Editorial writers, Columnists, Reporters, Political endorsers - contributors - supporters, Voters and HAP Watchers: TAKE NOTE

Honesty and straightforwardness are two of the most important elements in judging any political candidate. Liars and dissemblers cannot be trusted by anyone.

Nick Fish, HAP VP and candidate for public office has failed his first candor test. You be the judge.

Fish Swims Away From Renee Mitchell's Hook

On November 3, 2003, Oregonian columnist Renee Mitchell wrote the following:

Fish says he agrees with Ellmyer's philosophical point. But he would like to see all the housing-related agencies -- including the Portland Development Commission -- contribute their information to a neighborhood-based map, too. "As a matter of policy," Fish says, "I think it makes perfect sense." *

If the readers of Mitchell's column got the impression that HAP VP and candidate for Portland city council, Nick Fish, was actually supporting neighborhood map based accounting of public housing clients then they would be seriously mistaken. What Fish told Mitchell is not what he believes nor what he has acted upon. Some people, like Al Franken author of Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them , A Fair And Balanced Look At The Right, would call what Nick Fish told Renee Mithcell a lie. And he would be right.

When asked on December 2nd** and again on the 8th*** questions that would logically follow from just about anybody's interpretation of Fish's interview with Mithchell:

1. Did you, Nick Fish, make a motion at the HAP board meeting on November
18th to create neighborhood map based accounting?
2. Did you, Nick Fish send letters or emails to the city of Portland or
the Portland Development Commission requesting their creation of
neighborhood map based accounting for low-income public housing
clients?

Fish responded with a definite NO.

Fish said he was, "in the process of exploring whether BHCD [Portland's housing bureau] can create a neighborhood-based map of affordable housing. I do not believe this is HAP's responsibility. You have raised a city-wide issue."****

I never asked about "affordable housing" I asked about low-income public housing. There is a difference. Maybe Nick missed the HAP board meeting during new member orientation four years ago when that subject was discussed.

I have been hauling around to public meetings a very large neighborhood map of HAP's Multnomah county clients for more than sixteen months. It also appears on a web site.***** Fish has seen it many times. So what's to "explore?"

It is truly mind boggling to realize that after four years on the HAP board Nick Fish actually thinks the public policy issue of concentration versus distribution of low-income public housing clients is only a Portland issue and that HAP has nothing to do with it. Incredible. Of course, that's not what he said to Renee Mitchell.

Fish had the opportunity but did NOT disavow his statements in the Mitchell column when I testified# in his presence before the HAP board on November 18th or in his response to the emails I sent to him requesting confirmation of his position*** as recorded by columnist Renee Mitchell.*

Before we give Nick Fish the opportunity to make public policy for the city of Portland we MUST closely examine his record of making public policy at the Housing Authority of Portland.

Nick Fish may not have lived here very long yet he does have a public record. He sat on a public board, HAP, that had the statutory authority to spend hundreds of millions of tax dollars during his term. As a candidate for public office Nick Fish can no longer hide behind HAP's Chair, Howard Shapiro.## It's time for Nick Fish to explain and defend how HAP spent the people's money during the years he had a vote and a leadership title.

The city of Portland does not need a dishonest slippery tongued lawyer/politician on its council. Portlanders, like everybody else, want women and men to lead our community who will honestly tell us what they believe before we decide to vote for them. There are many many more legitimate inquires to be made about Nick Fish's behavior as a HAP board member. We hope his answers to those questions bare a greater resemblance to the truth. So far Nick Fish doesn't make the grade.

* http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/renee_mitchell/index.ssf?/base/news/106769134736900.xml
** http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/Fish12-2-03.html
*** http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/Fish12-8-03.html
**** http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/Fish12-8-03-2.html
***** http://www.goodgrowthnw.org
# http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/HAPHears.html
##
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/ChiefCensor.html
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/WWRogue.html
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/WWletter.html
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/MapMath.html


Richard Ellmyer
HAP Watcher, Voter
Portsmouth neighborhood, North Portland
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org