And ten other reasons to vote on Tuesday

The last time Portlanders were asked to come out and elect a city council, only 2093 people showed up. That’s pretty crappy, but it should be noted that no council seats were actually contested. In the three years before that, we only managed an average of 5188 voters. Again, pretty crappy.

By Seth Gitell

In a city with roughly 45,000 registered voters, that could even be called “abysmal.” That’s how City Clerk Linda Cohen referred to our record. Twelve percent of us. Think about it.

November 6, Portland will hold its first municipal election since the vote was moved from May to November to coincide with state and federal elections. City councilors are hoping that the new date will increase turnout.

Unfortunately, except for some bond issues, this year’s election coincides with neither federal or state races, so turnout may suffer. On the other hand, this is the first election to be held since America’s wake-up call on September 11. On the whole, Americans are paying more attention to the news, and feeling more concerned about politics, and this could translate into a good showing at the polls.

Let’s hope so, because Portland is in need of good, strong leadership at this point, and three City Council positions are up for grabs. (Tom Kane is resigning his District 3 seat, and Nathan Smith and Jim Cloutier’s at-large seats are up for reelection.) The city is currently facing some serious issues, all of which will be viewed through the lens of Portland’s financial woes. In addition to the economic downturn the nation is facing, the city budget collapsed six weeks after it was implemented, 24 city employees were laid off, 18 positions frozen, and Moody’s Investor Services has threatened to lower Portland’s bond rating if we don’t up the amount of money in our reserves, which would make it more expensive for the city to borrow money.

The next City Council will have to keep this situation in mind as it considers issues like the city’s elementary schools, the waterfront, and the property tax. Throw in three open school committee positions, six important bond issues, and some charter changes, and there’s more than ample reason to get off your duff and be counted.

So, without further ado, here are the top ten reasons, in no particular order, to vote on November 6:

1. Hold property taxes in check

Portland property taxes have risen 11 percent in the last two years, and they’re going to rise a good deal more in the near future unless some serious cuts are made or some deep wells are tapped.

Of course, it would help Portland if the state would eliminate the anti-urban bias in its school funding formula or would allow the city to level a local option sales tax, but any efforts that rely on others to help us keep our property taxes down are unsure. The would-be city councilors who are serious about cutting taxes are the ones proposing ways, without the help of the state or federal government, to spend less money or increase revenue.

Leading the charge is Ken Cole, who proposes levying impact fees on developers and user fees at city-run entities like the Portland Ice Arena and the municipal golf course. Michael LaTorre’s ideas include cutting back on non-essential city spending like mounted police, increasing municipal volunteerism, and attempting to increase parental support for school consolidation. If trimming the city budget is more important to you than trimming your front shrub, you need to vote for one of these guys.

John Griffin thinks we should tax people who work but don’t live in Portland (an idea that would raise revenues but would make it more difficult for employers to attract people to Portland.) In the district three race, Patricia Bernard proposes cutting money to public art, and Nathan Smith says city overtime costs should be reduced (though he is not specific how this will be accomplished).

2. Influence the future of the waterfront

It’s either a prime spot to put some retail, a few offices, and maybe some housing, or it’s a crucial part of Portland’s identity to be preserved for maritime uses only. Either way, the direction Portland chooses to go with its waterfront will be pivotal to the city’s future look, feel, and finances.

The budget crunch is going to have bureaucrats scouring for new revenue streams and some see the waterfront, especially on the East End, as a potential mighty river of property tax money.

It’s important to remember that no one wants to do away with the working waterfront entirely in favor of new development. However, most potential councilors — Jim Cloutier, Nathan Smith, Ken Cole — want to change the zoning on the old BIW site that sits a ways back from the water to allow mixed-use development. John Griffin and Chris Breen oppose any zoning change. Jill Duson, Michael LaTorre, and Patricia Bernard approach the issue more cautiously, but have not ruled out new zoning.

If the East End winds up with a heinous parking lot, and you didn’t vote, no complaints allowed.

3. Weigh in on the closing of Portland elementary schools

One possibility for Portland to save money is to close some of its older elementary schools and consolidate students in newer facilities. In 2000, the Elementary Facilities Task Force studied the issue and reported that parents did not want to close any schools. However, that was before the city was experiencing its present financial problems.

This is an important question for both the City Council, who will lean on the School Committee to cut costs, and the School Committee, who will ultimately make the decision whether or not to close schools. Kim Matthews says she does not favor closing schools, but given the budget situation and her desire to keep classes small and teacher’s salaries competitive, she does not rule out the possibility. Jeff Peters and Ben Meiklejohn say we should not close the schools. But what would they do if the council put them and the rest of the School Committee under the gun? You decide.

Walter Rumery is the only one running from district three, so it doesn’t much matter what he says unless he comes up with something really outrageous, but for the record, he considers consolidating schools a possibility.

4.Endorse universal health care or squash the idea like a bug

Don’t forget to flip the city ballot over and vote on the single payer health care question. You’ve seen the ads against single payer with the doctor who claims it’s “a horrible idea.” Not surprisingly, the ads are paid for by Anthem Blue Cross, who would stand to lose money if the state becomes the sole insurer of its citizens.

The fact is, the concept is a good deal more complex than the 30 second spot would have you believe. The benefits: everybody in Maine would have health insurance (currently 160,000 don’t), they could choose to go to any doctor they want, and any medical service would be free. The detriments: Well, free might not be exactly right. Taxes would definitely go up, privacy might be hard to maintain, alternative medicine might not be covered, and the whole thing will be run by the government.

This is an opportunity to take those bar-room quarrels into the voting booth. Is health care a fundamental human right? You tell us.

5. Ensure the quality of Portland schools

One of the toughest decisions a city councilor must make is between funding Portland schools and halting the rise in (or actually cutting) the tax rate. This past year, the School Committee nearly had to cut its award-winning sex-ed program to fit within the budget dictated by the council. As a rule, the more money the council gives to the school committee, the higher it must set the property tax. Thus, a candidate’s position on school funding is a clue to their commitment to cut taxes and vice versa.

Though no one enjoys squeezing the schools, it seems Cole, Griffin, and Breen would be most willing to cut funding in the interest of a lower property tax. Cole says he would do it only if alternative revenues can’t be found. In a letter to a local weekly on September 5, Griffin advocated cutting 40 bilingual teachers and the sex-ed program. LaTorre says he is only willing to look at savings made by consolidation but not through general cuts. Cole and LaTorre seem the most level-headed in this bunch.

Jill Duson says she will look to tighten school and city spending, but as past chair of the School Committee, she will most likely be partial to educational demands over tax concerns. A vote for Jim Cloutier is a vote for protecting the school’s funding. In the district three election, Nathan Smith has voted for increased school funding for the past three years, while Bernard says she won’t “make a blanket statement” without seeing the new budget.

If schools are the priority for you, the liberals Cloutier, Smith, and Duson feel your pain.

6. Keep the price of beer down

In August, the Council hit the Old Port bar owners with a one-time, hefty, per-seat tax in order to cover the cost of police overtime. Councilor Jack Dawson said that bar owners could simply pass the costs on to their patrons. As Dawson told the Phoenix in August, “Having fun costs money. Being protected costs money.” This line of thought just might end up jacking up the cost of your Saturday night on the town (or your Tuesday morning pick-me-up if you’re a lush).

Next August, the council could easily decide to reach into the bar owners’ pockets once again, thus installing the tax as a permanent fix for the police overtime gap. Alternatively, they could scratch this plan, and pay the cops from the general fund (i.e. the taxpayer).

But it depends on who gets elected. In the at-large race, Cole favors a variation on the current system where only bars that receive a number of police calls are taxed (that could lead to owners ignoring fights and disturbances, however). Cloutier is a fan of the existing plan of tapping the bar owners, while LaTorre, Duson, Griffin, and Breen oppose the idea in any form. In the district three contest, Smith likes the current plan, while Bernard seems to favor a plan like that proposed by Cole.

To keep the price of beer down, you might need to down a few less beers on Nov. 6, and get to the polls.

7. Show your support for bonds

Alright, so it’s kind of hard to get excited about Bonds. I mean the guy hit 73 home runs, but he’s never had a good relationship with either the media or the fans. Wait, no, not that Bonds (wow, that was contrived, eh?), we’re talking about the even less exciting bonds that the state would issue to raise money for various causes, and for which you the taxpayer would then have to pay interest. Though they may not be sexy, the bond issues are reason enough to get out and vote, as they would fund various good causes at minimum expense to the taxpayer.

There are six bonds on the table and all would raise money for laudable goals. In decreasing order of goodness these issues are affordable housing and housing for victims of domestic violence, renovating public schools, pollution control, public transportation, improvements for the University of Maine, and biomedical (non-anthrax) research.

So, don’t be a cheapskate, agree to ante up and do your bit for battered women, the environment, and education.

8. Mess with the city charter

On the ballot are four city charter amendments. None of them are big ticket items, but, hey, an opportunity to change the charter that created our beloved city shouldn’t be passed up. Remember, this is the city charter that Councilor Peter O’Donnell has picked up and waived around during meetings to make his points.

Questions one, two, and four are academic. One corrects a prior error and clarifies the date of city elections. Two pushes back the timeframe when nomination petitions must be filed with the city to give the city clerk more time to verify signatures and prepare the ballots. Four instructs the city clerk to inform the candidates of election results. Not exactly earth shaking politics.

However, question three is a bit more weighty. It would reduce from three to one the number of times the city has to advertise the ballot in the Press Herald. According to city clerk Linda Cohen this would save the city thousands of dollars. On the flip side, however, the less people who know about what’s at stake in an upcoming election, the less people will get out and vote. And Portland already has a terrible track record for voting in municipal elections. Is cutting expenses worth the cost of less encouragement of democratic action?

9. Create affordable housing

As the recent overflow of the Oxford Street Shelter demonstrates, Portland does not have an adequate supply of affordable housing. City Council has responded by using primarily federal money to subsidize private developers to create two mixed income developments — Unity Village, a 33-unit project in Bayside; and Island View, a 72-unit development on Munjoy Hill. Yet, if Portland is to solve its housing shortage, these projects will be just the beginning.

Incumbent Jim Cloutier has a proven track record of supporting affordable housing development, but he did vote in favor of a castrated version of the ban on development proposed by Citizens for a Comprehensive Plan, who were angry about the construction of Island View.

With 15 years on the planning board, Cole knows the ins and outs of the development issues and he says he is in favor of creative zoning changes like that utilized in Unity Village to increase density and would relax development fees on affordable housing projects (see #1). Duson and Breen do not have much experience with the issue, but both would likely support more developments like Unity Village.

LaTorre seems hesitant to develop affordable housing in Portland and says we should work with neighboring towns to spread out construction. Recently, Griffin expressed his views that the housing problem can be traced to Portland’s immigrants. “Since 1990 until the present,” he wrote, “this city has taken in more and more immigrants to fill the low-paying jobs or increase the population of a dying city, sponsored by Catholic Charities and funded by the U.S. government. Why? The city is full now.” You want him at the reins?

In the district three race, Bernard, like Griffin, wants to ensure that affordable housing goes to Portlanders and not to outsiders. Smith has always considered creating affordable housing one of his primary interests.

If housing is your issue, Cloutier and Smith are your safest bets.

10. Show yer American spirit or earn the right to bitch

Yeah, flying flags is all right, but if you really want to display pride in America, you should vote. This country was built on the idea of freedom and of a government for the people and by the people. Sometimes we have not lived up to that ideal, and sometimes that has been because of greedy, corrupt politicians. But other times it has been because the citizenry has not been involved in its own government. If you don’t vote, you have no right to bitch about politicians.

This is especially true in a local election. If you have a problem with Dick Cheney, good luck getting him on the phone, but if you want to give Mayor Leeman a piece of your mind, chances are she’ll sit down with you for a cup of coffee.

The city of Portland is facing some big issues, and who gets elected to City Council could very well directly affect your life. Get out and vote November 6.

Noah Bruce, when not in the voting booth, can be reached at nbruce@phx.com.