Blogger rallies the biking faithful, and City Hall blinks
Budget - When Mayor Potter cuts $100,000 for planning, Jonathan Maus helps launch an e-mail blitz
Thursday, May 10, 2007
RYAN FRANK
When Mayor Tom Potter's budget left out $100,000 for a seemingly arcane bicycle master plan, Jonathan Maus knew he had a story.
Maus had covered the plan for months on his bike-only Web site, bikeportland.org. When they saw the mayor's budget, Maus and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance posted to their respective blogs and called on their thousands of readers to e-mail the mayor's office.
Within three weeks, cyclists fueled by Maus and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance logged the second-most e-mails and letters to the mayor in more than 18 months. On Monday, Potter found some extra cash, and the plan got its money.
The campaign shows the bike community has arrived as a player in City Hall politics.
A special tip of the wind-tunnel tested, carbon reinforced, microshell protected helmet to Jonathan and the BTA.
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