There was plenty of big news in 2007—but most of it can’t be wrapped up neatly, tied with a shiny bow, and archived as the year closes. From the end of Portland’s Drug-Free Zones to the reinstatement of the city’s sit-lie law, and from the attempted renaming of Interstate Avenue to Mayor Tom Potter’s announced […]
Randy Leonard
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Hall Monitor
‘Tis the Season
It’s holiday party season at city hall—complete with white elephant gift exchanges, karaoke, and “Lyne’s famous chili.” The mayor’s staff headed to Public Safety and Security Staff Assistant Jared Spencer’s house for the aforementioned karaoke and gift exchange. “It’s potluck and BYOB because we respect and safeguard taxpayer dollars,” says spokesperson John Doussard. “Jared and […]
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The Mercury 2007 Charity Honor Roll
While you can still bid (until Friday) on the cornucopia of great packages available in the Mercury‘s Online Charity Auction, we’d like to pause momentarily to thank all the great people, organizations, and businesses who donated items and services to help raise THOUSANDS for this year’s charity recipient, Sisters of the Road. Our donors are […]
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In Other News
LEONARD IN JAIL City Commissioner Randy Leonard spent last Wednesday night, November 28, in jail—on the invitation of sheriff’s deputies at the Multnomah County Detention Center on SW 3rd. Leonard says, “I was struck by the understaffing” in the city-funded 57-bed Project 57 unit. “It struck me as very dangerous.” Leonard spoke with County Chair […]
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Hall Monitor
Smoke Signals
City Commissioners Randy Leonard and Dan Saltzman took a moment during the Wednesday, November 14, city council meeting to stand up for a marginalized group—one that others have loudly complained about, a group that the council was poised to vote against, and push elsewhere. No, it wasn’t the César E. Chávez Boulevard Committee. “My issue […]
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Back and Fourth
Chávez Rename Turns to Fourth Avenue
Hours before the November 15 city council meeting on whether or not to rename Interstate Avenue for César E. Chávez, the latest twist in the months-old saga emerged: Late the night before, Portland’s four city commissioners had crafted a compromise idea to rename Fourth Avenue—city hall’s address—for Chávez. They tried to bring Interstate stalwart Mayor […]
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Bump It or Dump It
Council Wrestles over Budget Surplus
Every fall, the city’s financial planner compares the previous year’s budget to how much money the city actually collected and spent. If there’s a surplus, the city council gets to spend it—last year, they sent nearly $23 million to projects like gang outreach, water billing, and road repairs. This time around, there’s only $6.7 million […]
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A Done Deal?
Chávez Rename Supporters Call for a Vote
On Tuesday morning, November 6, supporters of a proposal to rename Interstate Avenue for César E. Chávez held a press conference at Kaiser Town Hall on Interstate. Supporters like former Multnomah County Commissioner Serena Cruz urged the city council to quit debating whether or not to continue processing the proposal, and to vote already. “In […]
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“I Am Irrelevant”
The Fallout from Potter’s Walkout
Last Thursday, October 25, Mayor Tom Potter finally managed to do what weeks of meetings and behind-the-scenes negotiations failed to: He brought both sides of the Interstate/Chávez street rename debate together—in stunned silence as he stormed out of a council hearing. “I am irrelevant,” Potter said as he left, angry that the other three men […]
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Hall Monitor
Another Fine Mess
For weeks, the imbroglio over changing the name of Interstate Avenue has played out in the neighborhoods of North Portland, in the blogosphere, and, more recently, in private discussions among city commissioners. This week, though, it’s blowing up all over the walls of city council chambers. This Thursday, October 25, Commissioners Sam Adams and Randy […]
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Hall Monitor
Men on the Moon
For aspiring wonks and politicos, city hall can be a hard nut to crack. Elected leaders are extremely persnickety about who they’ll hire on to be part of their staff—after all, if a staffer does a bad job or pisses off the public, the only person who’ll be held responsible is the politician, who can […]
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The Interstate Solution
Will There Be an Interstate Rename Truce?
As accusations of racism volleyed around city hall, the media, and in North Portland over a proposal to rename Interstate Avenue for César E. Chávez, three city commissioners have stepped in to negotiate a peaceful end to the standoff. “Our responsibility is to interject ourselves and moderate that discussion,” said Randy Leonard, at his office […]