Election Day in Portland is particularly important this year because there are eight questions posed by the Portland Charter Commission (a body charged with suggesting changes to our governing procedures), and five initiative proposals brought forward by citizen groups.
Suffice it to say, there’s a lot here for voters to digest – perhaps too much. Commission Questions 2, 3 and 5 (if enacted) would dramatically change Portland city government; year after year they would impose significant costs; they would alter 100 years of practice that has largely been free of corruption and that has seemingly worked well – Portland is frequently listed as one of the best small cities in America.
With respect to the five initiatives, I’d simply note: None has been fully vetted; none was adopted by the City Council. In sum, perhaps Portland voters should heed the old Maine aphorism: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Orlando E. Delogu
Portland
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