Opinion
Finding my voice delivering others to Salem
In some circles, lobbyist is a dirty word. We don’t elect lobbyists. We don’t know exactly what they do. Yet, lobbyists are an integral part of our democracy. And anyone can do it. Lobbying can be as simple as picking up the phone or writing an e-mail or letter to your legislator. You lobby when…
How corporations, banks are cheating with our money
There are two kinds of cheating going on in our economy, every moment of every day, that few people are aware of. One is named “corporation” and the other is named “bank.” Cheat No. 1 Corporations: The defining characteristic of a corporation is that it enjoys limited liability, the owners of a corporation are anonymous…
Affordable rental housing crisis hasn’t budged in recovery, a call to redouble our efforts
The lowest income households in Multnomah County face a severe challenge in acquiring apartments affordable at their income level. This forces many very poor households to rent housing that consumes the majority of their monthly income leaving little for other essential needs. In time, high rent burdens lead to desperation and homelessness. At Northwest Pilot…
Should Portland become a sanctuary city?
I met Manuel a couple of months ago. He’s of average height and weight. His handshake is firm and callused from years of construction work. One of the first things you notice about Manuel is the determined and proud look in his eye. Manuel went on to tell me that he started with nothing, working…
Housing equals opportunity equals real success
A good friend of mine told me last week that he had read that Utah is ending homelessness. He read it all over the Internet. Oh boy, I thought to myself. After reading more and talking to advocates around the country, it was clear that the public was being bamboozled. Utah was not on the…
News
East of Eden: former pastor Mike Davis ministers to the hundreds of homeless in East Portland
Crouched in the trampled underbrush along the Springwater Corridor, Mike Davis pulls back a loose tent flap to reveal a quietly sobbing woman. “I don’t know what to do, Pastor Mike,” she says, shakily raising an unlit cigarette to her lips. “Can you help?” It’s mid-morning on a Tuesday and the first wave of February…
Feds serve warrant on local payee service
Nearly 1,000 disabled and low-income clients of Safety Net of Oregon are wondering how they will receive disability benefits now that the company is under federal investigation. The nonprofit organization, which provides money-management services to individuals receiving federal disability benefits, was served with a federal search warrant on Thursday March 6. Carla Meredith, resident agent…
Erin Janssens chief of Portland Fire & Rescue talks about the changing role the bureau plays
The word “firefighter” often conjures up images of burly men clad in heat-resistant suits and iconic firefighter hats, wielding axes and pulling people from burning houses and kittens from trees. But in recent decades, fire departments, particularly in urban areas, have taken on additional duties. Now, responders at Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) have taken…
ICE case reveals complexities in local policies
The knocks came early. At around 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 23, Daniel Hernandez Garcia and his girlfriend of five years, Josefina Aguiniga, answered the door of their Southeast Portland home to find two officers. “They told me they were police officers and they were knocking on doors in the neighborhood to make sure everything was…
Cradle to Grave, Ariel Gore returns to Portland
Ariel Gore is as raw and honest in her writing as she is in her life, earning her the moniker of the hippest mama around. But the backstory is a long way from Ozzie and Harriet. Gore, spurred by a resilience born of childhood trauma, dropped out of high school and traveled throughout China and…
For the record Feb 28-March 13, 2014
• Percentage of low-income Oregon families who pay more than half their income on housing: 80 • Percentage of Oregon children living in poverty in 2011: 25 • School children in Oregon who were homeless in 2013: 20,000 • Hours per week a worker earning minimum wage has to work to afford a two-bedroom apartment…
Vendor Profiles
A smile goes a long way toward a better day
When I first meet William, downtown was shuttered by a snowstorm. Despite having slept outside in the cold the night before, William is in a good mood. “Today is a good day,” he says. “Sympathy day.” For William, it seems bad weather makes for better sales; everyone’s temporary discomfort, as they go to and from…
