The federal government is now pretty much run completely of by and for big money interests. The Federal Communications Commission is about to increase the power of big media money to reduce the "Voices of America" to something closer to a voice or two of America. Gerrymandering political districts to eliminate political competition reaches a pinnacle of outrageousness and disgust in Texas. All of this begging the question, at what point is our country just pretending to be the American democracy we all studied in sixth grade? Are these the kind of democratic principles that teenagers in Iraq will now be required to learn? Nevertheless, allowing the light of different public opinions continues to shine on the op-ed pages of the Oregonian newspaper. Our schools and health care services may be closed and dark but the Oregonian's op-ed pages are open for business with bright ideas from various perspectives.

Doug Bates's commitment to fairness as a journalistic fundamental permitted the piece below to be printed in the Editorial & Commentary section of the May 28th edition of the Oregonian.* Thanks Doug for keeping this tiny flame of truth alive.

* http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1054123777167470.xml

Oregonian Commentary

Like Enron, HAP flunks public duty

05/28/03
RICHARD ELLMYER

Is there anyone in the state of Oregon who believes that improving the quality of life in his neighborhood is achieved by overloading his own neighborhood with low-income housing?

Shielded from accountability to taxpayers by mayoral appointment rather than election, board members of the Housing Authority of Portland have steadfastly refused to answer the most fundamental questions relating to how HAP does business with taxpayers' money.

How many clients does HAP serve and where are they located by neighborhood? Will the Portsmouth neighborhood still have the highest number of low-income HAP qualified clients in the city of Portland, Multnomah County and the state of Oregon after the proposed Villa remodel? What is the difference in cost to house similar clients in HAP-owned housing versus Section 8 vouchers? What is the true market value of the property and the land HAP plans to demolish and sell at Columbia Villa? Does everyone agree that HAP's plan to sell public land below market rate is a good idea?

Why hasn't HAP voluntarily offered this basic accounting information? Because the answers to these questions would provoke a public discussion of what makes good public housing policy. Low-income, ghettolike concentration or distribution throughout the region? More government buildings versus private-sector rental housing accommodations?

Eventually HAP would be exposed for mishandling the Villa remodel project and its policy of maintaining the Portsmouth neighborhood as the one with the highest number of taxpayer-supported low-income Housing Authority of Portland clients not only within HAP's jurisdiction (which includes 117 neighborhoods in Multnomah County) but also among all the neighborhoods in the state of Oregon. My map of estimated HAP clients by neighborhood shows that HAP supports concentration versus distribution as a policy (on the Web see www.goodgrowthnw.org).

The governments of Portland, Gresham and Multnomah County are not without blame. They appoint the HAP board. As the accounting firm Arthur Andersen failed Enron stockholders and employees, so have these elected officials failed in their duty to the voters and taxpayers to require HAP to open its books and explain its operating practices.

The Bush administration has proposed replacing Section 8 money with block grants to states. This could change everything. The Oregon Legislature, which will soon have its chance to be a funding player in the HAP Villa project, should use this opportunity to start the "what makes good public housing policy" discussion. Legislators certainly should not give any funding support to HAP's Villa remodel project this session.

Neither businesses nor investors nor voters nor elected officials nor editorial writers can make sound decisions without honest, reliable accounting data. The democratic process in Oregon is ill-served by any public institution such as a school district or a housing authority that refuses to open its books and engage in a dialogue with its constituents about spending priorities and policies.

Richard Ellmyer is president of MacSolutions Inc., a computer consulting and Web hosting business. He is a 28-year resident of the Portsmouth neighborhood.

PostScript
[ At a budget hearing on Tuesday May 27th the Portland City Council was directly confronted with testimony that raised the questions above. In addition, evidence was presented that the majority of the city's more than $20 million contribution to the Villa remodel had been made under false pretenses and deceptive budgeting practices.** Katz, Sten, Leonard and Francesconi sat stone faced without explanation, denial or rebuttal. ]

** http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/20Million.html