14 CapitalPress.com
October 21, 2016
Longshoremen oppose defunct subsidy program
Port of Portland’s program sought to preserve container shipping
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
The longshoremen’s union
is asking a federal appeals
court to shut down a subsidy
program at the Port of Port-
land that’s already effectively
defunct.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court
of Appeals recently heard
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oral arguments in the dispute,
which pits the International
Longshore and Warehouse
Union against a program that
paid ocean carriers to visit the
Port of Portland’s container
terminal.
ILWU argues that the port
used taxpayer dollars to bene-
it a private corporation, which
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violates Oregon’s constitution.
However, the subsidy pro-
gram is non-operational be-
cause ocean carriers stopped
calling at the Terminal 6 last
year, citing work slowdowns
by the longshoremen.
The facility’s shutdown
is a hardship for agricultur-
al exporters who must now
ship crops to Asia from more
distant ports, increasing their
transportation costs.
Andrew Ziaja, attorney for
ILWU, told the 9th Circuit
that a federal judge incorrectly
ruled that the subsidies were
constitutional because the
money was drawn from rent
paid by ICTSI Oregon, the ter-
minal operator.
“The port commingled its
tax revenue and its commer-
cial revenue in the same fund
and in the same bank account,”
he said during oral arguments
on Oct. 3. “It’s not possible to
distinguish tax revenue from
commercial revenue when
looking at a commingled fund
or a commingled bank ac-
Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
A container stacker operated by a longshoreman works at the Port
of Portland’s container terminal in this Capital Press ile photo. The
container terminal has stopped operating but the longshoremen’s
union still opposes a subsidy program that attracted ocean carriers
to the facility.
count.”
Randy Foster, attorney for
the Port of Portland, said the
agency used “suspenders, belt
and superglue” accounting
methods to keep the rent reve-
nues separate from tax dollars.
“The port knows through
its accounting systems where
the tax revenues are and how
they are used,” he said.
Just because a tax dollar is
in the same bank account as
commercial funds “does not
infect those and prevent me
from using those in the fu-
ture,” Foster said, saying the
ILWU’s theory “deies modern
accounting and iscal manage-
ment techniques.”
It’s unclear exactly what
the longshoremen’s union
would have to gain from a fa-
vorable ruling by the 9th Cir-
cuit. Not only is the subsidy
program non-operational, but
it attracted container trafic to
the port that kept ILWU mem-
bers employed.
Representatives and attor-
neys of the ILWU did not re-
spond to requests for comment
by Capital Press.
The ongoing litigation is
likely an example of the “long-
shore mentality” of biting into
something and not letting go,
said Jim Tessier, a longshore
labor consultant and former
employee of the Paciic Mar-
itime Association, which rep-
resents terminal operators.
“They operate on a lot of
emotion,” Tessier said. “They
don’t like losing and nobody
tells them what to do.”
Melanie Mesaros, a spokes-
woman for the port, said the
Port of Portland is defending
the subsidies because it hopes
that ocean carriers will return
to the container facility.
“We are committed to re-
storing container service at
Terminal 6,” she said.
Mesaros also noted that
litigation over the subsidy
program is just one lawsuit
in roughly a dozen iled be-
tween the longshoremen’s
union, the port and the termi-
nal operator.
During October, Real Men Wear Pink
in Support of American Cancer Society
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
Men from across community raise awareness and funds in the fight to end breast cancer
In its inaugural year in
Portland, 20 prominent area
men will take a stand
against breast cancer by
supporting the American
Cancer Society Making
Strides Against Breast
Cancer of Portland through
participation in the Real
Men Wear Pink campaign.
Throughout the month of
October, Real Men Wear
Pink candidates will encourage women in their
lives and in the community to take action in the
fight against breast cancer.
“In addition to wearing pink and raising
awareness about breast cancer issues, these
men will be raising funds to help the American
Cancer Society save more lives from breast
cancer,” said Neah Jackson, Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer Event Manager for the
American Cancer Society. “Funds raised allow
the Society to be there for those touched by
breast cancer, from research to education,
prevention to diagnosis, and treatment to
recovery, the Society provides support to
everyone impacted by the disease. Every action
we take moves us one step closer to a world
free from the pain and suffering caused by
breast cancer.”
Each Real Men Wear Pink candidate is charged
with a fundraising challenge and will compete
to be the top fundraiser among the other
candidates by the end of the campaign.
University of Oregon; Tyler
Thomas, Coulter Printing;
Will Roth, SW Office Supply
“No one should have to face a breast cancer
diagnosis alone,” said Dave Rogers. “That’s why
I joined the American Cancer Society in support
of their lifesaving work by becoming a
candidate in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign.
This is a cause I personally believe in, and as a
candidate, I’m committed to raising awareness
and funds for the Society’s Making Strides
Against Breast Cancer efforts.”
The 2016 Real Men Wear Pink candidates are:
Billy Van Dahm, Orangewood RV Center; Brian
Wood, KATU News This Morning; Connor
Laubenstein, Veracity; Dan Buckley, Horizon Air;
Danny Dwyer, Alpha Media/98.7 The Bull; Dave
Rogers, American Cancer Society; Dave Sullivan,
Perkins and Company; Davontra Ford, Dynasty
Ford Cheer/Portland State Cheerleading;
Huggie, Alpha Media/Live 95.5; Jacob Newberry,
CutCo; Keith Fuller, Fred Meyer Jewelers; Dr. Kris
Dozier, Kaiser; Lars Ostlind, Boeing; Mark
Clifford, Portland Public Schools; Peter Engel,
Fred Meyer Jewelers; Ron Benfield, PeaceHealth;
Sean Kollman, OHSU/Blazers Stunt Team; Terry
Shanley, Pavillion Construction; Troy Elias,
Real Men candidates were
either nominated by close
friends, family or
colleagues, or volunteered
in support of the cause.
Fundraising for the
campaign began October 1,
and each Real Man is tasked
with raising a minimum of
$2,500, which will help the Society continue to
provide life-saving programs and services in
the community. It’s not too late to support the
Real Men Wear Pink challenge – log onto
MakingStridesWalk.org/RealMenPortlandMetro.
According to the American Cancer Society
Cancer Facts & Figures 2016, an estimated
246,660 women in the United States will be
diagnosed with breast cancer and an
estimated 40,450 will die from the disease this
year. In Oregon, 3,430 women will be
diagnosed this year and 500 will die from the
disease. Breast cancer is the second leading
cause of cancer death in women, and it is the
most common cancer diagnosed in women
other than skin cancer.
“Our community can make a huge impact in
the fight against breast cancer,” said Neah
Jackson, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
event manager. “We are grateful to our Real
Men Wear Pink participants for lending their
voices to our cause and fighting for everyone
touched by breast cancer.”
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For more information about breast cancer or the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Portland, visit MakingStridesWalk.org/PortlandOR or call 800-227-2345.