Is it really time to spend money on street renaming?
PORTLAND, Ore. – The renewed effort to rename a Portland street after labor leader César Chávez has moved a step closer to reality.
The city auditor has confirmed that the César E. Chávez Boulevard Committee gathered the necessary 2,500 valid signatures on their application to move forward.
Chávez was a Mexican American civil rights and labor activist whose work helped union laborers.
Though the name change could cost Portland $150,000, city officials said city code requires them to move forward rather than table the issue - even though the troubled economy is impacting the city budget.
Supporters named three potential streets for the renaming process:
- Broadway Street
- Grand Avenue
- 39th Avenue
Business owners in all there areas are gearing up to fight the change.
On Broadway, there are four shops in one block with the word “Broadway” in the name. Owners say the timing of the proposal is absurd.
“It's not an easy time to stay in business and then you throw in the time and energy to discussing this whole issue and then you throw in the cost of changing all of our stuff,” said Sally McPherson of Broadway Books.
“Plus, we're suddenly Broadway Books? And people will be like, ‘Why are you Broadway Books? What does Broadway have to do with anything?’, because there will be no Broadway. Our name won't make any sense.”
Mike Hale, owner of Elmer’s Flag and Banner, is making signs that will ask people to sign petitions to prevent the change.
The next step in the renaming process involves a panel of historians, who will consider the historical significance of the three streets. Then the city planning commission will make its recommendation to the city council.