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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2015)
Street Roots « March 6-12, 2015 Page 3 Editorial Wrtteh If you would like to have something that you’ve written published in our pages, or would lib to get involved as a member of our reporting staff, contact Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl at 503-228-5657, joanne@streetroots.org. We ask that all submissions indude the author’s name and contact information, . if available. Street Roots 211 NW Davis St Portland, OR 97209 503-228-5657 ■ i l l Fax:503-227-3117 www.streetroots.org www.news.streetroots.org Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 7:30 • a.m.-2 p.m., Sat, and 7:30-11 a.m. Sun. Staff Executive Director Israel Bayer Managing Editor JoanneZuhl joanneteeetroots.org Vendor Coordinator Cote Merkel cote® streetroots.org Fare is fair, but this level of penalty is foul Metropolitan Public Defenders. riMet - our region’s flagship public How does that happen? Confusion for one: transportation system - provides an Confusion around the start and stop dates for esssential service in our community. In and riders have reported that being addition to its assets to the whole of Portland, exclusions, it is even more so a lifeline for people who have part of the problem. And yes, no doubt some people knowingly getback on transit, despite ail no vehicle of their own; who work one or more exclusion. They take the risk of getting caught jobs to stay afloat: People who have low or even because for some it’s the only way to, get to no incomes. work, to school, or to connect with vital There are always critics services. ' . . to any institution, Regardless of the reasons, simply violating an particularly one that exclusion does not merit a Class A intersects with so many misdemeanor. That’s oppressive when compared lives and is so depended to the offense, and even more egregious when upon as transportation. But on the whole, the compared to the need. Attorneys who represent Portland metro area is fortunate to have such a these cases report that many of their clients are reliable comprehensive system as TriMet. homeless or mentally ill. And the heavy-handed So when we talk about changing the penalties charge can tarnish a record, jeopardizing work around violations to people who are excluded, and housing options. It’s hard enough already. let’s first clarify what we’re not talking about. So we support the effort by Rep. Lew This isn’t about easing up on people paying Frederick to modify the state law removing the their fare when riding TriMet. It s TriMet s criminal act of unlawfully entering or remaining authority to require that people pay for the in or, on a public transit vehicle or station. This services provided. It also has the right to keep still leaves plenty of leeway for authorities to its vehicles safe, and to remove people causing remove people who are actually interferring problems and interfering with a vehicle’s with service, or engaging in disorderly conduct. operation. Frederick calls it out: IPTs are an example of But current law extends too far. The penalty regulations used to disproportionately target for the charge of “interfering with public . low-income people, immigrants and people of transportation,” or IPT, is a Class A color. misdemeanor - the most serious class in line In addition to removing the punitive with drunk driving and minor assaults. A Class nonsense, changing the law might also help A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year release some of the pressure on our in prison. overburdened court system that is buried under The sound of the offense is much different a mass of misdemeanors, bench warrants and than how it’s applied, according to some public constant process. That’s something we all pay defenders in Multnomah County. “The for- . / r overwhelming majority of IPT cases arefor It’s time we restore a little common seftse to re-entry onto a bus or MAX tram or platform both ends of the process, and Rep. Frederick’s after previously being excluded. It is very rare modest proposal will help. We hope fellow to see someone charged with this crime for legislators support the proposal. Not all lines actually interfering with the vehicle or stopping have to lead to the courts. the vehicle,” says Chris O’Connor with ■ Operations Director Sarah Beecroft Program Assistant Grace Badik, Jesuit Volunteer, grace®streetroots;org Development Director Sarah Cloud Development Assistant Ann-Derrick Gaillot Reporters Emily Green, Sue Zafokar, Christen McCurdy, Sarah Hansell, Sam Bouman, Jacques Von Lunen Photographers Diego Diaz, Kristina W right Canvasser Desmond Hardison Board of Directors Chairman Bruce Anderson Vice-Chairman Brad Taylor Treasurer Heather Stad ick Secretary Amber Bielman Directors Etch Rodgers, Michael Anderson, Leo Rhodes, Nora Coon, Darren Alexander, Eddie Barbosa, Rachel Langford Volunteers Jan Bayer, Rob Shyrock, Stacey Heath, John Barker, Sarah Hansell, Jade Maniscalo, Sam Bouman, Eliese Baker, Tom Ray, Lee Ko, Aaron Von Reyn, Cherie Vedal, Jessie Carver, James Yu, Melissa Kahn, Lisa Waldo, Susannah Kamafa, Monica Kwasnik, Doug Spangle If you are interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application atstreetroots.org/volunteer. Or call Volunteer Coordinator. Grace Badik for more information at 503-228-5657. u
