Nobody Likes How Portland Is Governed. How Did the Plan to Fix It Turn Into Another Bitter Fight? (new form of city government on the ballot in November)

Wweek ^ | 7/06/22 | Sophie Peel

[Libloather]

**SNIP**

1. City officials have long claimed that Portland’s form of government makes it impossible for them to do their jobs well.

2. When the Portland Charter Commission was formed, members settled on their own set of goals.

3. The commission emerged with three proposed reforms. No city in America has tried to achieve all three at the same time.

4. Perhaps the most popular aspect of the proposed reforms is that Portland would be run by a city administrator.

5. The reform measure calls for ranked-choice voting, an unfamiliar and controversial method, to elect city commissioners.

7. Portland voters will need to agree to all of this - or none of it.

8. Portland’s old guard is preparing to fight the proposed measure.

9. It’s going to be a heated campaign.

10. The process raises new questions about the mayor.

Seven attempts to change Portland’s form of government have failed in the past century.

[oldvirginian]

“In school systems, abolish school boards, put in a superintendent, and likewise make him responsible for results.”

In my home county we always had a superintendent who was appointed by the county commissioners. It worked great! The school budget was always turned in to the commissioners in plenty of time for them to go through it and cut it if necessary.
The superintendent also made unannounced appearances in the schools and sat in on classes as well as ate the same lunches the students ate.
The schools ran great and were highly rated.

After we were invaded by enough yankees they lobbied for, and got, an elected school board.
Since then the school budget is never on time, in fact usually late. They spend taxpayer dollars without concern. The quality of the education available has gone to hell. The board members never visit the schools and have no idea what is going on.

School boards should be banished and anyone advocating for them should be locked away forever.

[abbastanza]

They deserve every thing that happens to them.

[Glad2bnuts]

Management by consensus, to see an example of it watch The Simpsons where Lisa and Professor Fink and the smart people take over the town....THAT is a great example

[Glad2bnuts]

Management by consensus, to see an example of it watch The Simpsons where Lisa and Professor Fink and the smart people take over the town....THAT is a great example

[Hootowl99]

The deal killer sections of this city government arrangement that I would oppose are:

1. Ranked choice voting. 1 voter, 1 vote. KISS (keep it simple stupid).

2. Multiple council members per district. Is this the full employment for politicians city charter?

The city manager type city government is quite common and quite reasonable. No problem at all for me to approve. There’s an employment contract involved. While the the city manager is an at will employee, firing him for reasons outside the contract terms typically requires a severance payment or there will be a lawsuit for violating the contract. Merit based employment is enhanced and political yes persons, feather bedding of useless patronage persons decreases.

[Wuli]

A good POTUS with a good GOP led congress would write a law that described the conditions of (a) dysfunctional city and (b) a dysfunctional state and declare such units of government in the U.S. anywhere were ineligible for federal funds of any kind for any reason. Then that god POTUS with a good AG&DOJ would declare Portannd a dysfunctional city and Oregon a dysfunctinal state due to Oregon’s inability to control ANTIFA in Portland. Continued and unrelenting take over of public spaces do not a “protest” make, they are a civil insurrection just daring the civil authorities to get control.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Nobody Likes How Portland Is Governed.

Incorrect. There is a caste of progressive looters who are making out like bandits and love things the way they are, same as in Seattle and San Francisco. They will fight viciously to keep their scam in place.