Comments

1
Mike Reese and everyone else involved with the decision to bring in outside militarized forces to "control" (aka intimidate and brutalize) the protesters should be fired over this alone. Gross mismanagement of public funds on a massive scale.
2
If 'occupy' had anything to show for this, I'd say $1.3 million was a bargain.
I'm talking beyond the 'raising awareness' BS too.
But nope. And it doesn't look like anything to show for the forseeable future too.
Thanks alot.
On the flip side, you made sure the cops are having a Very Merry Christmas.
PS, why don't you cheap bastards cough up to fix the parks you fucked up too.
3
Wow!!! Way more than it cost to police the camps! Obviously a call from Homeland Security or above to shut down #OWS! @MayorSamAdams needs to explain in full!!! Or risk losing his limited coolness...
4
Your efforts to 'turn the tables' on accountability are about as effective as 'occupy' has been.
5
And all that overtime money isn't going to be spent anywhere around here. Most Portland cops don't live here, so this isn't even going to be a good econoimic boost.

Maybe we can charge Mayor Reese for his decision to put THREE COPS on EACH corner of Lownsdale and Chapman (without so much as a rake) in the days after the eviction. Couldn't one cop, like, maybe watch from the police station and make sure no one went in the parks? We can take it from his retirement.
6
"Mike Reese and everyone else involved with the decision to bring in outside militarized forces to "control" (aka intimidate and brutalize) the protesters should be fired over this alone."
That seems to be the common opinion from those residing in Hotel 4:20. Stop smoking the bowl resin Totalitariland.
8
most expensive gutter punk squat party ever.
9
Still not as bad as the millions the politicians are throwing into 'urban renewal'. If the cops hadn't been paid, that money would have gone to diamond collars to dogs in the Pearl.
10
The city police used thousands of dollars in police OT wages to try and scare a legal protest; free speech gathering was not wise or prudent.

Protesters of all ages and walks of life, are met with 100's robo cops costing thousands of dollars to the community. a complete waste and abuse of police and authority. Ironically the only troubles was when the police arrived with heavy handed tactics [horses charging crowds, pepper sprays and riot cops with sticks] Certainly this money was wasted and free speech negated, citizens were met with guns and police on OT ready for a riot. Things actually do returned to a calm nature, as soon as the riot teams / horses [raking in all that $OT] ...all have leave the areas that they swarm.

Thanks for the article that sheds light on this waste of resources. ~joe anybody
11
When you grow up joeanybody you'll come to understand what public safety is.
12
WHY DON’T YOU PUNKS JUST PAY FOR A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE AND TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS LIKE THE SHADOWY INTEREST GROUPS? RABBLE RABBLE!
13
Democracy isn't cheap, but it's not as expensive as this flap over police overtime pay is making it out to be.

$1.3 million is just over two dollars for each Portlander. About what it costs to park for an hour or take TriMet once.

What the media should be asking is how much does the police force spend on crowd control at major events throughout the year, and how Occupy Portland ranks on a per-day-of-event basis.
14
The militarized law enforcement industry is proving to be VERY profitable.
15
Maybe they shouldn't send so many cops for a peaceful protest. They locked down my office and I couldn't get back in, but I was unharmed by protesters. I don't understand the threat to public safety caused by the protesters.
16
The Occupiers have been accused of lacking "personal accountability" since day one. I love reading these comments, where their supporters still completely deny having ANY responsibility for the damage they've caused to the city.

Bob R. even says "Hey, we only stole $2 from each Portlander! What's the big deal?"

I mean....Jesus Christ! How would you react to that defense coming out of the mouth of an embezzling politician?
17
Well said Reymont.
What I love even more is this second guessing of the police dept. As if any of us or even certain editors know the buisness of dealing with large unruly crowds.
18
"$1.3 million is just over two dollars for each Portlander."

If only all Portlanders paid taxes, when in fact it isn't even close to every Portlander. (Occupy kids, I'm looking at you.)
19
"Hey, we only stole $2 from each Portlander!"

Try harder next time. (Hint: If your false analogy were true, Occupiers would have been recipients of the funds, not the police.)
20
If it's reasonable to bitch that OPDX should pay to fix the parks, why isn't there mention of the douchey banks around downtown paying for the [privatized] police force that was mobilized to protect them?
With protesters nowhere in sight, and doing no damage where they were, why were there 6 riot cops guarding the US Bank tower and other banks? Why did the cops have to outnumber the protesters? Seems like bad choices were made that exponentially multiplied the cost of suppressing free speech.
21
Bob, you asked how much does the city spend on police crowd control on other major events - which i assume is something like the Rose Festival.
The Rose Festival pays to restore the waterfront park area.
The Rose Festival generates income for the city and charities, as well as vendors.
I'm not sure how police costs are paid, or if the Festival contributes....
but the point is, the ONLY thing 'occupy' has done is cost money.
I didn't see your name on the occupy restore park donor list, did I?
22
I can only respond with a song.

To the tune of "O' Little Town of Bethlehem"

O' all the peoples of the Earth
When will we see the light
The one-percent is filled with glee
When we decide to fight
For when we bomb each other
They turn our blood to dough
And we're sent off to kill for them
In places they won't go

Their love of money fills them,
With greed to own it all
While those who know are sure that this
Will lead to our downfall
O' mourning mothers gather
To bury their own sons
And somberly they plead "Why Me?"
While bankers add the sums

How heartlessly, how heartlessly
They tear apart our life
Because they know, in doing so
The profits made from strife
But something new is coming
The people rising up
Across the world we stand as one
And say "Enough's Enough"

O' all good people of the Earth
Stand with us we pray
Cast out this den of thieves with us
Let's work for a new day
We'll wake our better angels
False pro(f)its you are warned
A new world is rising now
In us it will be born
23
I rest my case.
24
People are still complaining about the damn grass? This was obviously a windfall for the police dept. At least they had to work for their christmas bonuses this year.
25
"I didn't see your name on the occupy restore park donor list, did I?"

Not yet, wasn't aware of the formal organization accepting donations until this afternoon.

"I rest my case."

What case?

Like I said, democracy isn't cheap. I'm a business owner and I pay all manner of taxes, and I'm happy to chip in a bit to allow for occasional large public protest movements to occur. Large political gatherings are going to happen in a democracy. It's OK.

Your false characterization of Occupy "stealing" money via being (allegedly) costly to police is not only factually wrong, it's inherently dismissive of a free and diverse society.
26
FYI, "frankieb", I've made a donation to the Portland Parks Foundation "Restore Our Historic Squares" fund. I've paid the restoration shares for approximately 293 Portlanders, based on the high-end $100K clean-up estimate.
27
Bob - Good for you! Seriously.
BTW, I was never the one to say that 'occupy' stole. Read back over...
But I still assert that 'occupy' hasn't accomplished anything and only cost money. First the rich stuck it to us, now to add insult to injury....
Democracy may not be cheap, but I fail to see the connection between 'occupy' and democracy.
Are they putting anything on the ballot for me to consider voting on? It is all fine and dandy to use great 'this is what democracy looks like' slogans - but untill you give me something to actually ACT ON, it don't mean shit. And that happens with a ballot.
28
Frankieb -

Thanks for the reply. Occupy has succeeded at the very least in changing the tune. The major networks weren't running many significant stories on income inequality, corporate malfeasance, the decline of the middle class, etc., prior to Occupy. The tune was mostly "deficits!" and "austerity!". Plenty of stories of how most of us would have to sacrifice medicare, social security, wages, union representation, etc., and very few stories about how taxes on the wealthiest are at or near modern lows.

Remember that the 1st amendment recognizes our right to petition government for the "redress of grievances". That's the stage that the Occupy movement is at right now... airing grievances. They don't have to offer up candidates or policy positions. The airing of grievances which were largely being dismissed in the corporate discourse is sufficient. To demand that Occupy have a specific agenda or a uniform policy position is to dismiss the situation we're stuck in: Few of those in power are really hearing the message of what's wrong out there.

Genuine complaining, in the absence of recognition of said genuine complaints, does "mean shit".

Something else needs to come next, but having a complaint voiced is a necessary first step.
29
It's easy to critisize. It is easy to find fault - but the hard part is coming up with viable alternatives and solutions.
I think stories have been out there for years about income inequality and such - but maybe there are more of them now. I mean, I've been aware of income disparity between rich and poor and how it has grown throughout the years, as well as how the disparity of wealth in the US compares to other countries.
And it does disturb me, sure. But I've been hearing about it for some time. Years.
So, I really don't know that 'occupy' can take alot of credit for even that. Anger at Big Banks getting Bailed out while We Got Sold Out? The Tea Party has been railing about that long before 'occupy', and these bailouts were supported by Presidents on both sides of the aisle and are said to have averted another Great Depression.
Complaining may be the first step, I agree (the first step to solving a problem is recognizing one exists, so the saying goes, right?)
But OK, we all get that. It's time to do the hard work and come up with a PLAN, which means something to vote on. THIS is democracy.
Of course, since the youth voters are notoriously lazy and they make up the majority of 'occupy' (was it 75% are 30 or younger) I tend to think even any plans they come up with shall fail. Could be wrong though.

Please wait...

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