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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2011)
opinion Saltzman: Why Single Out Equity? “Challenging people to Shape a Better future Now” B ERNIE f oStER Founder/Publisher B oBBIE D oRE f oStER executive editor t ED B ANkS advertising Manager J ERRY f oStER account executive l ISA l ovINg news editor h ElEN S IlvIS Multimedia D AvID k IDD graphic Designer m oNICA J. f oStER Seattle office Coordinator J ulIE k EEfE S uSAN f RIED Photographers The Skanner Newspaper, established in October 1975, is a weekly publica- tion, published each Wednesday by IMM Publications Inc., 415 N. Killingsworth St., P.O. Box 5455, Portland, OR 97228. Telephone (503) 285-5555. E-mail: info@theskanner.com World Wide Web site: http://www.theskanner.com Fax: (503) 285-2900 the Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Association and West Coast Black Pub - lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of the Skanner. We are not re - spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. © 2011 the Skanner. ALL RIGHTS RE SERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION PROHIBITED. R I e: Saltzman Has Stern Words for New Equity Office: ‘I'll Be Watching Very Closely.’ ’m pleased, in fact, excited really, that our long-serving City Commissioner Saltzman, has now declared that he’s going to ‘watch very closely’ the expen- ditures from city coffers. It’s about time, and too bad, only occurred on Sept. 21, at the Portland City Council’s historic vote on equity. I direct a social justice founda- tion that has been watching and supporting Oregonians working at the grassroots level, that move community justice issues to the forefront, that develop and enhance the youth and adult leadership in communities of color; that work for racial and economic justice, promoting environmental health, and seeking peace, not war. As a result, MRG Foundation has awarded $12 million in funding over 35 years, so we know a lot about watching and listening; that’s how we all learn from the people and communities that are speak- ing. So, my concern when I heard Commissioner Saltzman suddenly remind us that he’s watching was, what had he been doing the other times? My problem wasn’t as much with his stern facade and state- ments, although I, too, found it interestingly-timed, and conde- scending. No, I was struck by the fact that he’d apparently just arrived at this position of watch- fulness. If watching closely and g uESt C olumN Sharon Gary-Smith expecting results is his mantra, what happened to that attention, while listening to the request for tens of millions of dollars for a new, world class Sustainability Center? That’s the presentation that proceeded — and ran one-half hour overtime into the time-cer- tain OEHR vote. Perhaps he was lulled because that presentation - and presenters - looked so familiar; primarily European men in suits, including PSU’s President; and an Intel I was interested at his challenging tones, the rebuke he chose to center on proponents of the Office of Equity & Human Relations executive, a PCC woman adminis- trator, among others. They were big on rhetoric and ‘hopefulness’ about how their proposed Sustainability Center would pro- mote ‘social equity’ and ‘accessi- bility.’ They had aspirations of higher diversity numbers among vendors and contractors than have been achieved; they were not so clear when pressed to explain how the city’s 50 percent contribution would only yield 25 percent own- ership. They were not so surprising in their lack of specifics about that; or when they offered only poten- tial scenarios about how those high square footage costs would attract diverse ‘space owners’ or increased City ownership over 30 years. Hmm, Commissioner, now developers, and to professional sports, would be called to consider all of us. Maybe Saltzman wasn’t aware that a city that’s repeatedly overspent on expensive private ventures -- including an expensive What happened to that attention while listening to the request for tens of millions of dollars for a new, world class Sustainability Center? that appears to be a place for watchfulness. Even when his col- league, Commissioner Nick Fish, raised questions about the projects potential for intergenerational debt and the possibility of 30 years of not knowing whether the payoff would be as sweet as the sell, Saltzman merely smiled in his familiar way. So, I was interested at his chal- lenging tones, the rebuke he chose to center on proponents of the Office of Equity & Human Relations, including his colleagues on the Council. Perhaps he hadn’t imagined that many Portlanders believed it was time that a city that has repeatedly danced to private ‘train’ from OHSU’s South Waterfront up to Pill Hill -- could be challenged to put $1 million dollars (only one year guaranteed) toward ensuring equity in all serv- ices and departments. Maybe he didn’t imagine there was a real need to centralize processes, procedures and prac- tices, and pay attention to ensuring the development, management, monitoring and measurement of openness, accessibility, equity and opportunity for all, not just the tra- ditional beneficiaries. My momma used to remind us that ‘when you point a finger at others, you’re pointing three at yourself.’ We’re all watching, Commissioner. What do you think? post your comment on articles in The Skanner News at www.theskanner.com Caldwell’s, Hennessey, Goetsch & McGee Funeral Home Von D. Bailey Funeral Director 20 NE 14th Avenue Portland, OR 97232 503-232-4111 Fax 503-231-1586 von.bailey@sci-us.com Now read The Skanner News on your Android or iPhone at TheSkannerMobile.com page 4 The Portland Skanner September 28, 2011
