CHINA BLOG: Keeping Direct Passenger and Cargo Air Connections

"increase visitor marketing to China and Asia and the world and see Portland on the ground through the eyes of the potential visitor"

That's code for blowing $250M on a convention center hotel and $75M on PGE Park.

There are dozens of things that can come out of a trip to China or any other country for that matter:

Chinese tourists are swarming across the globe with pockets full of cash -- they are more and more interested in the natural, unspoiled place of the planet eg NW USA -- this reflects the destruction of their own unspoiled places ...

which leads to number 2: cities across China are now looking to green, organic and sustainable development options. This has come down as a mandate from the central government and has been enthusiastically promoted by the Olympics. Cities like Kunming, Qingdao, Chengdu, Hangzhou etc etc are all looking abroad for partnerships in this industry *green* because they lack the experience and know-how

Chinese banks are flush with cash and are tightening their flows in China, which has led to a rush to invest abroad. China has enjoyed billions in FDI over the past 20 years -- maybe now its *our* turn to benefit from outside investment.

Portland is a culturally dynamic city and the young Chinese are starving for more input from abroad AND for forums to let their voices be heard -- this might not be a purely economic endeavor, but it is a bond across oceans. And it might be interesting to note that China just recently surpassed France in number of art auctions held and amount of capital generated ...

Trips to China or Country X are vital for growing, vibrant towns like Portland because it helps local small businesses diversify, encourages investment, increases social, political and cultural links and helps people across vast spaces realize common dreams, such as the huge 13sqm "Sustainable Green Park and Leisure Village" in south Chengdu that would trip over itself to partner up with a like-minded Oregonian ...

Sam Adams wrote: "Do we use the limited transportation resources on hand to better maintain the streets and bridges that already we have in the region; or, do we use our transportation resources to build news streets and roads"

It's interesting that this is said, because Mr. Adams has repeatedly dodged my concerns over the state of the bus system here in Portland.

So, with limited transportation resources on hand, do we:

1. Build more expensive-to-build Streetcar lines which serve little transportation need, and exist primarily to subsidize developers,

2. Build expensive MAX lines which exist specifically to funnel people in and out of the suburbs (case in point, Orenco Station, a development which 15 years ago was prime farmland),

3. Revitalize our existing bus system with new, friendly, easy to use, comfortable, modern busses, along with investments in bus stops?

We already have a transportation infrastructure of bus lines. Certainly, some of those lines might be worthy for "upgrading" to a Streetcar line. Others could simply use more capacity in the form of clean, hybrid-electric or trolleybus vehicles, potentially looking at articulated or double-deck vehicles. And some simply need newer vehicles of the same type.

We already have bus routes where City of Portland residents wait for the bus on the side of a street without any sidewalks or shoulders. Ride the 43, 44, or 45 lines some time, Mr. Adams, and you'll see the "quality" bus stops that many Southwest Portland residents use each and every day. Come ride the 12 line with me and make sure you bring your running shoes for the sprint across Barbur Boulevard. Or the 54/56/92 line downtown where while there are two gold-plated Streetcar stops within one block of the bus stop, the bus stop is dirt (hope it doesn't rain!)

It's nice that you went to China to drum up business, but we need business right here in Oregon. We need investment right here in Oregon. I'd happily forgo half of PDX (and its carbon emissions) in favor of better connections right here in town. It shouldn't be harder for me to get from Southwest Portland to Northeast Portland (15 miles), than to get from Portland to China (thousands of miles). But it seems that the attention given by your office is that of apathy towards the common Portland bus rider. Are we not good enough for your Pearl District lifestyle? Are we not trendy or hip enough? Are we not "Portland" enough for you?

I seem to recall that your campaign slogan was "because Portland belongs to all of us". Portland belongs to me too. Unfortunately I do not have the financial ability to live in the Pearl District so I live in Southwest Portland. And I choose to make my environmental impact by riding the bus. I would hope that the City of Portland would take the time to understand the transportation needs of all of us, and include substantial investment in our bus system. The argument that "Portland isn't TriMet" doesn't fly - Portland runs the Streetcar system, so Portland can very well invest in transit for the rest of us. MAX doesn't go everywhere.

However, as much as I can do to inform City Hall of the plight of thousands of Portland residents and commuters, I will rest knowing that these comments are systematically ignored because it isn't the will of those who want to invest millions of our dollars into another Streetcar line, while ignoring those who live outside the range of the Streetcar. It's no problem to take our taxdollars but to give it back is a huge questionmark. The Streetcar neighborhoods weren't asked to create a "halo LID" or told that there isn't enough money for sidewalks, despite having paid into property tax accounts for decades. We don't need massive "urban density" developments, "mixed-use developments", or whatever buzzword that is en vogue. We just want to get to and from work, to and from our homes, and to and from the things we need to do. Unfortunately, the message that comes loud and clear from the City of Portland is:

"You better own a car. Maybe two or three. Consider a Hummer, because some of your roads are impassible by regular cars."