the entire bill after this thing doesn't succeed.
Re: “Suing For Your Right To Video Cops”
Good luck to the court challenge, but it looks like the law needs to be changed, as it bans any recording of conversations without the permission of those being recorded, unless the person doing the recording is a police officer. Any video recording of public events, including those by news organizations, which include sound, appear to be illegal under Oregon law.
It's too bad that this law is not enforced to protect the public, but to protect law enforcement personnel from oversight by the citizenry.
Re: “Doomsday on Wall Street”
Or the economy could really collapse and you could have currency with little actual merit.
Re: “Obama Effigy Hung From Tree In Newberg”
"We are not in Georgia, Mississippi or Louisiana,"
The Gulf coast actually has a few things going for it, like the French Quarter of New Orleans. Rural Oregon is more like a depressed North Carolina; more hopeless poor or near poor with a few small town big wheels, very church going, and very easy to hate anyone they see as different from themselves.
Re: “Businessweek On Alberta Gentrification”
An area became so run down and affordable that it rebounded. Oh the horror.
Re: “Businessweek On Alberta Gentrification”
If you really are a "PDX Native" then you would know that the area was rundown before the 80's, and redlining was banned long before that as well.
Re: “October Surprise?”
I thought the october surprise was the deployment of American ground troops inside America to use against Americans. That starts tomorrow, Oct 1.
Look for the article in ArmyTimes tittled "Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1."
Re: “Cops Still Parking In No Parking Zones”
I choose C) The officers on duty while these are not on duty respond to the call.
Re: “Cops' Citizen Review Committee Needs You”
They are looking for someone who either isn't aware of their own bias or has had some sort of brain damage rendering them unable to form an opinion.
Re: “Digging for Gold in Recession Era Trash”
That is the newsmedia definition D, not the criteria that the NBER uses.
Re: “Taser Creates New Crowd Control Weapon”
Nothing to worry about. The Third Infantry Division deployed in the US this month to "help people at home." I'm sure they could use something like this.
Re: “Good Morning, News!”
As we have learned from the recent past, having the majority of votes doesn't matter. Having a majority of the electoral college is what matters.
Re: “MLS2PDX plans see the light of day”
Since he's getting $2 million a year in tax subsidies now his company certainly should be doing well.
If you had read the PDF documents and checked on the small hints as to where his income is coming from to pay his bills, you'd find that of the $3 million a year Paulsen is "paying" for the stadium now $2 million dollars per year of his income is in the form of subsidies by Portland taxpayers.
His projected income figures are rosy best outcome scenario estimates.
If he's saying it will cost $75 million, sorry, last month's figure, he says it will cost $85 million to Portland, then the final cost will be at least twice that when you add in the additional costs for roads, replacing the park in Lents that is given up for this, and very poor planning which is always present in Portland projects.
That is just scratching the surface. The more you look at the numbers the worse it looks. Economically this is not viable at all. All Paulsen and his fans ask is that Portland accept the risk of paying for it if it doesn't work out - and continue to pay for it through tax subsidies if it does.
Re: “Wow, Dow.”
It's a natural process and inevitable given all the garbage economics going all the way back to Reagan. Now we have Shrub, who was Reaganomics on steroids. As he pulled the pin more than anyone else, I'm glad Bush was holding the grenade when it blew up. The market will find a bottom and then it will find it's true value. Next stop 7000. Best not to drag it out.
If we lost confidence in the value of our currency, now that would be very bad. Unfortunately, that appears to be inevitable.
Re: “Cops Say Video Release Is Unfair”
"Our system of justice depends on a careful and complete presentation of the evidence..."
Hence our current system of injustice.
On one hand we have low crime and liberal Portland, and on the other, a bunch of dumb rednecks for a police force looking for any excuse to kill someone, and a justice department willing to help them with that. Fire Sizer and the rest of the dirtbag cops. Portland deserves a competent and intelligent police force, and that is not what we have now.
Re: “Why the Hell Was Measure 61 This Tight?”
So far only 33% of Multnomah county has been counted, but most of red state rural Oregon is counted. If the trend in Portland continues then measure 61 did go down in flames, and Merkley beat Smith by a wide margin.
Re: “Cat Friday.”
A few more suggestions:
1) Track your cat: http://www.mr-lee-catcam.de/ct_index.htm (I can think of all kinds of other uses for this thing too.)
2) Apparently, your kitty is getting what it needs from someone else that he isn't getting enough of from you.
3) Cats cannot resist tuna. Train him that in the middle of the night, when you're getting a glass of water or something, also give him a little tuna. Make it routine and he will worship you.
4) He's just not that into you.
Re: “"Obama is a Gun Snatcher"”
"The Second Amendment is the only one capable of protecting any of the others. "
Really? A bunch of gun nuts are defending our rights through armed civilian uprising? This happened when?
Re: “"Obama is a Gun Snatcher"”
How about a reference from the last century or two. I know rights issues come up every day. Do you overthrow the government or just put a bullet in the person you think is guilty?
I had always thought our rights were defended by our legal system. If you say that civilians with guns are the only way to enforce our laws then I'll go right out and get a gun.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
You won't find the pro-MLS side in detail in any other forum either.
By the time this scam is played out the final bill to Portland is going to be at least twice what they are asking for now.
It is surprising how closely this deal matches how Dubya got his start ripping off taxpayers. Read the story "How George W. Bush Scored Big With the Texas Rangers":
http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/pearly/htmls/…
Portland will be funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into this scam to hopefully create a few jobs working concessions counters and doing janitorial work.
Meritt Paulson, his dad, and his buddy dubya are calling Portland sucker city these days. From all the shilling for them, it sounds like they are right.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
Garrett~
I've already been to games at PGE park, thanks to the many free tickets they hand out to inflate attendance. Strike one there.
So the concessions workers are volunteers? Those aren't paying jobs? That's quite the deal for any business owner looking for a free ride. Thanks for the under hand pitch. Strike two for not even creating the low paying jobs.
And you say that not a single dollar is coming from the general fund? Sure, because they are taking it directly from local taxpayers via taxes on hotels and rental cars. While Merritt Paulson claimed that he is paying off the existing PGE Park renovation bond himself, actually he falsely claimed that he had already payed it off, he actually receives $2 million dollars per year from Portland taxpayers to pay most of the $3 million dollar annual bond payment. His new plan states that he must continue to receive that same subsidy from Portland taxpayers. Strike three for the false claim that he pays his own bills without tax subsidies from Portlanders when the reality is that two thirds of his revenue is tax subsidies.
Oh, and my mother is dead. Go say hi to her yourself asshole.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
Steeplechase~
You know little or nothing about owning a business.
When your business moves into a building that you are renting or leasing, unless you want it exactly the way it is, you do pay for all the renovations.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
Really??~
That you would use the non-words "alot" and "dunno" says a lot about you.
You don't know what you are talking about. Sorry to be blunt about it, but you very clearly don't have any experience in this. You don't need to try and fake it, because it isn't working. It is obvious that you do not know what you are talking about.
Here is a quick idea of what to expect when you rent or lease office space: the basic structure is hopefully maintained by the owner of the building, and they pay for that, but everything extra is paid by the tenant. It has paint on the exterior, electrical service and it doesn't leak. It may have carpet, whatever the last guy put in, or not. It may have a ceiling treatment, again whatever was there before, or not. Same with the lights, walls, bathroom, lunchroom. The building owner did not pay for those things, he left what was built by the prior tenant. The owner of the building is not going to put $100K or even $1K into something that may be out of business tomorrow. Standard practice is that you get a volume of space, relatively clean, and you can do what you want with it.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
I'll continue to leave the half truths to you Garrett.
You're the one who keeps saying Paulson isn't getting money from the general fund, but leaving out that he's getting $2 million dollars a year in tax subsidies.
An additional tax subsidy trick Paulson has in the works which his "audit" lists as essential is the slimy trick of having the the team help pay for the stadium themselves - instead of paying taxes. That one was called SB5 in the legislature a few years ago when they tried to get a major league baseball team in town. It is being resurrected now. Instead of players and employees of the team paying taxes that money instead will go straight to Paulson. It works out the same as a straight ahead tax subsidy. Paulson gets more profit, the players and team employees get the use of all the services of the state of Oregon free of charge.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
Don't be a pest Finnegan~
"Your description of SB5 is utterly and simply wrong."
No
Here is the link to a description of that bill:
http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?opt…
"Financing Proposal Breakdown:
State Income Tax Revenue - $124-$150 million. All income taxes paid by baseball players and officials will be segregated and used to service $124 million in bonds. Oregon State, Senate Bill 5, which is passed into law allows for up $150 million to be collected toward the financing of a ballpark stadium in Portland, through construction bonds."
The audit on the MLS2PDX site references that funding, the NYTimes article references it, and the Talk Timbers message board linked in this Mercury post references it.
Regarding the hotel and rental car tax that you seem to be saying does not exist, don't want to take my word for it, refute the City of Portland by way of the Trib.
Here is the link and the quote:
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.…
"Part of the money generated from a local hotel and rental car tax generates about $2 million a year for the debt payments.
And the current owner of the Beavers and Timbers now is paying about $1.1 million a year to provide the rest of the money needed for debt payments, said David Logsdon, spectator facilities manager for the city of Portland."
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
Corny, you need to go back and read the thread.
My response was to statements by Finnegan and Really?? that no business owner in his right mind would spend X amount of his own money on infrastructure improvements on a structure that he does not own, which is false.
This year I was involved in a $14 million build out of one building in a business park. The building owner did not pay for those modifications.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
Garrett~
That's why I do fact checking. You should try it sometime.
Re: “MLS2PDX: going national”
The city does not own the old debt. Merritt Paulson owns the debt because he bought the company that owned the debt.
The players and employees of the team employed in Oregon should not pay state taxes because they would not be in Oregon in the first place if it were not for the renovated stadium? If that were a valid argument then everyone else working in Oregon would be using it.
To sum up, we are loaning him money to develop his business and then giving him money to pay us back.
Hopefully the public subsidy ends there.
Re: “MLS2PDX: Rollin' with the Heavies”
All paid with his own money?
If you can't make your case by telling the truth then your case isn't a good one.
Fact check:
Paulson has been paying back the old improvements with a $2.1 million per year subsidy he gets from the people of Portland.
The new deal going foreword is that he will pay the new debt back himself, with the $2.1 million from the people of Portland, plus another subsidy from the state of Oregon, plus another subsidy in the form of an urban renewal tax levied against those in the area around his stadium.
Merritt Paulson bought a government subsidy which incidentally has a sports franchise attached to it.
Re: “MLS2PDX: Rollin' with the Heavies”
I pointed out that taxpayers are paying for the stadium improvement, not Merritt Paulson as Mark Evans claims, and you say that is how it should be Finnegan. That isn't refuting my statement. That is stating your opinion.
Re: “MLS2PDX: Rollin' with the Heavies”
You have to have your head stuffed far up your denial to not be aware that Portland taxpayers are funding the stadium. If soccer succeeds or fails, the bill for the stadium is being paid by the taxpayers, not Merritt Paulson. It doesn't matter if Merritt Paulson's venture succeeds so that the debt will be paid, since he is not paying it. That money is coming from a variety of tax sources, and is slated to come from more sources if the stadiums are upgraded again. Only on the Mercury is the myth being spread that Merritt Paulson will be paying for this. Shame on the Mercury for doing such such bad reporting.
http://bojack.org/2008/09/what_is_paulson_…
http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandcityhal…
Check out the city study that states the funding source. The car and hotel rental tax they mention funnels the $2.1 million to pay for the upgrades.
Shame on the Mercury for being such asshats with the poor reporting on the financing for Merritt Paulson.
That's you Amy.
Re: “MLS2PDX: Rollin' with the Heavies”
Amy, you and the Mercury put up some puff PR drivel about how wonderful it is that Merritt Paulson is trying to bring a soccer franchise to Portland, and then turn the rest of the reporting over to Mark Evans and the Timber Army to fill in the fantasy about this being paid for without subsidies. Nowhere in any Mercury reporting is there any attempt to point out that this is complete BS, that soccer is in fact heavily subsidized now and this is a proposal for even more.
Merritt Paulson's proposal itself lists the subsidies needed, existing and additional subsidies, and city documents list the numerous subsidy sources, but there is no mention of that anywhere in the Mercury.
The truth is that if you add up the subsidy Portlanders are being asked to pony up the cost is incredible. If the new upgrades go through, just the PGE Park portion, adding the existing debt to the proposed debt, $28 million plus another $40 million at 6 percent interest, Portlanders and Oregonians will be paying a subsidy of $22.93 per person per game. That is based on most optimistic estimate by Merritt Paulson of selling out all 17,000 seats for all 15 games per season for every game for the next twenty years that he seems to be committing to. And that estimate is low as he or whoever the current owner is will certainly be back to the trough to ask for more in that time.
Re: “MLS2PDX: Rollin' with the Heavies”
Finnegan, Here is the answer to your assertion that paying for a facility to benefit a private enterprise is just like paying for street repairs:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw_man
A straw man argument is an informal fallacy based on misrepresentation of an opponent's position. To "set up a straw man," one describes a position that superficially resembles an opponent's actual view, yet is easier to refute. Then, one attributes that position to the opponent. For example, someone might deliberately overstate the opponent's position. While a straw man argument may work as a rhetorical technique—and succeed in persuading people—it carries little or no real evidential weight, since the opponent's actual argument has not been refuted.
Re: “Do Your Part”
I'll second the calling bullshit. I've noticed that eateries fall into two groups when it snows like this: very busy or closed. It probably helps if the eatery is within walking distance though.
Lastfewdays, when you have guests to Portland the first thing you do is take them to a restaurant that is trying to be a taste of Louisianna?
Re: “Cheap Tattoos at Rad Summer on Saturday”
Comment deleted for potentially libelous content.
http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/2008/03/a_blogtown_notification.php
Re: “Adams Launches $503m PDX Economic Stimulus Package”
We're going to tax ourselves and hand the money to wealthy developers. Trickle down economics. Brilliant.
Re: “Portland's Fiscal Emergency: New Cops "May Or May Not Have A Job" In Six Months”
"firing the odd park ranger and pest control manager"
Bummer. Those two guys are great, just a little different.
Re: “Portland in the Atlantic. Again.”
Tsing Loh's piece is white guilt/liberal guilt about a (her) collective stereotype. Stereotypes rarely fit individuals. This article says more about Tsing Loh's conflicts than the stereotype she is railing against.
She can fill a page with words but it's just drivel.
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
House Bill 2531
$150 million from the State of Oregon General Fund in tax subsidies to pay for the stadiums.
http://landru.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measur…
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
You should have read the legislation before you inserted your foot in your mouth Garrett. I posted the link to the bill.
Time for you to contact your congressman.
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
The fact is that the funds come from the Oregon General Fund and the legislation states that it shall be up to a limit of $150 million.
"(f) Require the Director of the Oregon Department of Administrative Services to request that the Legislative Assembly appropriate an amount equal to the estimated incremental { - baseball - } { + athletic + } tax revenues from the General Fund to the Major League Stadium Grant Fund established in ORS 184.408 so that those moneys may be disbursed under the grant agreements authorized by this section;"
Further, the funding amount is based on the state taxes on wages of not just players, but anyone associated with Shortstop LLC, including Henry Merritt Paulson Jr and is son Henry Merritt Paulson III, and their spouses if filing jointly.
As stated in the bill:
"(A) The Oregon personal income tax revenues that are generated from the Oregon personal income tax liabilities shown on the income tax returns filed by the members of a professional athletic team engaged in Major League Baseball { + or Major League Soccer + }, including revenues that are generated from the tax liabilities of spouses of members of a professional athletic team engaged in Major League Baseball { + or Major League Soccer + } if the tax liabilities are reported on a joint return;"
Members of a team defined:
"'Member of a professional athletic team' means an athlete or other individual rendering service to a professional athletic team if the compensation of the athlete or other individual exceeds { - $50,000 - } { + $40,000 + } in a tax year."
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
To fill in the details of this Merritt Paulson Fund PR piece, without the omission of the House Bill information:
Date: Tuesday-February 24
Time: 1:00 P.M.
Room: HR E
Possible Introduction of Committee Measures
Public Hearing and Possible Work Session
HB 2531 FIRST PUBLIC HEARING: Expands purpose of Major League Stadium Grant Fund to include financing, developing, constructing and furnishing major league stadium designed for use by Major League Soccer team.
http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/agenda/we…
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
I reported the facts of the bill, Garrett.
House Bill 2531 authorizes funding of up to $150 million from the State of Oregon General Fund to fund stadiums.
Don't worry. You've got no competition for Finn's private parts.
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
It does authorize $150 million. Up to and including. House Bill 2531 certainly could cause the state to pay $150 million from the general fund.
And we are not talking about taxes just on player salaries. The bill states that funds are draw from the General Fund to match the taxes paid by anyone associated with the teams, and their spouses if filing jointly.
I might point out that no one else who works for a wage in Oregon would be here if they could not find work, but since they do live and earn wages here, they pay their share for the schools and roads and everything else that you seem to think that employees of Shortstop LLC should be exempt from.
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
Sorry to fill in the details you want left out. If you don't want to deal with the facts then don't bring up the subject.
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
Finnegan, what is in the statute is simply that the state matches the income taxes paid by employees of shortstop LLC with a subsidy contribution to the Stadium Fund from the General Fund. There is nothing in the law or House Bill 2531 referring to that money being paid back, as you imply. If you do think that employees and their spouses should pay any more than their normal share of state taxes, then you should go to that hearing tomorrow and try and get that language inserted into the bill.
Can we call your mind closed too?
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
Finnegan, there is nothing in the Stadium funding bill that asks anyone who works for athletic teams to pay the money back. Resorting to telling lies indicates that you have lost this argument and you know it.
Pounder, taxes on wages are to pay for roads, schools, parks and the like. The tax revenue on wages from people who work for Shortstop LLC go to pay their share of services that they are using just like everyone else.
Also, Pounder, House Bill 2531 is not a bond sale. It is funding towards paying off bonds. Player salaries may be low, but HB 2531 also includes owners and anyone else who works for Shortstop LLC, and their spouses. You should read the bill first if you want to discuss it further.
Re: “PTFC2K9: the Tension is Building”
I didn't infer anything Pounder. This is a straight tax subsidy.
Re: “Major League Soccer Hearing”
In Mark Evans' own words on the Timbers Army message board:
"If MLS to PDX were put to a public vote it would fail, hugely. Happily, we don't need a public vote..."
Re: “Major League Soccer Hearing”
The comment is still true. I was just quoting the facts in yesterday. The Timbers Army crew were making the personal attacks.
Re: “Timbers Rally At City Hall”
Thanks for the good reporting job Matt. The Timbers Army are on a final countdown of their disinformation and personal attack campaign.
Re: “Task Force Approves MLS, Paulson "Optimistic"”
That the dog and pony show approved the subsidy was a forgone conclusion.
Re: “Task Force Approves MLS, Paulson "Optimistic"”
You chose a fitting characterization of the Timbers Army zag.
Re: “Task Force Approves MLS, Paulson "Optimistic"”
Vic, the Timbers Army has gone out of their way to spread the lie that Merritt Paulson has either paid for past stadium upgrades, or is now paying for them, or is offering to pay for the stadiums proposed.
Any charity work they may have done is negated by the work they are doing to undermine vital causes by removing tax dollars owed by anyone who works for Shortstop LLC and their spouses from the state general fund.
Re: “Task Force Approves MLS, Paulson "Optimistic"”
Garrett, Merritt Paulson does not pay for the prior stadium upgrade now. Taxpayers pay for it. It doesn't matter if Merritt Paulson stays or walks, the taxpayers are paying for it either way. We would simply pay about $183,462,488.00 ($85 million at 6% for 30 years) less if we do not fund new stadium spending.
Vic, like I said before, an apt characterization. How about discussing the issue at hand rather than being a potty mouth?
Re: “Fritz Calls Foul on MLS”
"All of these "concerns" could have been addressed and dealt with if she chose to be a part of the process."
Merritt Paulson would pay for his own stadiums if Amanda Fritz had agreed to meet him? Who knew.
Meetings are nice, but if Merritt Paulson can't communicate in writing then he should hire someone who can.
Re: “Fritz Calls Foul on MLS”
Where is this guarantee Garrett? What are the specific conditions that would trigger the guarantee and what exactly would Merritt Paulson pay?
Re: “Fritz Calls Foul on MLS”
The city of Portland is paying off the bonds Garrett. Merritt Paulson's $900,000 per year lease payment and the roughly $150,000 per year ticket tax just covers some of the operating costs of PGE Park.
If Merritt Paulson's terms are "buy me a some new stadiums or else I quit" that doesn't show much of a commitment to Portland.
Re: “Fritz Calls Foul on MLS”
Garrett, The Portland Visitor Fund pays the bonds. The Oregonian article is just shilling for Merritt Paulson, and it's wrong.
Re: “Is Soccer Deal Headed To Sudden Death?”
Katies question still needs an answer. What was the actual survey? What was actually asked? That area needs more parks not fewer. It is hard to beleive that a valid survey would say otherwise.
Re: “Is Soccer Deal Headed To Sudden Death?”
43% agreeing that a baseball stadium in Lents park would be good for the neighborhood, or would help create jobs or would attract people to the area isn't two to one. Add that it was a survey by mail out of 9,233 surveys sent, 1,001 were returned. People responding "somewat agree" are then counted as "very much agree." That was't a great survey.
Re: “Would Big Soccer Take $$$ From Poor?”
It seems odd that Saltzman would send a screen shot of his inbox without removing the names of the people who sent in email. He could have easily made the column of names not display at least for this picture.
Re: “Net Loss: Economists Flay Big Soccer”
As the taxpayers are being forced to pay for the stadiums what is Merritt Paulson saying that he is protecting them from?
Re: “MLS2PDX: 4,000 Scarves”
Wrong again Garrett. The money Merritt Paulson pays is rent which covers part of the cost of operations of the parks. The bonds are not paid back with the rent Merritt Paulson pays.
Re: “Leonard in Soccer "Death Match" With Saltzman”
We have Merritt Paulson to thank for bringing this to a head.
http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/h…
House Bill 2615
"Requires majority approval by county governing body of urban renewal plan proposed, substantially
amended or extended in area by city of 300,000 within county boundaries."
Reduced city council access to URD cash for giveaways to millionaires.
Re: “Saltzman on Soccer: Concerns About "imagery of whole deal" on Urban Renwal”
For close to $90 million we get $30,000 in parks maintenance money?
Who could pass that up?
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/socc…
Re: “Saltzman on Soccer: Concerns About "imagery of whole deal" on Urban Renwal”
We are back to the old Merritt Paulson game again where he says he is paying the bills, but leaves out the fact that he's using taxpayer's money to do it. Details to follow, after the vote tomorrow morning.
Re: “Starbucks: Homeless Shelter of Choice”
It might be possible. Those machines can do more than one shot at a time.
Cat, are you changing your name again or can you not pay your internet bill, because I find it hard to believe that you can just decide to not post any more.
Re: “Starbucks: Homeless Shelter of Choice”
Speaking of shitty single espressos, have you tried those free caffeine additive shots they have at Plaid? They're nasty, but comparable to Starbucks. And they're free, although that may change as more people find out about it.
Re: “Nick Fish, 1. Cynicism, 0.”
Great job reporting Matt. In a few years, after the crowds don't appear and the Paulsons leave town, the city council and the soccer ditto heads are going to be hearing a well deserved "told you so." Unfortunate, but thanks for trying.
Re: “Hate Group Stickers Belmont”
Quick and easy way to take these off is to put a piece of tape over the sticker then rip the tape off. The white backing will remain, but the message will be gone, and that doesn't damage whatever the sticker was stuck on.
Re: “Next Brewhaha: Urban Renewal”
But Merritt Paulson has already paid off the debt on the last renovation of PGE Park AND he is currently paying off the debt on the last renovation of PGE Park, all through his rent payment doesn't even cover the the annual operating expense of PGE park. Plus he's going to pay off the new debt through the same way. The man is a financial genius.
Re: “Next Brewhaha: Urban Renewal”
GK107, you're arguing with the voices in your head again.
Re: “Memorial Coliseum Demolition Opposition”
Let's have a look at this contract Merritt Paulson has signed Garrett. Where is it. Where is the escrow account that Merritt Paulson has put the funds that he would pay the bonds with, as that is the only way there would be any hope of payment in the event the penalty is triggered?
Right, it doesn't exist.
Re: “Saltzman: Would Support Baseball In Lents”
Your problem Fin is that you report fiction as facts.
Your "facts" to date:
Paulson paid the old debt off,
Paulson is paying the old debt off,
Paulson is paying the future debt off...
even though Paulson only pays rent, which is less that the annual cost of keeping the park open.
Another fiction: players are paying the debt off through taxes on their wages (at the same rate as every other wage earner in Oregon.)
"you know damn well that the proposed funds for this project could never be used for "potholes, kids or the homeless"."
...More Finnegan fiction. You know damn well that most of the funds come from property taxes, which certainly would fund roads and kids.
Re: “Saltzman: Would Support Baseball In Lents”
"Yeah...like the spectator fund"
No, like most of the money, which would comes from property taxes.
And yes, losing Paulson's $1 million per year rent payment would be better than losing the $200 million dollars that it is looking like this stadium deal is going to cost after interest is added in, especially since the city will rent PGE Park out to whoever comes after Paulson.
Even with Paulson's $1 million annual rent check, the city is now losing $2 to $3 million dollars per year on the stadium. The new deal Paulson proposes gets the city about $600,000 more in rent from Paulson, at a cost of $10 million per year to taxpayers. The best idea financially is for the city to get out of the sports subsidy racket.
Re: “Saltzman: Would Support Baseball In Lents”
@GK107
Don't take my word for it. The documents detailing these costs, incomplete as they are, are located online at:
http://www.portlandonline.com/omf/index.cf…
You probably will need to have your parents help you with the math. Be sure to ask them about the term "amortization" and "interest" when you throw fits about how $87 million can become $200 million dollars. In reading the soccer message board, none of you knotheads seem to be familiar with the concept of paying back a loan.
Re: “Saltzman: Would Support Baseball In Lents”
"I just find it funny that the Mercury is riddled with plenty of employees and ex employees ripping Bogdanski for using half truths..."
The difference between the whining that The Mercury does and the whining that the Merritt Paulson fans do is that The Mercury complains about the half that isn't true.
Re: “Mayor Adams is a Wal-Mart Greeter. Wait… WHAT?!?”
"ready for june? i dont understand"
Recall date
Re: “Adams' Former Spokesman Files Intent to Sue”
They will probably just establish a new URA in order to pay for Wade Nkrumah... and a couple of stadiums for Merritt Paulson.
Re: “"We live in Lake Oswego. We like Riccardo's."”
"Matt maybe Merritt would have been willing to sit down with you..."
Matt, as Finnegan is the actual tool of Merritt Paulson, I guess if you had sat down with Merritt he would have used his own money to fund his business.
Now taxpayers will have to pay the projected to cost, including stadiums and replacement park, just under $120 million (plus $139 million interest on the 9% balloon payment loan, due in 20 years.)
Re: “Fearful Portland Beefeaters!”
Sarah, E. Coli isn't a virus, it's a bacterium.
Re: “Power Ball”
That the deed of the land to Portland states that the park "shall be used and occupied exclusively for public park and playground purposes" or else Portland looses the land should end consideration of Lents Park for Merritt Paulson's land grab, unless the city wants to fight for this in court.
Re: “Wurster: Pretty Much a Nice Dude”
Unfortunately, this is the only public input regarding ideas like giving millions to Merritt Paulson that Sam Adams will listen to. No right wing candidate is going to win an election to replace Adams.
Re: “Bike Myths Revealed!”
"...exactly zero Portland cyclists were killed in action in 2008... But in 2008 there were 20 fatal accidents in Portland involving cars!"
Something is not right there.
Re: “It's Official: Lents Stadium Deal Unveils This Thursday”
Stu is Timbers Army. It's safe to say that none of them want to recall Sam Adams for trying to saddle taxpayers with hundreds of million of dollars in facilities costs for Merritt Paulson.
Re: “It's Official: Lents Stadium Deal Unveils This Thursday”
Stu - look at your comment history. You're in the top handfull for most Merritt Paulson shill posts.
Re: “It's Official: Lents Stadium Deal Unveils This Thursday”
Now you start with the straw man arguments Stu. That's been a hallmark of the soccer fanatics.
Re: “Bikes Aren't For Riding! They're for FLIRTING!!”
Graham, she was probably too excited at penning the double entendre "courier of my dreams" to notice the prior rough passage.
Re: “"Swoops Followed Him Around the Corner and Hit Him Again. Lesson Learned. "”
I've read that there are falcons that swoop down from the condo towers to eat the fish at Tanner Springs Park. I guess they don't attack people, they are only after sushi.
Re: “Attorney General Releases Findings on Adams Scandal”
So far those calling for the recall not to go forward are the same people who never wanted the recall to happen in the first place.
Re: “Council Votes Yes On Big Soccer At PGE”
This is a good reason to recall Sam. Firing him is the only citizen input he won't be able to ignore.
Re: “Perlman Arrested for Defacing Recall Petition”
Congrats to Lee Perlman for showing us how to deal with signature gatherers for issues we don't agree with. I'm a little surprised that The Mercury is supportive of dealing with the political process in Oregon in this way though.
Re: “Trust Issues”
Whites and blacks living and working in the same neighborhood? Oh no. We are not properly segregating our races. I totally agree with you, Matt, the city needs to work harder to make that a black only area.
Re: “The Different Kinds of Trash Cans that There Are”
Plus, this helps to put self-employed recyclers (the unemployed, homeless and freegans) out of business.
Re: “Well Eff You Too, Travel + Leisure”
It's 80's shopping mall kitsch. We should replace Portlandia with a huge statue of Tiffany and call it the 80's building.
Re: “Leonard: May Kill MLS Over Paulson Remarks”
With Beaverton residents moving to vote on paying for a stadium, It's looking like the Beavers are gone in the Portland Metro area.
Re: “Leonard: May Kill MLS Over Paulson Remarks”
A race track in Boardman? Will enough fans make the commute from Hermiston to make that pencil out?
Re: “Good Morning, News!!”
Merritt Paulson's Stadium plans prominently display the title "phase 1." Is "Phase 2" the roof over the stadium, or is that planned for later in the publicly funded sports enterprise extortion game?
Re: “Monogamy Isn't Realistic”
Advice from Dan Savage on how to be manogamous is as valid as advice from Sarah Palin on how to be gay.
Re: “How Can Progressive Portlanders Accept Racism?”
The Mercury staff is schizophrenic on this issue. Today the problem is "failed attempts of integration and desegregation." Another day the problem is "loss of traditional black neighborhoods," also known as segregation. Next you rail against gentrification. A day later the call goes out to invest urban renewal dollars in improving poor neighborhoods, promoting gentrification.
Re: “How Can Progressive Portlanders Accept Racism?”
Atomic, pretty much whatever you do to a neighborhood that upgrades that area is part of the gentrification process. That area becomes more desirable, housing prices rise. For someone who makes very little, if rent were to go up even a little, they will move.
It's hard to believe that the Mercury staff and readers are trying to find a way to keep the races segregated and setting up schools and infrastructure for them that is separate but equal, but that is exactly what they are pushing. Trying to create a prosperous city within a city for our black folk sounds wrong because it is wrong.
Integration is happening all by itself, which is a positive process. If you want to improve opportunities for people at lower incomes, then fund our education system and promote job growth.
Re: “Saltzman Suspends Chasse Cop For Beanbag Shot On 12-Year-Old Girl, Updated With Video”
If bad cops were held responsible for their actions, it would cause a morale problem among all the other bad cops in the Portland police department.
Re: “Saltzman Suspends Chasse Cop For Beanbag Shot On 12-Year-Old Girl, Updated With Video”
In the video it looks like Humphreys was walking around with the shotgun looking for an opportunity to use it, and he got it. His partner was holding onto the girl while Humphreys stood back, aimed and shot her.
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