As Mayor Katz concludes her third and final term in office I reflected on her twelve years as mayor and contrasted them with the eight years of Bud Clark and four years of Frank Ivancie that preceded her first term. Despite his negative public persona, Mayor Ivancie (who served from 1981 to 1984) was an able administrator: under his control the Water Bureau got its bills out on time, and he had the Portland Building built on time and on budget, with a reputed two change orders. (He's not to blame for the design, however.) He accomplished a number of things without much fanfare, such as attracting (with Governor Atiyeh) NEC to build its plant in Hillsboro and kick off the Sunset Corridor for electronics, but he didn't do much to lift morale. Bread without circuses.
Mayor Clark, who succeeded him and served two terms (1985-1992), was a much more enjoyable public figure, but not an expert administrator of the city's day-to-day business. During his term the City burned through police chiefs at a record clip. He made life here more fun, but was light on policy accomplishments. Circuses without bread.
What, then, to make of Vera Katz as mayor? After a rocky start (that's why Columbia Sportswear isn't in Portland any more), she picked up a better touch in dealing with the business community. She occasionally tossed out ideas that I and others derided as daffy -- capping Interstate 405 and flirting with major league baseball -- but most of her ideas had (I think now) something intelligent behind them, no matter how strange they seemed to me when she announced them. At least she was always thinking of something different, in the Tom McCall style. And this is a good thing; as A.P. Herbert said, "A bee in the bonnet is at least a sign of cerebral activity."
I think she'll be more appreciated as mayor four years from now than she is today.