The skanner., May 30, 2012, Page 15, Image 15

Local News
EDURA
Boxing
c o n t in u e d f r o m p a g e
c o n t in u e d f r o m p a g e 1
th e d ra ft p la n to its w e b s ite a n d s e n t
e m a ils to 1 0 0 0 ‘s ta k e h o ld e rs ,’ a ll th e
p u z z le p ie c e s w e re re a d y to fa ll in to
p la c e . A n d d u rin g th e n e x t m o n th ,
th e y d id .
P o rtla n d S ta te U n iv e rs ity P re s id e n t
W im W ie w e l e x p la in e d h o w o n
O P B ’s T h in k O u t L o u d p r o g r a m ,
M ay 22.
“ T h is h a s n o w b e e n a p p ro v e d b y
fiv e d iffe re n t b o d ie s : T h e P la n n in g
and
S u sta in a b ility
C o m m issio n ,
U rb a n R e n e w a l A d v is o ry C o m m is -
s io n , C o u n ty C o m m is s io n e rs , P o rt-
la n d D e v e lo p m e n t C o m m is s io n a n d
P o rtla n d C ity C o u n c il,” W ie w e l s a id .
“ S o fiv e e le c te d o r a p p o in te d b o d ie s
h a v e d e c id e d th a t, ‘Ye s th is is th e
rig h t in v e s tm e n t… ’”
T h e re w a s o n ly o n e p ro b le m . U n til
J a n u a ry, n o d e ta ils a b o u t th e p la n h a d
b e e n p u b lis h e d . A n d u n til A p ril 6 n o
in v e s tm e n t in th e E d u c a tio n U R A
w ill n e a rly trip le th e s iz e o f th e e x is t-
in g ta x b a s e in th e re g io n fro m $ 6 0 8
m illio n to $ 1 .7 b illio n in 3 2 y e a rs .”
E v e n C o m m is s io n e r F ritz , th e lo n e
v o ic e o n c o u n c il w h o o p p o s e d th e
U R A , lik e s th e id e a .
“ I d o th in k it’s rig h t fo r P o rtla n d ;
it’s ju s t n o t rig h t fo r P o rtla n d a t th is
tim e w h e n th e c ity is s tru g g lin g to
c o v e r its b u d g e t,” F ritz s a y s . “ A n d I
q u e s tio n w h y w e a re d e c id in g to
s p e n d m o n e y o n n e w b u ild in g s w h e n
w e c a n ’t p a y th e c o s ts o f k e e p in g
te a c h e rs a n d s tu d e n ts in th e c la s s -
ro o m s w e h a v e .”
T h e L e a g u e o f W o m e n Vo te rs h a s
v o ic e d a n o th e r o b je c tio n . T h e a re a is
fa r fro m b lig h te d , s o u rb a n re n e w a l is
th e w ro n g to o l fo r th e jo b .
“ W h y d o e s n ’t th e c ity ju s t c o m m it
to h e lp in g P S U b y a llo c a tin g m o n e y
Until January, no details about the plan
had been published and until April 6 no
full draft was available
fu ll d ra ft w a s a v a ila b le . S o m a n y c ity
re s id e n ts w e re ju s t w a k in g u p to th e
id e a th a t a n E d u c a tio n U rb a n R e n e w -
a l A re a w a s m o re th a n a fa n ta s y ite m
o n th e m a y o r ’s w is h lis t.
W h a t ’s a t S t a k e ?
T h e E d u c a tio n U R A is s e t to in v e s t
$ 1 6 9 m illio n in d iv e rte d ta x e s o v e r
2 8 y e a rs . It w ill d e v e lo p 1 4 4 a c re s o f
d o w n to w n p ro p e rty th a t in c lu d e s
P o rtla n d S ta te U n iv e rs ity a n d L in -
c o ln H ig h S c h o o l. T h e c o u n ty w ill
g e t a n e w $ 1 9 m illio n b u ild in g a n d
P o rtla n d P u b lic s c h o o ls w ill g e t $ 11
m illio n to h e lp r e n o v a te L in c o ln
H ig h S c h o o l. A t th e s a m e tim e , lo c a l
g o v e rn m e n ts a n d s c h o o ls w ill lo s e
th o s e U R A ta x e s : th e c ity w ill lo s e
$ 7 0 m illio n , M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty w ill
g iv e u p $ 6 8 m illio n a n d th e s ta te
s c h o o ls fu n d w o u ld lo s e $ 7 5 m illio n .
M a y o r A d a m s s a y s th e s a c rific e is
w o rth it b e c a u s e th e e n tire re g io n w ill
b e n e fit in th e lo n g te rm .
“ T h e U R A fu n d s w ill s tim u la te p ri-
v a te in v e s tm e n t a n d p h ila n th ro p y in
P S U a n d th e re g io n : th is w ill a d d
a d d itio n a l c a p a c ity to th e ta x b a s e in
th e a re a . It is e s tim a te d th a t th is
fro m th e b u d g e t to th e u n iv e rs ity o v e r
th e n e x t 3 0 y e a rs ,” s a y s A io n a . “ W e
a re n o t a rg u in g a g a in s t th e im p o r-
ta n c e o f in v e s tin g in P S U , w e ’re s a y -
in g g iv e n th e im p a c t o n o th e r ta x in g
ju ris d ic tio n s – th e s c h o o ls , th e c o u n -
ty a n d th e c ity – U rb a n R e n e w a l is n o t
th e w a y to d o it.”
T h e L a s t M ile
In J a n u a ry 2 0 1 2 , th e P D C b e g a n to
s h a re a b ro c h u re a b o u t th e E d u c a tio n
U R A w ith d o w n to w n g ro u p s . T h e y
m e t w ith a n e n th u s ia s tic re c e p tio n
fro m th e P o rtla n d B u s in e s s A llia n c e ,
th e p riv a te d e v e lo p m e n t g ro u p
G re a te r P o rtla n d In c ., a n d fro m L in -
c o ln H ig h S c h o o l b o o ste rs, w h o
a lre a d y h a d a m b itio u s p la n s fo r th e
s c h o o l. T h e y m e t w ith re s id e n ts o f
E lio t To w e rs c o n d o m in iu m s , w ith th e
D o w n to w n N e ig h b o rh o o d A s s o c ia -
tio n , th e S o u th o f M a rk e t E c o D is tric t
S te e rin g C o m m itte e a n d th e G o o s e
H o llo w F o o th ills L e a g u e .
Ye t a s la te a s F e b ru a ry 2 0 1 2 , M u lt-
n o m a h C o u n ty C h a ir J e ff C o g e n w a s
te llin g th e P o rtla n d B u s in e s s J o u r-
n a l’s M a tth e w K is h th a t h e h a d n o t
s e e n a p la n a n d h a d p le n ty o f d o u b ts
a b o u t th e p ro je c t.
“ W e h a v e n ’t s e e n th e m a y o r ’s fin a l
P S U p ro p o s a l,” C o g e n to ld K is h .
“ B u t it’s im p o rta n t to re m e m b e r th a t
a n y tim e a n u rb a n re n e w a l a re a g e ts
c re a te d , th e re ’s a n im p a c t o n a lre a d y
fin a n c ia lly s tra p p e d ta x p a y e rs . A n d
th e re ’s a n im p a c t o n th e s e rv ic e s w e
p ro v id e to p e o p le in n e e d — s e n io r
c itiz e n s , p e o p le fa c in g fin a n c ia l h a rd -
s h ip s in v o lv in g th e ir h o m e s , y o u th
p ro g ra m s a n d o th e r c ritic a l s e rv ic e s
th a t a id v u ln e ra b le p o p u la tio n s .”
Te s tim o n y a t th e P D C ’s A p ril 11
p u b lic h e a r in g e c h o e d th e s e c o n -
c e rn s .
W e n d y R a h m , a n E lio t To w e r
b o a rd m e m b e r, s a id th e P D C n e e d e d
to p ro v id e m o re in fo rm a tio n in its
o u tre a c h e ffo rts .
“ I a p p re c ia te d P D C c o m in g to g iv e
th e b rie fin g a t th e E llio t; it’s a b ig
to w e r 2 2 9 u n its : 4 0 0 p e o p le ,” s h e
s a id . “ H o w e v e r I w a s tro u b le d b y th e
fa c t th a t th is b rie fin g w a s u s e d a s a
c h e c k o ff fo r P D C o u tre a c h . M a n y o f
th e 5 6 p e o p le w h o a tte n d e d w e re d is -
m a y e d b y th e la c k o f d e ta il p re s e n t-
e d , a n d b y th e ir q u e s tio n s fo r m o re
sp e c ific d e ta il g o in g e sse n tia lly
u n a n s w e re d . To b e fa ir, I th in k o u r
p re s e n ta tio n w a s e a rly, a n d th e re fo re
m a y b e p e rh a p s p re m a tu re , b u t th e re
w e re a lo t o f c o n c e rn s e x p re s s e d
a b o u t th a t a fte r th e m e e tin g .”
R a h m w a s o n e o f s e v e ra l p e o p le
w h o a s k e d P D C C o m m is s io n e rs to
s lo w d o w n th e d e c is io n . T h e y d id n ’t.
A p u b lic o p e n h o u s e a t P S U o n A p ril
1 7 , c o n c lu d e d th e o u tre a c h p ro c e s s .
O n A p ril 2 4 , th e P la n n in g a n d S u s -
ta in a b ility C o m m itte e a p p ro v e d th e
p la n . M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty C o m m is -
s io n e rs a p p ro v e d th e ir s h a re o f th e
d e a l o n A p ril 2 6 . T h e C e n tra l C ity
U R A E v a lu a tio n C o m m itte e , w h ic h
h a d n o t m e t s in c e la te 2 0 1 0 , w a s
re c o n v e n e d A p ril 2 6 to le a rn a b o u t
th e n e w p la n . T h e y a p p ro v e d it th a t
s a m e d a y.
F o u r d a y s la te r, P D C C o m m is s io n -
e rs s e n t th e p la n to c ity c o u n c il fo r
fin a l a p p ro v a l. T h e c o u n c il to o k p u b -
lic te s tim o n y o n M a y 9 , a n d v o te d th e
U R A in to e x is te n c e o n M a y 1 6 .
To in s id e rs , it w a s th e s u c c e s s fu l
c o n c lu s io n o f y e a rs o f w o rk . To o u t-
s id e rs it w a s a ru s h jo b . A s M a u ric e
S e n d a k m ig h t s a y. “ L e t th e w ild ru m -
p u s b e g in .”
Juan Rogel
“M y coach says I have
g o t a c h a n c e to g o to th e
O ly m p ic s. I’m
r e a d y.
T h e y th in k I ’ m a t th a t
le v e l. S o I w a n t to fin d a n
O ly m p ic m a tc h a n d th e n
N a tio n a l
G u ard
boot
c a m p , w h e re h e is h e a d -
in g in J u n e . H e ’s a c tiv e ly
s e e k in g w o rk a s a p a ra le -
g a l a n d h o p e fu l th a t h e
w ill fin d s o m e th in g s o o n .
‘I just need a chance to
show my professional skills’
if I w in th a t d o a n o th e r. If
I k e e p w in n in g th o se
c o m p e titio n s
I
can
becom e
p art
of
an
O ly m p ic tria l. T h e y s a y I
h a v e a s h o t.”
N e x t u p fo r R o g e l is A ir
“ I h a v e n ’t b e e n fin d in g
a n y th in g a s a p a ra le g a l, s o
I’m o p e n to w o rk in g a s a
re c e p tio n is t o r a n y o ffic e
w o rk ,” h e s a y s . “ I ju s t
n e e d a c h a n c e to s h o w m y
p ro fe s s io n a l s k ills .”
Kidneys
c o n t in u e d f r o m p a g e 1
A fric a n A m e ric a n s h a d 7 6 p e rc e n t lo w e r
o d d s o f o b ta in in g a k id n e y fro m a liv in g
d o n o r. E v e n a t th e fa c ilitie s th a t c a m e c lo s -
e s t to e q u a lity, A fric a n A m e ric a n s w e re s till
3 5 p e rc e n t le s s lik e ly to o b ta in a tra n s p la n t.
T h e re a re m o re th a n 9 2 ,0 0 0 p e o p le w a it-
in g fo r a k id n e y in th e U n ite d S ta te s , a n d
o v e r a th ird o f th o s e a re A fric a n A m e ric a n s .
In 2 0 11 , th e re w e re 5 ,7 7 1 liv in g d o n o r
tra n s p la n ts p e rfo rm e d — th e lo w e s t ra te in
te n y e a rs — b u t o n ly 8 1 3 o f th o s e k id n e y s
w e re re c e iv e d b y A fric a n A m e ric a n s .
N e a l s a y s k id n e y fa ilu re is a t a n e p id e m ic
le v e l in p a rt b e c a u s e it is lin k e d to th e o b e -
s ity e p id e m ic . A n d th e p ro b le m is m a d e
w o rs e b y th e h ig h c o s t o f k id n e y d ia ly s is
a n d tra n s p la n ta tio n – th e o n ly w a y s fo r k id -
n e y p a tie n ts to a v o id o rg a n fa ilu re .
It c o s ts c lo s e to $ 3 5 ,0 0 0 a y e a r fo r th e ty p -
ic a l p e rs o n o n d ia ly s is to o b ta in m e d ic a l
c a re , s h e s a id , a n d a tra n s p la n t c a n c o s t a s
m u c h a s $ 2 5 0 ,0 0 0 .
“ T h e re a re a lo t o f s o c ia l ju s tic e is s u e s in
h e a lth ,” N e a l s a y s . “ It is a tra g e d y to lo s e
p e o p le to is s u e s th a t d o n ’t h a v e to a ffe c t
th e m , it’s a ls o e n o rm o u s ly e x p e n s iv e .”
D r. S e g e v a g re e d th a t th e d is p a ritie s c o u ld
b e e x p la in e d , a t le a s t in p a rt, b y th e e p i-
Kidney failure is at an
epidemic level in part
because it is linked to
the obesity epidemic
d e m ic s o f o b e s ity, h y p e rte n s io n a n d d ia -
b e te s , w h ic h a re lik e ly ru lin g o u t m a n y
p o te n tia l A fric a n A m e ric a n s o rg a n d o n o rs
fro m g iv in g to a frie n d o r fa m ily m e m b e r.
D iffe re n c e s in c u ltu re , e d u c a tio n a n d s o c ia l
a ttitu d e s a s w e ll a s b a rrie rs to m e d ic a l c a re
in g e n e ra l m a y a ls o b e fa c to rs .
“ W e n e e d to fig u re o u t th e k e y s to s u c -
c e s s fu lly re d u c in g d is p a ritie s ,” D r. S e g e v
s a id . “ W h a t is it th a t c e n te rs d o to h e lp th e ir
p a tie n ts id e n tify liv in g d o n o rs ? H o w d o
th e y g e t liv e d o n o rs e v a lu a te d e ffic ie n tly ?
A n d h o w d o th e ir p a tie n ts a d d re s s th e m a n y
b a rrie rs to s u c c e s s fu l liv e d o n o r tra n s p la n -
ta tio n , p a rtic u la rly th o s e fa c e d b y A fric a n
A m e ric a n s ? ”
T h e s ta ff o f M .I.K .E ., w h ic h is b a s e d a t
P ro v id e n c e S t. V in c e n t H o s p ita l, tra v e ls
th ro u g h o u t th e a re a te a c h in g y o u n g p e o p le
h o w to e d u c a te th e ir fa m ilie s a n d c o m m u n i-
tie s o n b e tte r k id n e y h e a lth th ro u g h d ie t a n d
e x e rc is e .
“ T h e M .I.K .E . p ro g ra m re c ru its c o m m u -
n ity m e n to rs w h o w ill w o rk w ith y o u n g
p e o p le o n a w e e k ly b a s is to g u id e th e m
th ro u g h a c u rric u lu m , a n d w e p re p a re p e o -
p le to b e a m b a s s a d o rs fo r h e a lth ,” s h e s a id .
“ T h e w h o le id e a is to s ta rt a rip p le e ffe c t
th ro u g h e d u c a tio n a n d m e n to rs h ip a n d c o m -
m u n ity o u tre a c h .”
“ T h e N a tio n a l K id n e y F o u n d a tio n ’s E N D
T H E W A IT in itia tiv e is fo c u s e d o n re d u c in g
th e w a it fo r tra n s p la n t fo r e v e ry o n e o n th e
w a itin g lis t,” s a id J o s e p h Va s s a lo tti, M D ,
th e N a tio n a l K id n e y F o u n d a tio n ’s c h ie f
m e d ic a l o ffic e r.
“ F irs t, w e m u s t m a k e a n e ffo rt to in c re a s e
liv in g d o n a tio n fo r e v e ry o n e w h o is e lig ib le
fo r k id n e y tra n s p la n ta tio n ,” h e s a id . “ S e c -
o n d , w e h a v e to e x p lo re d iffe re n t w a y s to
re d u c e ra c ia l d is p a ritie s in a c c e s s to liv in g
d o n o r k id n e y tra n s p la n ta tio n .
“ T h ird , w e n e e d to fin d w a y s th a t a m p lify
c o lla b o ra tiv e in te ra c tio n s b e tw e e n p a tie n ts
a n d tra n s p la n t c e n te rs to fin d p o te n tia l liv -
in g d o n o rs ,” Va s s a lo tti s a id . “ A n d fin a lly,
w e h a v e to a d d re s s w h y th e re is s u c h v a ria -
tio n b e tw e e n tra n s p la n t c e n te rs in th e U .S .”
T h e M IK E P ro g ra m h o ld s its a n n u a l b e n -
e fit d in n e r a n d a u c tio n S e p t. 1 4 a t th e M u lt-
n o m a h A th le tic C lu b . F in d o u t m o re a b o u t
th e ir w o rk a t w w w .m ik e p ro g ra m .o rg .
R e a d m o re a b o u t th e N a tio n a l K id n e y
F o u n d a tio n a t w w w .k id n e y.o rg .
M ay 30, 12012
The Portland Skanner
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