Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Visioning Project: giveaways to the usual suspects

Did you know that Mayor Potter is giving out $200,000 in "Community Grants" to non profit organizations so they can ask their constituents a list of questions about their vision for Portland?

They received 142 applications for the grants, which range from $1,000 to $15,000. I spoke to someone today who went to the application meeting. I'm told that all the usual suspects were there - almost all of the organizations represented were of one or another liberal stripe.

So that's the plan... get all the liberal groups to ask their "communities" what they want Portland to be in 30 years. Guess whose vision dominates the discussions?

It will be interesting when they release the list of who got the grants. That will go a long way toward explaining what "vision" the project tells us Portlanders want for the city.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that the vision that comes out of this process is that 1) we need more light rail; 2) we need more bike lanes; 3) etc.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Truth be told Mayor Potter has no vision, that is why he is on vision quest.

rickyragg said...

Is the list of names of those who received the "grants" public record?

Do you or does anyone reading know where, physically, one would submit a request?

I've got to go downtown today or tomorrow and I'd be happy to request a copy of that record and post it.

Rob Kremer said...

rickyragg:
they are no longer accepting applications for the money, and they haven't yet decided on who gets it. They did say they would publish the list when it came out.

Anonymous said...

They Mayor is working on the 2040 plan for use 34 years from now.

What bothers me is who has a copy of the 2007 plan written in 1973 and where in Manhattan do they live now?

Anonymous said...

Vision this.

Editorial
Problems of Abundance
http://www.brainstormnw.com/ideas.html

excerpt:
You can still get a good deal on real estate. At least if you’re cozy with the Portland Development Commission. Just ask Eric Saito, president of Group Mackenzie. The lucky businessman just closed a deal to purchase the Holman Building on the central eastside from PDC. PDC spent $1.3 million on the old warehouse and then spent another $700,000 in remodeling efforts that brought new tenants for the ground floor. Saito was, conveniently, in need of new office space after his company’s land in the South Waterfront development area was rezoned, upping its market price. Even more conveniently, Saito headed the PDC committee that did the rezoning. Then, proving that good deals are still out there in the hot Oregon market, Saito bought the Holman Building for $400,000. Good for him, but bad for the taxpayers, who by our math, lost at least $1.6 million

Rob Kremer said...

Charlie:
We would love to open an Arthur Academy in either Gresham/Barlow or centennial.

If you have a facility that can handle 150 students and is zoned to allow school use, we will open one there in 2007.

Any churches with unused classroom space you know of?

rickyragg said...

MORE VISIONS

For a good laugh read about the two "staff" hired to help with the mayor's "Community Vision Project" here.

Just two average Portlanders.

No axes to grind.

No agendas.

hehehehehehe

With these two as staff, I can envision their vision now:

In 30 years Portland will look like Ecuador with many large Food Banks.

Check out all the usual radical leeches, artists, neighborhood activists, commune supporters, socialists, government employees and dependants, non-profit types, and assorted groupies on the committee here.

Rob Kremer is right.

Private property will be confiscated. We'll all live in thoroughly planned Dignity Villages on the freeways and ride MAX to the Tram and take Tri-Met to the Food Bank. Police functions will be handled by brown-shirted members of Critical Mass and zoobombers - led by Randy Albright. Cars will be converted to planters to grow marijuana for free distribution. City government will be the only employer and health care will be freeeeeeee. (Which will be doable since the prescribed treatment for any illness will be assisted suicide.) Dogs will run loose citywide and be covered by the ESA. Guns will be banned. Planners will plan. Vegans will rule. Randy Leonard will be crucified and become a Messiah-like figure to former firefighters and police who will run wild wearing tatters and rags of their uniforms. Schools will be converted to madrassahs and re-education in the "religion of peace" will be mandatory. Beheadings will be the main social event - taking place at Pioneer Courthouse Square every Friday afternoon near the statue of King Tom - followed by a free concert. The Rose Festival will be run by the GLBT coalition with live sex shows in the Grand Floral Parade - audience participation encouraged.

I can't wait.

cross posted at Ricky's Ragg
www.rickyragg.blogspot.com