Portland Taxpayers: This is What Tyranny Looks Like

Grab the smelling salts, I think I'm getting a case of the vapors. I actually believe I saw signs of life at the Portland City Council yesterday. Aging hippies, salt and pepper haired women wearing their Tina Fey 'smart girl' glasses, crotchety veterans, conservative talk show hosts (me) (hear my testimony here) and young hipster parents came together to say the same thing: Don't raise our water, sewer and garbage rates, you people spend too much as it is!




You'd think with all those different factions testifying in front of the Rainbow City Council yesterday with the same message that Sam Adams and the rest would listen, but the Portland City Council didn't. They passed fee increases for garbage and sewer yesterday. Another huge water rate increase will come next.

This is how tax rebellions are born.

Will Portlanders take the hint and tell them in stronger terms to stop the profligate spending?  Here's where your money is going and none of these is a core function of the city:

• More bike paths
• Bioswales
• Water Houses
• Rose Festival Building Subsidy
• School gifts 
• Unnecessary Occupy Portland police overtime
• Urban Renewal Schemes

This is just a back of the envelope list. Imagine what we'd find if we went into their actual budget documents.