TAX THE RICH (AND/OR BORING)

RE: "Pricing Out Portland's Artists" [Feature, May 27], addressing how the rising cost of living in Portland affects the very community that contributes much of its value.

DEAR MERCURY—State, local, and federal governments could follow Ireland's example and exempt working artists from all taxes. It is clear that we add value, both cultural and monetary, to the properties that we inhabit and the communities where [we] live. Real estate developers and residents in New York City, San Francisco, Miami, and now Portland have all profited from the forgotten neighborhoods that have been transformed by working artists who often live very close to the poverty line.

R.


WE ALL SCREAM...

RE: One Day at a Time [June 3], in which columnist Ann Romano relays the reported reactions of Last Thursday attendees (which mostly involved wanting ice cream) to a triple shooting at the event.

ANN ROMANO—"Alberta's oblivious, gentrifying yuppies" were not the ones whining about not being able to get into Salt & Straw. The people who live around here were too busy freaking out. Blame it on the suburban tourists.

Alberta Yuppie


HELPFUL RHONDA

RE: "Fish Out of Water" [Film, June 3], an opinion-riddled critical review of the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy.

DEAR MERCURY—Did Morgan Troper really write that the Beach Boys' "only significant work is confined to two records..."? What an idiot.

Rhonda Reedy


"FUCK YOUR PROFITS"

RE: "Locked Out" [News, June 3], regarding legislation that would help control housing costs for homebuyers, but not for renters.

It's outrageous that the most useful tools that cities have to ensure that low- and moderate-income people can afford a home have all been taken away by the state. Local inclusionary zoning, rent control, and land-transfer taxes are all prohibited—doing the bidding of developers who don't give a damn about anything but their own profits. But the complaints of our city leaders about these preemptions ring hollow too. That's because our city still has one perfectly good tool. They could enact it tomorrow and there wouldn't be any question of its legality. It's called a "linkage fee," and it would require housing developers to put money into a dedicated affordable housing fund. So when our "progressive" leaders boohoo about how powerless they are to address housing affordability, call bullshit on it.

posted by Euphonius

Having to pay for something not related to your business, for you to be allowed to conduct business. You call it a "linkage fee," others would call it state-sponsored extortion. God forbid a businessperson [be] concerned about profit margins.

posted by Jarhead

Fuck your profits. The world doesn't have to bend over just to ensure you get your profit. Don't like it? I'm sure you can take your money to some other "hot" market where everybody gives a shit about your unfettered right to squeeze your community dry. The landlords of Portland didn't do a thing to earn the money they're bleeding from this city. The flood of new renters and homebuyers didn't come here because our landlords are so great. They came here because of the community that we ALL helped create. And now we're all supposed to just go die so you assholes can make the profits you think God ordained for you? Again, fuck your profits.

posted by Euphonius


TONIGHT WE RIDE

RE: "Ride Like Hell" [Feature, June 3], our top picks for this month's cavalcade of Pedalpalooza rides, including one that explores the potential damage Vancouver would face if an oil train exploded, ending with an optional protest.

Heck yeah! Thanks so much for selecting the Vancouver Oil Train Blast Zone ride to be a featured ride this year. We totally got a few additional riders because of your article. We have another Oil Train ride on June 20 at 11 am in Portland, meeting at the corner of N Willamette and Ida. Hope to see you there.

Matt Landon Van

GLAD TO HELP, Matt, and thanks for giving us an excuse to remind everyone that our "Fury Road" bike issue lives on in relevancy! Pedalpalooza rages on through the month so be sure to hang on to your copy for a few more weeks!