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a city investment in major league soccer doesnt make sense for the long or short term.

our local economy would benefit from participatory, not specator sports. (remember when city leaders were debating turning the memorial coliseum into a city gym/playground?) participatory sporting experiences draw creatives to our city, and in turn create real jobs in the creative economy; the jobs generated by an investment in major league spectator sports-- restaurants, bars, etc that emerge to serve the spectators-- are service industry jobs.  drawing creatives to our region should be a primary objective for job creators who use public funds.

in the short term, the proposal should be thought of as public subsidy of a corporation-- a very lucrative corporation.  perhaps we could start to consider using public money if admission to these sporting events is free of charge.  if citizens are paying for it, they shouldnt have to pay twice.

finally, our public dollars will determine the culture we create here.  imagine if, for a building once proudly called civic stadium,  this public money went not toward manifestations of competition, but of cooperation.

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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buying locally is important, but unfortunately not straightforward.  if you buy your locally grown organic produce at an oregon Whole Foods, unfortunately that produce has already made the journey by truck up to the  Whole Foods distribution center in Seattle, then back down to Oregon again.  so what good does it do to buy local there?

buy local and support your local cooperative-- shop at people's coop in southeast portland!

posted 4 years, 3 months ago
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