Despite what you may have read in the Multnomah County voter pamphlet, Eva Liu supports the Portland Clean Energy Initiative.
Liu, who owns Kings Omelets on Northeast Halsey and 107th, said she unintentionally submitted a quote that opposed the ballot initiative—and never wanted her name or business associated with Keep Portland Affordable, the group working to block the proposed initiative. That quote is printed in the voter guide and has been used in a sponsored editorial published by the Oregonian.
“If you make it more expensive for people to live here, they’re going to have less money to enjoy our food scene,” reads Liu’s quote. “Besides, I’m small so I mainly shop at the same places everybody else does. It’s going to cost me more to run my business too.”
In an email to the Mercury, Liu said she thought she was penning a statement in opposition to grocery and beverage taxes.
The Clean Energy Initiative—Measure 26-201—will tax Portland retailers with annual revenues of at least $1 billion, and use that money to fund clean energy projects and train Portlanders for green jobs. Liu said she supports the initiative and was surprised to see her photo and quote on Keep Portland Affordable’s website. At Liu’s request, Keep Portland Affordable has removed those items from their campaign website (although it still appears on their “blog” landing page).
Liu did sign two county documents (obtained by the Mercury from Keep Portland Affordable), affirming that she opposed the initiative.
Carol Chan, a close friend of Liu’s, says she believes Liu was “tricked into opposing” the measure. Proponents of the ballot measure agree.
“Immigrants who don’t speak English as their first language are particularly vulnerable to being manipulated,” says Khanh Pham, a spokesperson for the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO). “It’s upsetting to see a political campaign mislead an immigrant small business owner, who is also a voter, in this way. They clearly did not explain what she was signing.”
Thanks for giving Eva a platform to set the record straight. When they go low, the Portland Mercury turns on the lights. “Keep Portland Affordable” has no shame, no limits, and no shortage of corporate money. Vote YES on Measure 26-201, the Portland Clean Energy Initiative!
This is really awful and just goes to show how shameless the opponents of this measure have been. Let’s all make sure to join Eva in voting YES on Measure 26-201, the Portland Clean Energy Initiative!
Given the recent IPCC report, we need to start building rooftop solar and more energy efficient homes ASAP–and it’ll help stimulate our local economy. Good to see that small businesses support that vision. I’ll be sure to check out King’s Omelets–and appreciate their support. It’s telling that they couldn’t find many small businesses to come out against the Portland Clean Energy Initiative.
I’d expect nothing less from corporate funded PACs attacking anything that hurts their bottom line. Don’t let greed dictate policy!
More rooftop solar, yes. But more new buildings! The latter feeds into climate change, as there is no such thing as a carbon neutral or negative new building.
No one with decent income is homeless, so only the indigent need buildings to be housed in, and there are plenty of vacancies for them, just no political and humanitarian will to help them.
The idea tha more new buildings are needed is a scam perpetuated by the new building industry and banks.
Typo alert: NOT more new buildings!
Big props to Eva for having the courage to stand up to the mega-corporations behind the “No” on Portland Clean Energy Initiative campaign and to set the record straight on her position. I’ll be encouraging others to patronize her business and to vote yes on 26-201.
Kanh Pham is awesome, too! She is an astute, intelligent woman who keeps up with events and knows her stuff. You go, Kanh!
Wrong, blago. The number of vacancies isn’t anything close to covering the number of people who want to live in Portland now, much less going forward in the future. I get that you’re probably celibate (by “choice,” I’m sure!) but people will also continue to reproduce, and everyone needs a place to live. Dense cities are the best answer, as they are by far more resource efficient.
I voted NO on this measure and this small business owner would’ve also if the funding mechanism was fully explained to her. This initiative is a GROSS SALES RECEIPTS tax,whihc typically penalizes those consumers on the low income tier, and small business owners by increasing fees for goods and services. The low cap on this funding base is $500,000 at 1% of gross sales receipts. It juts ends up being a REGRESSIVE TAX on working families and those on the lower income spectrum. If this was a straight up PROFITS TAX, I would’ve voted YES, since the cost is absorbed by corporations, not the consumer. People really need to fully vet these measures before they support or vote for it,since theres long ranging consequences. For me it was the math,stupid. Corporations that do millions in business in Oregon should absorb the cost. Its also a more stable funding mechanism if its a profits tax instead of gross sales receipts.I also expressed this on Commissioner Eudlays blogsite since she also co-drafted this initiative. Portland should wait for the States currently pending energy legislation before Portland initiates another tax bill. Like Measure 97 ,this is doomed to fail due to the funding mechanism. Sponsoring this initiative was overreach on Eudalys office of Neighborhood involvement. I voted for her but lately question her unethical decision making ,this isn’t an isolated example. I may not vote for her next time. These city commissioners need to start actually doing their jobs ,which is managing the city services as efficiently and as cost effectively as possible, with community resources they are given access to, instead of using their appointed platforms to pander to special interests with quid pro quo promises and promoting their own vanity projects to benefit their own political ambitions. Portland should follow the States lead before jeopardizing the state initiative with this one.