Oregonian: Voters love Potter, spurn plan

[0rganism]

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/111641052792140.xml&coll=7">Voters love Potter, spurn plan

A poll shows the mayor is highly popular, but Portlanders oppose public financing of campaigns, due for a council vote today
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
ANNA GRIFFIN

Portland Mayor Tom Potter is still riding the wave of good feeling that carried him into office last year, but rougher times are coming: A new poll conducted for The Oregonian and KATU (2) shows that a majority of registered voters in the city oppose the City Council's plan to use taxpayer money to pay for municipal elections.

Potter, whose approval rating is at a whopping 71 percent in the poll, says voters will like the idea more once they see it in action. Barring a last-minute surprise, that will happen soon: The City Council is expected to approve public financing today, just in time for the 2006 elections.

The poll also asked voters what they think about Potter's decision to pull Portland out of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the city's bid to purchase Portland General Electric and any proposal to extend the Multnomah County income tax.

Under the campaign-financing plan proposed by Commissioner Erik Sten and Auditor Gary Blackmer, Portland voters won't weigh in until 2010.
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more: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/front_page/111641052792140.xml&coll=7

A month after several public schools in the Portland area were closed down is probably not the most opportune time to be pushing Portlanders to spend lavishly on city elections, Mr. Sten...