Hey, who’s in charge here? Who’s the decider? This will be the cry heard throughout Portland City Hall from department heads, staff and citizens alike if the Charter Commission proceeds down its path toward confusion, paralysis, unaccountability, added expenses and failure of common sense in the management of Portland.

The commission’s Governance Committee is struggling to unify competing ‘strong mayor’ proposals all vying for title of “Highest Accountability to the People.” In all proposals, there are additional salaried administrative positions (bosses) making sure current salaried officials (bosses) are accountable to the people (presumably bosses, but unsalaried). These additional and unnecessary financial burdens on the Portland taxpayer will be presented to Portland only if the Charter Commission recommends a ‘strong mayor.’ Their final proposal is sure to recommend a predetermined ‘strong mayor’.

To manage this new governance experiment and expansive political jobs program, Portland will need a new department which will need a name. I suggest, “Progressive Oversight Office of Perpetual Arbitration, Mediation, Obfuscation and Confusion,” abbreviated “POOP – AMOC.” As this new department will be expanding rapidly, expect an annex to City Hall built to house this additional and politicalized bureaucracy, again, at taxpayers’ expense.

Robert Kahn
Portland