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street roots
Feb. 17, 2012
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Filling a small void in a very big way
F
TriMet cuts short-sighted
compared to the impact
ive-dollar fares. No free rail zone. Reduced lift services
for people living with disabilities. Less frequent
services for specific bus and train lines. TriMet and the
region are in a world of hurt.
It’s hard to believe that it has come to this, after knowing
for years that without major overhauls the system would be
overwhelmed.
According to OPAL, a grassroots nonprofit advocating for
environmental and social justice, “Faulty analysis is now being
used to justify the current proposal to eliminate round-trip
transfers, all to save at most $3 million dollars.”
In addition, TriMet is proposing to eliminate the Free Rail
Zone to save $2.7 million, and cut back on the lift service to
save $400,000. Combined,
these cuts equal less than
2 percent of TriMet’s
TriMet must find a way to
annual budget.
leverage its current and
What isn’t reflected in
future projects with
these numbers is the
government and private
negative impact ending the
partners in a way that
doesn't ride on the backs of Free Rail Zone will have on
business and tourism by
the people who require
not offering visitors and
access to public
consumers the ability to
transportation.
travel unencumbered in the
downtown zone. There is a
free flow of personal commerce coarsing through the Free
Rail Zone that will be stifled by new charges for access to the
restaurants and shopping in the city’s core. An extra $5 to go
to lunch in Chinatown? No thanks.
And compared to the savings, these cuts will
disproportionately hurt people experiencing poverty, whose
budgets are not expanding with the times but actually
contracting. There is no spare change among these riders, for
whom public transit isn’t a “choice”, but the only way to reach
their job, their family and their basic needs.
Cutting back on the lift service for people living with a
disability in a time when services are being cut both locally
and nationally shouldn’t even be on the table. In fact, none of
these cuts should be on the table. They’re short-sighted, and
cut the cord for many riders who are making the choice to
ride rather than drive, only now the financial benefit is
reaching a tipping point.
TriMet must find a way to leverage its current and future
projects with government and private partners in a way that
doesn’t ride on the backs of the people who require access to
public transportation.
Having the union be so stubborn concerning their health
care benefit package and costs doesn’t help either. Don’t get
us wrong, we’re as pro-labor as it gets, but people without any
income, insurance or living with a disability shouldn’t be on
the hook to pay for anyone’s co-payments. It may not be the
popular thing to say, but it’s true and something has to give.
This isn’t scapegoating the union, or giving a free pass to
TriMet officials to blame workers’ requests when the going
gets tough. The emphasis is on working together, and finding
a balance.
We’re proud of Portland’s transportation system. We’re
proud of the many different modes of transportation that are
offered. We believe in creating new projects like the new
orange line being built that will create jobs, spur new small
businesses and offer riders a new mode of transportation. But
we have to strike a balance that doesn’t pit services against
the very people who rely on them and want to support them.
We’re here for TriMet, but it has to be there for us, too
more than a decade, I can honestly say that
or those of you new to Street Roots,
the biggest win I’ve witnessed over the years
welcome. The newspaper and vendor
is the self-worth people get from selling the
program are an essential part of
newspaper. We all need love.
Portland culture, not to mention a lifeline for
Instead of being the nameless figure on a
more than 75
street corner asking for money, people in the
individuals at any one
community begin to know vendors by name.
time. Individuals
Individuals selling the newspaper are
selling the newspaper
DIRECTOR'!
removed from the skids, if only for a few brief
purchase it for 25
DESK
hours, to become part of the community in a
cents and sell the
healthy way.
publication for $1 in
B y Israel Bayer
Readers begin to recognize that Joe or
the community.
Mary love to fish or knit, maybe they can
“I can’t tell you how
swing a hammer; possibly they love baseball
important being able
or literature. People selling the newspaper
to sell the newspaper
begin to understand that there’s a world
is,” Jeffrey McCall, a vendor who sells on SE
outside of the grind of surviving every day on
39th and Belmont told me this week. “I use
the streets. Hope, love and community are all
the money to literally survive day-in and day-
built. Plus, readers are then rewarded with a
out while I get on my feet. Without the love
publication that is real, relevant and
and support from my customers and being
constantly working to provide Portland with a
able to be engaged, I don’t know what I
community newspaper that is informative and
would do.”
Jeffrey’s story isn’t a new story. Thousands has heart.
We see these transformations each day,
of people live and survive outside in Portland
and week at Street Roots, and we sincerely
each day. Street Roots fills a small void in
thank you for your support of the newspaper
people’s lives, both economically and
and organization. Without your readership,
emotionally and Street Roots offers a
none of this is possible. If you’re just coming
dignified arena for people who have nowhere
on board as a new reader and supporter,
else to turn. It gives people the opportunity
again, welcome. If you’re a long-time
to build community and to make money —
supporter, thank you and keep coming back!
something each of us can appreciate.
Working with people on the streets for
F
Israel Bayer is the
executive director o f
Street Roots. You can
reach him a t israel@
streetroots.org
Suicide a public health issue, not a police issue
t’s not a crime to be sad, fearful,
frightened or depressed. It’s not a crime
to have suicidal thoughts, actually it’s
quite common for persons with active
mental illness. But when the response to
1,200-plus persons who call for help with
suicidal thoughts is to send the police, that
is effectively criminalizing mental illness.
Mental illness is a public health issue,
not a public safety issue. The police want to
be part of the solution, but they are not
suited to be an entire response to the
problem.
What is missing are robust, welcoming
and engaging community mental health and
addiction services. They’re missing because
leadership from the state legislature, from
cities and counties all over the state don’t
demand them, and they’re missing from
decades of financial cuts. That a large
number of people are both ill and estranged
from services is no surprise — it is the
default plan.
Our suggestion for persons with mental
illness, and friends and family members, is
to prepare for crisis by getting the best help
I
WHAT DO
YOU THINK?
available, follow a plan of recovery, and only
call the police when a person is dangerous
to others. Note: research shows very few
suicidal persons harm othersr
Our suggestion for the city is to divert
calls from persons who are actively suicidal
to the Multnomah County Crisis Line, 503-
988-5464. Again, suicide is a public health
issue not a police issue.
Our suggestion for the county is it should
do a better job of promoting its crisis hot
line telephone number, and to fund and
build robust, welcoming and engaging
community mental health and addiction
services. That would make the difference.
Our comment for the police: thank you
for acknowledging this problem and
stepping forward as part of the solution, but
you need the missing parts of the mental
health system to be funded, led and
managed by others.
Our comment for the general public is
that if you want this to change, demand it
from your political leadership.
MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
Portland
Send letters to the editor to the Street Roots
office, 211 NW Davis St., Portland, OR 97209, or
e-mail to joanne@streetroots.org.
Ken Hawkins, Nora Coon.
Volunteers
donations and in-kind contributions.
Christine Gadeholt, Mary Pacios, Leo Rhodes, Jan
Bayer, Eliese Baker, Sue Zalokar, Tave Drake,
Michael Moore, Malka Davis, Robert Britt, Una
Zakas
Street Roots Rose City Resource
Street Roots
211 NW Davis St.
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax: 503-227-3117
www.streetroots.org
www.streetroots.wordpress.com
Street Roots publishes the Rose City Resource, a
comprehensive booklet of services for people
experiencing homelessness and poverty.
To inquire about getting an order of the Rose City
Resource for distribution, please write to
pdxrosecityresource@gmail.com. Resources are also
available online at www.rosecityresource.org.
goes directly to the vendor
who sold you the paper
Vendor orientations are at 1 p.m. every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday at the Street Roots office