Could this be the next Mayor of Portland?
City Hall resident/Portland Mercury reporter Scott Moore has the news: Sam Adams will announce his Mayoral bid next Wednesday, October 3rd at 5:30 pm at Roots Organic Brewing Company (1520 SE 7th).
While Adams’ plans come as no surprise, it’s somewhat of a relief to know it’s official. I plan to show up and hope you will too.
In his work as Transportation Commissioner, Adams has proven that he understands the vital role bikes can (and must) play in the future of our transportation system. If he becomes Mayor I have every expectation that he will continue to help take Portland to the next level of bike-friendliness.
Here’s a quote by Adams I dug up from my archives:
“It’s absolutely critical that we continue to be a leader in bike mobility…Bikes have never been more important to this city. It’s an affordable way to get around; in some cases, it’s the most reliable way to get between two places; it’s good for your health; you burn fat instead of oil; and it’s good for the environment.”
It also wouldn’t hurt if his two of his other four City Council colleagues were these guys:
 City Council hopeful Chris Smith |  Commissioner Randy Leonard |
The future looks very interesting… see you Wednesday!
Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Hooray! Sam for Mayor!!! He should make bike bumper stickers for his campaign…
is this the same sam who has suggested mississippi avenue as a result of big developers getting their way? http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2007/06/360819.shtml i bike down this street almost every day and sharing it with the giant city trucks (from the albina yard under the freeway) is interesting to say the least. should be real fun four feet narrower. yeah, hooray. gimme one of those bumper stickers. (not that i have a better alternative to suggest.)
oops… i missed the text \”mississippi avenue BE NARROWED…\” in there. alas. sorry all. brain got too wet in the rain.
xb,
If you\’ve heard Sam explain his position on the Mississippi Ave. issue, you would know it is not a bending over to developers, but an effort to make the street more pedestrian friendly. No leader in this city is as bike friendly as Sam and you will not find another candidate for mayor anywhere who is as bike friendly. So, if you want to ride your bike in the most bike friendly city possible, you would ride naked for Sam, or any other way it took to get him elected.
Ron
Oh, and go Sam!!!
I\’m really excited to see Sam become mayor and I\’m confident he would be one of Portland\’s finest.
who\’s he running against?
Well thanks Bud Clark, but now Sam Adams is my Mayor.
Though in all seriousness. This is still America, and I wonder if an obviously biased bike advocate can successfully get elected Mayor. I\’ve seen Sam\’s diplomatic skills and he\’s very good. However at every meeting there is still a vocal minority which spews venom at eco-friendly transportation.
I do very much hope that our Sam becomes the new Mayor.
Sam will be a good Mayor for Portland. Sam can win in Portland. With your help, he will win.
Move over, Vera Katz Esplanade, it\’s the Sam Adams Bike Boulevard Network…
Oh, this is really exciting! He\’s definately got my vote.
Todd
However at every meeting there is still a vocal minority which spews venom at eco-friendly transportation.
Not too troubling, really…when people don\’t do much more than shriek \”congestion!\”, \”toy trains!\”, and a few other would-be catchphrases while offering up jack in terms of solutions or even up-to-date, non-cherry-picked statistics, they wind up posting obsessively to commissionersam.com.
Er, I mean, tend not to be taken all that seriously. 😉
The perfect nightmare for car driving Lars Larson devotees is about to happen: Sam Adams as Mayor, Chris Smith on the city council, and a lot more bikes on Portland\’s streets.
Quick! Move to Clackamas County or the \’Couv while you still can!
I hope Sam gets my vote, but about 8 weeks ago a \’Welcome to Gresham\’ sign showed up between my Portland address and the City of Portland. Sam may not show up on my Ballot, but I plan to show up at Roots on Wednesday… if the crowds let me in the door… as a non constituent. argh
Wow, that\’s a great picture. I hope he stays true to his commitments. Even the best policitians get influenced in other directions once elected. If he ever strays, we\’ll just have to remind him!
Minda, I agree that it will be hard for Sam to stay true to his beliefs. Look at Potter. He chatted up bicycle friendliness, and yet his cops still unleash unnecessary crackdowns on people commuting to and from work and giving them tickets for coasting through a stop sign.