On Wednesday City Commissioner Randy Leonard proposed and got passed a new ordinance to proscribe the kinds of fuels Portlanders should have to put in their gas tanks. Biodiesel and ethanol infused gas will now be your only choices (all year round) in Portland. Left to be answered is the question of whether this decision dictates the kind of gas all other gas stations in the region have to use due to all the stations using the same suppliers–clever, huh? Leonard’s office staff says this was a real coup in that they’ve ‘created the demand’ (that’s a real quote) now for this type of fuel. See, two biodiesel plants were encouraged to set up shop but the owners told the city there wasn’t enough demand so they ‘created’ it by stifling competition.
So the upshot is that Portlanders’ gas will now be more expensive. Take THAT gas station owners and consumers. Also, Randy’s office says you won’t mind paying more. Really. They said that.

On Thursday in another blitzkrieg against the free market place, the council –this time at the behest of notorious Walmart hater Sam Adams— (here’s his latest blog entry:

“Bad news, it is confirmed that Wal-Mart is on the march into Portland with a new location on Hayden Island. Soon, we will announce an organizing meeting to fight their proposal. Stay tuned.”)

took the first step to stop building altogether on Hayden Island. The empty Thunderbird Hotel was being considered as a site for a Walmart. Now let’s get this straight, they will vote in 45 days to stop all building for two years on Hayden Island just to screw this landowner out of an opportunity to use his property for a Walmart. Will Walmart be appropriate for the site? Doesn’t matter. The council has chosen the winners and losers in this charade and the big loser is the land owner. (“Hello, Measure 37 attorney? Hi, I’ve just been screwed out of using my land…”). I’m sure Walmart can take care of itself. Adams, who conspicuously took his anti Walmart sign out of his office window before the vote, also—after the die for this fiasco was cast—said he would recuse himself from voting any more on Walmart issues. Still he said this vote yesterday wasn’t about hating Walmart. Really.
*the sign from thankful Sellwood businessowners who had Sam’s help in stifling the Walmart nearby.
**actual sign in Sam Adams’ office window