Tomorrow night is Last Thursday on NE Alberta and this morning in City Council was full of talk about the event that’s marked by clowns, crowds, chaos and a fair amount of city cash.
Since last year, the city has been paying about $10,000 a month during the summer to close off NE Alberta Street and provide security for the massive, free-form arts fest. That security is meant to reduce tensions in the neighborhood, which gets hit with people urinating on lawns, leaving trash, and generally being whippersnappers after the block party officially shuts down at 10 PM.
That has been the biggest change in the monthly event that has come to define Alberta in some ways: It used to run late into the night, but since the city got involved, a wall of security and volunteers march down NE Alberta promptly at 10PM, pushing all the party-goers back onto the sidewalks and into the bars. The debate over the event is the same: Is it a good use of limited city funds?
On the pro side, it brings thousands of people (and their cash) into the neighborhood every month, contributes to the area’s new identity as an “arts district”, and, of course, it’s a good time. On the con side, some argue that Alberta businesses, not citywide taxpayers, should bear the brunt of the cost.
“It’s clearly an equity issue,” says Commissioner Amanda Fritz, whose office handles the neighbor-relations aspects of the event. “When we had a meeting back in 2010, we had over 400 people come out, most of whom came to say it’s wonderful. But we don’t think citywide taxpayers should be paying for it.”
Fritz wants to let people know that if they see illegal behavior on Last Thursday, call the police nonemergency line to report it: 503-823-3333. If you have problems the day after (like trash), neighborhood group Friends of Last Thursday want to take your call: 503-888-2934.
Citywide taxpayers still pay to sweep up the leaves of select neighborhoods too.
Actually the known costs average approximately $18,100 per warm weather, street closed, Last Thursday event. This morning, as well as an earful, the City Council received copies of a citizen initiated City Auditor’s report of the City’s costs for LT for the past few years. This report only came forward as a result of a public records request despite numerous attempts to get this info from our elected officials. According to the report, the known, definable costs(even more money is spent on Last Thursday but not itemized by city bureaus as a LT cost) for the fiscal year July 1, 2010- June 30, 2011 was $110,000. This covers 6 LT events. That’s a hell of a lot of money to throw a party that the community, hosting it under duress, doesn’t benefit from. This is another huge reason why Alberta neighbors are so upset.
Why do we keep spending public money on civic events? Stupid parades and street fairs should pay for themselves, to do otherwise is un-American.
Why does everyone assume that all neighbors oppose Last Thursday? Signed, someone who lives a block off Alberta and loves it.
True, not all neighbors oppose LT, but given the rather large expenditure of taxpayer dollars to fund it, even a 50/50 split of opinion should give us pause.
The known documented costs of Last Thursday average approximately $18,100 per street closed event. This morning, as well as an earful, the City Council received copies of a citizen initiated City Auditor’s reporting of the City’s costs for LT for the past few years. It is distressing that this report only came to be as a result of a Public Records Request despite numerous attempts to get this info from our elected officials voluntarily.
According to the report, the known, definable, countable costs(there is even more money spent on Last Thursday that is not itemized by city bureaus as a LT cost, therefore still unaccounted) for the fiscal year July 1, 2010- June 30, 2011 was $110,000. This span covered 6 LT events. That’s a hell of a lot of money to throw a party that the community, hosting it under duress, doesn’t benefit from. This is another huge reason why many Alberta neighbors are so upset.
That sign should read “YOU’VE SEEN MY GIRLFRIEND’S UNDERWEAR, NOW GIVE US SOME MONEY.”
Is the Tea Party going after Last Thurs in City Council? Seriously? What’s next? The CRC? The Tea Party is largely comfortably retired with Medicare & Social Security, so anything that falls down after they are dead is A-OK.
Seriously, the bars and restaurants who are raking it in should pay up. Binks has been the only main contributor so far I think.
They could simply cut a deal with the city for no other food and alcohol sales on the street for festivals in exchange for covering the full festival costs.
Your photo along with encounters with numerous drunk obnoxious people are reason enough not to attend. Incidentally its hard to say “I’m an artist” while vomiting (true story. What an odd individual). I agree with Graham, they should pay for themselves. Oh and one person in that neighborhood being a fan of Last Thursday probably is not indicative of the overall neighborhood. Since when are a group consisting of no small amount of drunk people/ dubious artistic displays considered a “Festival”? Who goes to an arts gallery after 10 pm.? This is nothing more than a block party for drunk people who are superbly educated in the “Arts”, or are deluded enough to think so.