Optimistic thoughts before the election – BikePortland

I enjoyed reading every single one of Jonathan's comments Let's talk politics Post. BikePortland is truly blessed with an informed readership that enjoys following local issues. This is a rarity. Most people don't pay attention to city government or politics.

Many people are worried about tomorrow's election, but one commenter took time to reflect on how our new voting system has changed this election season for her. Paige even took a paragraph to express a little appreciation for Jonathan.

Here's what she had to say:

It was probably the novelty of ranked voting, but I have to admit I enjoyed learning more about all the candidates. I usually avoid talking politics with people I don't know well, but I enjoyed hearing from everyone's favorite mayoral and city council candidates. I think there was a mostly good selection in each district. I focused on evaluating candidates who regularly cycle around the city. Fingers crossed!

So I'm optimistic at the city level. I hope, I hope that the new district commissioners can either overrule the JVP or force them to act. If there's one thing that irritates me the most, it's a politician who talks big and then keeps stalling without actually getting anything done or even trying. It has passed preschool for all, but is not covered by the largest child care providers. She didn't spend millions of dollars in tax revenue on homelessness because she didn't want to have recurring expenses for a while… It would just be nice if the county could be a more decisive player vis-à-vis the city next time. Please spend the money!! Literally try something other than just letting people rot in the streets!

Finally, thank you for your coverage of this election cycle, Jonathan. I was initially skeptical of Keith Wilson, but put him first on my ballot, thanks largely to your early coverage of his campaign. And I want to sow a little chaos by saying that I appreciate you labeling the candidates' policies. I found it helpful to categorize them so I knew who to put more energy into researching. It's fine if people want to opt out of labels/categories, but I still find them useful.

Thanks, Paige! The number of comments on the “Politics” post is still increasing. Stop by if you want a snapshot of what your neighbors think.