Opinion
SR editorial: Measure 103 is not about you or your groceries
In the Sept. 28-Oct. 4 edition of Street Roots, we dived into the pea soup of claims and accusations surrounding Measure 103, a proposal to change Oregon’s Constitution to prohibit any state or local government from enacting a tax, fee or other assessment on any transaction for the sale, purchase, distribution, or transfer of “groceries,” or…
News
Breaking down Measure 103: Fact vs. fiction
Oregon voters will soon decide whether to place a statewide ban on taxing groceries. But what exactly “groceries” are and to what industries this ban would extend are points of debate between Ballot Measure 103’s supporters and opponents. Depending on which side’s doing the talking, this measure is either a corporate giveaway that will apply…
A case study for disaster capitalism: Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico last September, knocking out the electric grid, leaving thousands without shelter and, directly or indirectly, causing the deaths of thousands of people. Recovery has been slow, complicated by infrastructure problems that ultimately were the result of years of neglect and austerity. But recovery has also been complicated by the reluctance…
Culture
A podcast by a Street Roots vendor, about fellow vendors
"I love to network,” said Street Roots vendor Jaison Kirk. “I connect dots, and the dots are people. I bring them together.” Jaison is using his networking skills to produce a monthly podcast in collaboration with KBOO radio. He plans to showcase select Street Roots vendors during his podcast. “It’s going to be an hour…
Jon Langford: Making music in these ‘Trumpy’ times
In 2016, as Donald Trump was emerging as the 45th president of the nation, Mekons co-founder Jon Langford was getting ready to go down to Alabama, where the legendary bassist and producer Norbert Putnam had invited him to make a record. The Welshmen-turned-Chicagoan first met the Muscle Shoals legend at the Country Music Hall of…
Vendor Profiles
A podcast by a Street Roots vendor, about fellow vendors
"I love to network,” said Street Roots vendor Jaison Kirk. “I connect dots, and the dots are people. I bring them together.” Jaison is using his networking skills to produce a monthly podcast in collaboration with KBOO radio. He plans to showcase select Street Roots vendors during his podcast. “It’s going to be an hour…
Housing
A refugee family’s struggle to navigate the bureaucracy of survival
It’s the first of the month, rent is due, and Sarmad Elias’ government benefits haven’t been deposited yet – another instance of paperwork gone wrong, he said. Seror Abdullah, Elias’ wife, bounces their baby in a doughnut-shaped pillow while their older sons, Elias, 11, and Farrah, 9, watch TV. The air conditioning hasn’t worked since…
