So Jim Middaugh finally has an amount in voter-owned elections to call his own: $115,000 for any runoff election that could occur in the race to replace Erik Sten.

Amy Ruiz, over at Blogtown, PDX, has a fascinating account of today's City Council action, from the initial proposals, to the Citizen Campaign Commission's review, to the wheeling-and-dealing that eventually led to the final figure.

My thoughts? This whole process has been slightly bizarre. Couldn't they just have gone with the initial figures and saved the fly-by-night election finance planning? I guess it's all moot anyway, as this scenario didn't have legs (or guidelines) until very recently. Randy Leonard recused himself, but ended up being the most talkative one at the meeting. There was a rumble between the CCC and Leonard about the amounts and the metrics used to come to the final figures. And, finally, Commissioners Adams and Saltzman stepped up and facilitated a mediation that could pass Council.

I agree with the idea that tinkering with the money mid-election is risky business, but, given the situation, I'm also happy that there was compromise in the face of a stuck gear. Indeed, as Sam Adams, said, "since we have to come up with something we all agree with, we get to see democracy in action." And it does seem that the CCC worked hard to make this as equitable as possible. Although I admit to laughing loudly when I read how Mayor Potter had called the compromise efforts today "making sausage."

But, to be fair, I don't know if the Mayor has said if he's ever made real sausage.

In the aftermath, Middaugh called on his opponent Nick Fish to spend no more than his $115,000 if they both reach a runoff. We'll see how that one goes over.

Another day in the life of our important-and-exciting voter-owned elections.