FeedsReplying to a comment on Neighborhoods Rock with Sam Adams
Ben,
Few thoughts about Portland's neighborhood associations. The ONA was created in the 70s as a way to institutionalize neighborhood voices in city development plans. Putnam celebrates the ONA as a way to sustain social capital, but he also points out that government created these entities and in many ways sustains them.
My own experiences with my local neighborhood association has been a lot less endearing than you paint them. The association is run by a tightly knit group of insiders who have the time and motivation (good for them) to participate, but often put their own narrow interests ahead of the "neighborhood", which is seldom if ever asked what they (we) think.
I've seen a lot of uncritical celebrations of neighborhood associations, like yours, but few real examinations to see if they really represent citizen voices or are just another way to overamplify the voices of the few.
By the way, I'm not sure Sam's racking up of neighborhood endorsements says anything about how he'll govern as Mayor. He's the only game in town, Ben. Not good or ill.
But we could read the endorsement above this way: this guy knows how to deliver to goods to his supporters. And they reward him for it. How do I tell the difference?
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