Street Roots: Contract for PBA to pay for Portland police up this Wednesday

Monday, July 30, 2007

Contract for PBA to pay for Portland police up this Wednesday

This Wednesday City Hall will be voting on an ordinance to reauthorize a contract between the Portland Business Alliance and the city to provide police servcies for the Clean & Safe Program.

According to city hall the Portland Business Alliance paid the city $210,000 last year for those services.

This continues to bring up the debate on who's interests the police, and security guards, are acting under when they enforce public policy on Portland citizens.

Meanwhile - Larry Norton with Old Town blogs backs up Street Roots call for oversight of private security by saying, "There are many issues where reasonable people could reasonably disagree - but it seems that there should be no disagreement by anyone that accountability and transparency is missing when a private security firm can enforce city laws without same accountability and transparency required of the city police.

Old Town blog/private security

Call or e-mail the Mayor and ask for oversight of private security -

Act Now

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: Nice work getting this out.; July 30, 2007 at 7:52 PM

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Where to buy Street Roots

Street Roots vendors can be found at busy crossroads throughout the Portland metropolitan area and at special events and farmers markets.

Look for a vendor at these locations:
Alberta Cooperative Grocery (1500 NE Alberta St.)
Central Library (801 SW 10th Ave.)
Daily Grind Natural Foods (4026 SE Hawthorne Blvd.)
5th & Morrison
Food Front (2375 NW Thurman St.)
Fred Meyer (various locations)
New Seasons (various locations)
Nordstrom (701 SW Broadway)
Peet’s Coffee & Tea (1114 NW Couch St.; 1441 NE Broadway)
People’s Food Co-op (3029 SE 21st Ave.)
Portland State University
Powell’s Books (W Burnside and 10th Ave.; SE 37th & Hawthorne)
Safeway (various locations)
Trader Joe’s (NE 42nd & Sandy; NW 22nd & Glisan)
Wild Oats (E Burnside and 28th Ave.)
Whole Foods (1210 NW Couch St.)
Stumptown (SW 3rd & Pine)
Peet's Coffee (SW 6th & Yamhill)

Our dedicated vendors are at the heart of Street Roots' mission

Our dedicated vendors are at the heart of Street Roots' mission.

Over 70 active vendors buy and resell street roots in the Portland metropolitan area and Vancouver. Since 1998 Street Roots has help put more than $1 million dollars directly into the hands of poor people.

Becoming a vendor

Vendor orientations take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1PM in the Street Roots office at 211 NW Davis. Vendor applicants must attend a one-hour training orientation to earn a badge certifying them as a street roots vendor. You won't be turned away as long as you are not under the influence during the orientation. As a new vendor you are given 10 papers to sell, on the house, to kickstart sales.

Vendors purchase papers for 30¢ each and sell them for $1 each. The high and continually improving quality of the paper makes street roots an easy sell in the community.

Benefits of becoming a vendor

Many street roots vendors are homeless and living on the street. Selling the paper enables them to look forward to another day. For quite a few of our vendors, selling street roots is the sole lifeline keeping them healthy and sane. Selling the paper has enabled scores of our vendors to put homelessness behind them.

When selling Street Roots for just a few hours can generate as much income as a full day of back-breaking day labor, it's no wonder that most of our vendors pursue this as a full-time endeavor. People who are unable to secure any other type of employment, whether due to chemical dependency, disability, a troubled history, or circumstance, welcome the opportunity to invest in themselves by selling street roots.

Our writers group helps vendors acquire the literary skills to compose and get published. Many street roots vendors regularly contribute poetry, art, and stories to the paper. A number of vendors have joined the staff as writers and columnists.

Vendors play a lead role in guiding the future of the organization. Vendors regularly hold meetings of a special council to resolve issues and disputes of key concern to those selling the paper.

In the planning stages are a micro-enterprise launcher, a small press publishing collective, and an arts & crafts workshop/gallery, among others—all engaging and employing impoverished people who are seeking to reclaim their lives.

Monday, July 30, 2007

Contract for PBA to pay for Portland police up this Wednesday

1 comment:

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Our dedicated vendors are at the heart of Street Roots' mission