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Desire is the root of all suffering, we’re told, but allow us to posit that walking on the grassy shoulder of truck-clogged blacktop has also resulted in its fair share of pain. Certainly, the residents of outer East Portland desire more sidewalks, as they made clear in conversations with our reporters last week (“What East Portland Wants,” WW, July 17). Our sketch of the political makeup of District 1—perhaps more conservative than commonly realized, certainly less patient with the homeless camp next door—generated plenty of conversation. Here’s what our readers had to say:
photoboothchick, via Instagram: “We just want you to repave the streets. That’s all. Seriously.”
TurtlesAreEvil, via Reddit: “Pretty melodramatic article. I grew up in East Portland and half my family has lived there for 80+ years in Parkrose where this guy lives. That neighborhood is pretty chill.
“Then again I’ve been listening to people tell me about the dangers of East Portland all my life, and despite living in Rockwood in the early 2000s right next to the ‘crime train’ and along 82nd now, I’ve got to say it doesn’t live up to the hype.
“Traffic is the scariest thing in East Portland and the most likely way you’ll be injured or killed.”
@cubedreamer, via Twitter: “This piece is clear: There is a direct correlation between those who are victims of crime and their desire for safer, better law enforcement. We’re not so much conservative as we are trying to stay alive out here in E. Portland.”
Damaniel2, via Reddit: “As someone who lived in District 1 for nearly 20 years, I saw firsthand how the city used that part of town as a dumping ground for their perceived undesirables; the people who didn’t fit their progressive image. That turned a neglected group of neighborhoods into crime-filled, homeless-filled ones, full of people held hostage by the problems that the city intentionally created in order to make their higher-income progressives closer in feel more safe and disconnected from the problems that affect the city as a whole.
“I’m hoping that a louder voice from a far more tough on crime District 1 (a district that became tough on crime through the actions of the rest of the city) will be the catalyst for more meaningful reform. Their council members will probably have an uphill battle, having to fight back against the other districts’ council members (who have maintaining the status quo as their top agenda), but they deserve to at least have a say.”
fisch, via Twitter: “If you’re a progressive D1 candidate, a good thing to talk about to constituents concerned about homelessness is that right now official city policy is to use sweeps and camping bans to export homeless people from the wealthy central city to East Portland.”
7 Bad Words, via wweek.com: “‘If East Portland’s new representatives prove competent, they could bring real change when they take office in January.’ That might be the most optimistic ‘if’ hypothesis I’ve ever seen. Eastside needs and deserves better representation and leadership. But this ranked-choice voting experiment is no different than the Measure 110 and Mike Schmidt experiments. It will take about 2 years to see the truly devastating effects of this Hunger Games contest of city governance.”
SpeakingDaTruth, in response: “May the odds be ever in your favor. If we ever do go full Hunger Games, though, I like District 1′s chances. People are freakin’ crazy out here, and we know they’re armed.”
NO RAISES WITHOUT RESULTS
Excellent article on East Portland [”What East Portland Wants,” July 17]. As an East Portland resident for over 20 years, the article did a great job of explaining the thoughts and feelings of those Portlanders. City Council and their cronies could care less about East Portland. It’s time to hold the council accountable. This starts with the upcoming election, and I would propose City Council no longer accepts any kind of pay increases until things begin to improve. The only way for change is to hit them in the pocketbook.
Doug Clove
Candidate, City Council District 1
CORRECTION Last week’s cover story incorrectly identified the commission that numbered the City Council districts. It was the Independent District Commission, not the Portland Charter Commission. WW regrets the error.
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