The Novick Newsletter - August 12th

A Big Fat Update on the Moda Center

Today, Council discussed, amended, and ultimately passed a draft term sheet to act as the starting point for negotiations with the Trail Blazers. I voted yes because the Council supported my amendment to increase the proposed amount that the Blazers would pay in rent to a level that should—along with other provisions—ensure that over 20 years, the City will get out of the arena the same amount of money it is putting into the arena.

There's a lot of other stuff in the agreement: a labor peace agreement that was essential to organized labor, and should lead to good jobs and good wages; support for the Portland Fire; a commitment to a 20-year lease; and a set of protections to keep any future Moda Center funding transparent and public.

This is a tough issue. I think there have been good arguments on all sides. I've read the economic literature on sports arena deals; usually they don't work out well for the local governments involved. At the same time, we must recognize that Portland's economic health is extremely reliant on outside public perceptions—more so than most major cities—and losing the Blazers could inflict significant reputational damage, further reducing investment in Portland. Similarly, I've seen countless online arguments about if the Blazers even could leave Portland, with some listing numerous cities that they could move to tomorrow and others listing countless reasons why a move just isn't feasible.

In the face of these heated discussions, my goal has been clear. I want a deal for Portland that ultimately covers our investment into the arena—one that keeps the Moda Center open, keeps the Blazers here, and keeps public money going towards the public good. That's why last week I put forward an amendment increasing revenue for the City from any potential deal and why I introduced and ultimately passed an amendment today raising the Blazers' annual rent from $2 million to $3.17 million a year—an increase of over $1 million annually from the proposal Council started with today.  This—combined with a "payment in lieu of taxes" to the City, County and State, which is also included in the term sheet, plus the $45 million we expect to get from business license taxes on the sale of the Blazers—would ultimately repay our current investment over the course of a 20-year lease.

I don't want to gloss over the business license tax issue. That's money that the City will get regardless of whether we have an agreement with the Blazers. But it's one-time money that only exists because of the Blazers. And amid all the unknowns about this issue, one thing we do know is that if the Blazers leave, real people who work at Moda, members of IATSE (the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) will lose work. Because of that, I was willing to be flexible on the concept of getting back what we put in.

This is only a draft term sheet, and we will have to wait until December for the actual negotiations between the City and the Trail Blazers to conclude. But as these conversations continue, you can be sure that I won't support any deal that doesn't put Portland and the thousands of people who work at or enjoy the Moda Center first.

The Vista Bridge Centennial

Some of you may recall that I have a history with Portland's Vista Bridge. In 2013, a fine Oregonian journalist named David Stabler wrote an article explaining that people had been jumping to their deaths from the bridge for 80 years. The article delved into research on suicide, which shows that it is not true that anyone who decides to die will find some way to do it; suicide is often an impulsive act that can be triggered by the thought of a particular way of dying, so if you remove that way of dying, you can save lives. Stabler also wrote about other cities that had put up suicide barriers on bridges. So, I—as Transportation Commissioner—put up a barrier. Nobody has jumped to their death from the Vista Bridge since. I wish we could afford a more aesthetically pleasing version of the barrier, but I still think it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

On August 30, we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the building of the bridge. I will make sure that we also celebrate David Stabler. Sadly, he passed away last fall. But I am certain that there are Portlanders who are still alive because of him.

Supporting Newport in their Fight Against ICE

If you've read my newsletter long enough, you know my stance on the bloated Council office budgets. While I simply restore much of the money I get to the City General Fund, I put some of the rest to select good causes (such as fixing transportation infrastructure in Inner SE Portland at the Bob Stacy Crossing). This week, Mayor Wilson and I announced that we are each contributing $10,000 toward the City of Newport's legal fight against the development of an ICE detention and processing facility at the Newport Municipal Airport. Expanding ICE's presence in Oregon would affect all of Oregon. As I told the press, "Just as we share resources with other communities when they're fighting fires, we should help to make sure Newport has the legal resources it needs to fight ICE. "We are grateful to work with the City of Portland's Immigrant Affairs Lead, Brenda Alvarado, in this effort. You can learn more about the Mayor's and my contribution to the City of Newport here: Portland Mayor, City Councilor fund legal challenge to new ICE detention facility in Oregon | Portland.gov

In the Community

Despite the recent heat spike and smokey haze, I've had a lot of opportunity to connect with the community lately. I held a Constituent Coffee a couple weeks ago in the Kerns neighborhood, with a great turnout. There was intense, but very meaningful and important conversation! Last week, I attended the August Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association (BDNA) meeting and learned more about what's important to folks adjacent to my own neighborhood. And this week, I joined folks from the Richmond neighborhood at the annual Richmond Neighborhood Association Ice Cream Social in Sewallcrest Park. Finally, staff from my office recently joined a community-led walk along East Burnside Street, where traffic safety is a vital concern for folks who walk, bike, and drive between SE 16th – SE 30th Ave. I'm grateful for the community advocates who are bringing attention to much-needed traffic safety improvements in our City. 

Division Street Repaving Project

Work is ongoing along SE Division Street, where PBOT is repaving the stretch from SE Cesar Chavez to SE 50th Ave. Construction is expected to continue through September 10, including full lane closures for periods of time. It may be a bit—or even more than a bit—inconvenient in the near term, but this project is long overdue and will be a welcome improvement for people living nearby and the small businesses in the area. Learn more about the project: here. 

Show up for Small Business

Speaking of small businesses along SE Division...come support them Thursday, August 13, from 5 - 7pm as part of the quarterly Show up for Small Business event series hosted by the Office of Small Business. This month's event will be at ModHaus (3829 SE Division St.). Have a bite and/or drink at the new-ish food cart pod and visit nearby businesses before and after. With recent and upcoming traffic disruption, they could use the love.

Public Plaza Festivities

District 3 is fortunate to have several street plazas where community can gather and enjoy public space free of cars. Some are equipped with performance stages, others have facilities for skateboarding, and almost all have space to sit and relax. From Roseway Plaza (NE 72nd & NE Mason) over to Dream Big Plaza (SE 9th & SE Taylor), and back over to Arleta Triangle (SE 72nd & Woodstock), PBOT manages these plazas to build community and make our neighborhoods more vibrant. Most of these of these plazas host regular events, too. For example, this Saturday you can catch live music as part of a weekly concert series at Hawthorne Plaza (at 37th Ave.) or partake in a free exercise class at Ankeny Rainbow Road (28th Ave and SE Ankeny). Learn more: here. 

Portland Adult Soapbox Derby Incoming

A Portland institution returns! The Portland Adult Soapbox Derby is back for its 27th Anniversary. The yearly event (save for a couple years during Covid) is a uniquely Portland tradition. I'll save you the background—you just have to experience it for yourself. This year's event is on Saturday, August 15th, from 10am – 4pm. 

Hawthorne Street Fair

Portland event season continues! The Hawthorne Street Fair is on Sunday, August 23, from 11am – 5pm. Celebrate Hawthorne's rich history and diverse community while supporting its small businesses. In addition to local businesses, food & drink, and retail vendors, there will be two stages for live music and family friendly activities.

Free Yard Trees

While we still have plenty of summer in front of us, it's not too early to think about your fall garden work. If you have space on the property you live, Portland Parks and Rec's Urban Forestry provides free yard trees for Portland residents. Registration starts in September, so fill out your interest form as soon as you can to be notified. Learn more about eligibility, timeline, and available trees: here.