The other day, as I was walking into a building, I noticed a handmade sign on the tailgate of a pickup truck. It proclaimed “ Damascus is back.” Yes, Damascus is back and completing steps to re-establish itself as a self-governing city in Clackamas County. Over the period of several weeks we have accomplished: • […]
In a letter from Clackamas County Board of Commissioners to State legislators on May 23, 2019 the Commissioners requested an ominous “ final resolution “ to ending the city. The Commissioners claim in the letter that “ it is not possible to restore the city to its predisincorporation status.” In other words, find a political […]
Wow! It’s really hot out there. I know about the weather. I’m talking about the real estate market. The prices of homes in Damascus are high and inventory low. Suppose you have a commercial building on 1 ¼ acre that has a tax assessed market value of $356,080 by the County. Someone comes to you […]
”You think I’m licked. You all think I’m licked. Well, I’m not licked. And I’m going to stay right here and fight for this lost cause.” Senator Jefferson Smith The 1939 classic movie Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring James Stewart as Senator Smith, tells the story of a man who really believed he was […]
The City of Damascus is the Metro region’s first city since Oregon started regulating land use. There are many reasons why the City was formed, but my favorite excuse was a demand for Local Control. Let’s start with why Damascus is such a battle ground. The little known fact of this battle is that those […]
The Vote in Damascus On Disincorporation Is Unconstitutional Says Damascus Resident and City Councilor. James De Young, long-time resident of Damascus and current member of the City Council, announced on Wednesday, April 20, that he, as a private citizen, is challenging the constitutionality of Measure 93 which the people of Damascus will be voting on […]
The poet Emerson once wrote, “ The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.” The louder the clamor for disincorporation grinds on, the more our voters should consider what eliminating the city would mean when voting on Measure 93. A yes vote would surrender our City’s local governing existence to […]