The end of July brought another story about a retailer – in this case, Nordstrom- questioning whether it should remain in downtown Portland, (“Department store CEO says he’s unsure ‘how long we can continue to operate in Portland,’” July 31). Shoplifting and drug use remain rampant; the exodus of retailers is obvious to anyone who works or walks downtown.
Meanwhile, the county and city point fingers at each other as to who should provide security to the Multnomah County Central Library and surrounding neighborhood, which has become an open-air drug market. The Portland Clinic, which had offices a few blocks from the library, stopped offering patient care at its downtown location for patient and staff safety.
I work downtown every day. About a year ago I wrote to the newspaper to relate what I see on my lunchtime walks: drug use and drug deals, vandalism, violence, assaults and people that need help. Interestingly, I have never seen a police officer on a downtown street…