Oregon Public Broadcasting

Yesterday the Portland City Council voted unanimously to rename 39th Avenue, as Cesar Chavez Boulevard, in tribute to the late civil rights leader, and as a nod to the city’s Latino community. April Baer has the story.

A standing-room only crowd waited quietly for the vote. But as opponents sensed which way the vote was going, there was a low rumble of dissent.

After the vote, supporters made their feelings known too.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who runs the bureau of neighborhood involvement, thanked the hundreds who lobbied her.

Amanda Fritz: “I realize that with my vote today, I will disappoint thousands of citizens no matter which way I vote. But I don’t vote by guessing which position on a topic is more popular, or by evaluating which testifiers were nice or adversarial. I try to figure out whether voting for or against the proposal better serves the long term public good, or the best interests of the city.”

Commissioners said they were satisfied the process had been followed. But process was not the only consideration. Commissioner Nick Fish.

Nick Fish: “As I’ve thought about it, one way that I have used to answer that question is to ask another question: What kind of Portland do we want for our children, and our grandchildren?”

Fish said ultimately he voted yes, not just for Cesar Chavez, but to honor those who, as he said, would never have a street named after them. Fish lives on 39th, and both sides hoped to sway him. He stayed mum about his views until the moment of his “yes” vote.

One of Fish’s neighbors is Eric Fruits, an economics professor who led opposition to the renaming. He suggested wryly after the vote Fish would have a hard time making the rounds at neighborhood picnics this summer.

He also said opponents are looking at a ballot measure, or other legal method to get the name change rescinded.

Eric Fruits  “We need to sit down and do the calculation about what would work best, and what’s the best use of our resources.”

The name change takes effect in thirty days. Signs for 39th Avenue will stay up alongside the new Cesar Chavez Boulevard signs for five years.