Yeah but he lied that one time!

This is a bit of a no-brainer. If Adams were actually on the ballot, and it was a three-person race, he'd probably get as many votes as Smith and Hales combined.

He's said that he doesn't want a second term, correct?

Hate to break it to you droolying fanboys, but Adams was/is not a good mayor.

He's narcissistic, and probably manic/depressive. He can't pave a road, but he can blow money on every stupid flash-in-the-pan Portlandia idea that pops into his ADHD-addled brain.

Victoria Taft has already found things about both Jefferson Smith and Charlie Hales that piss her off. I get the feeling she'd even be pissed at herself if SHE was mayor.

Agreed with Blabby about Adams. Just try working with the Adams on any political issue (instead of just reading about how he works in the papers). The only thing I like about Adams, and what I really like about him, is his anti-war viewpoints and legitimate concern for veterans. He’s got the “liberal guilt” of the Iraq War. I've had his ear for a few moments more than once, and that's better than 99% of politicos I've ever met.

Where's the none-of-the-above option?

Also: Victoria Taft is a lying manipulative shit bag. She's totally irrelevant to anything that happens in this city. The only reason she has a job is because she spew noxious bullshit without accountability (and better than most politicians).

I think most people would agree with a lot of Blabby's comment... but even with that agreement, he's still a better option than either Hales or Smith in the hypothetical three-person race.

I'm definitely not arguing that the other two would be better. I will be voting for none of them.

The city has generally proposed under him, and while he is corrupt in his own way, things haven't fallen apart but they have improved.

The thing is I am really worried that Hales will make Adams' corruption look like nothing, if Smith has an anger management problem then Hales has a graft management problem.

Conservatives want lower taxes/less government, but how is that going to work if Hales hands out money to his buddies and himself? Where is the money going to come from for the roads especially since Hales wants to push forward on the CRC? Also, Hales is allied with special interests who have some pretty terrifying ideas for Portland such as the PBA and is big on street-cars even though the streetcar system is about as big as it should be and basic Tri-met service needs more funding.

Does anyone want to see a sales tax in Oregon (even if Hales doesn't have control over the issue and he would be insane to implement a city-wide tax).

We're pretty screwed and there aren't any good choices, at least Adams was ineffectual rather than completely dangerous and things seem to be getting better (although he probably didn't have much do with that). I think Smith tenure would be a mess but I think Hales is going to be a real disaster for the city.

Here's an nice little article establishing that Adams and the rest of City Council colluded in secret with special interests to push adding fluoride to Portland drinking water. If fluoride is so great, why didn't they disclose any of these meetings? Why did the fluoride lobby lie about their claims that Portland has a "dental health crisis"?
Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith are also every bit in favor of fluoride. Screw all these ass-clowns, I'm writing in Scott Fernandez.

http://mobile.oregonlive.com/advorg/db_/co…

http://scottfernandezformayor.com/

There are still people who think the mayor of Portland has some substantive say on the CRC? How cute.

I'm voting for Peter Mayhew as my write-in candidate.

It could be worse: Tom Potter.

Inevitably Sam is going to cruise this poll--but given the other two options, where are all the supposed Hales voters? Is Smith not actually as toxic as Beth Slovic wants us to see him?

"where are all the supposed Hales voters? Is Smith not actually as toxic as Beth Slovic wants us to see him?"

That's the whole point of the poll - and the thing that Jefferson Smith fanboys can't seem to wrap their heads around. No one really wants Charlie Hales. We're all too busy beings scared to death of the prospect of Jefferson Smith.