In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Contents Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix 1 the Most Important vote of the Century (February 21, 1974). . . . . . . 1 2 In the beginning . . . (1792–1854). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3 the County’s First hanging; early elected Officials (1855–1869) . . . . 18 4 A Magnificent Courthouse, a Pauper Farm, and a Push for Consolidation (1864–1880) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 5 Coxey’s Army and eight More hangings (1888–1903). . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 6 the Progressive era, a Crusading Sheriff, and the County Fair begins (1902–1914) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 7 D-Minus report Card, the “King of roads,” and a New Courthouse (1913–1922) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 8 County hospital, the KKK, Kickback Scandals, and More Consolidation Proposals (1909–1927) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 9 An elegant bridge, a Mighty Dam, Another Jail, and World War II (1928-1945) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..81 10 vanport Is Flooded, a Sheriff Is recalled, and Sheriff Schrunk Is Put on trial (1946–1956) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 11 Parks, roads, and three Unrelated tragedies (1946–1960) . . . . . . . . 103 12 Commissioners Feud, Delta Dome Is rejected, and the First Woman Deputy Is hired (1962–1966) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115 13 home rule Arrives, a Sheriff Is Fired, and rocky butte Prisoners escape (1966–1973) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 14 Freeways revisited, City-County Consolidation Fails (1970–1974) . . . 136 15 the Don Clark era, Charter Upended, Nursing home Closed, Metro Created (1975–1979) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 16 employees Strike, PerS, vote-by-Mail, and rocky butte Jail Closes (1980–1982) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161 17 the Laudable “resolution A,” City of Columbia ridge Is rejected, a Power Struggle at the Library, and More Charter Changes (1983–1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177 18 east County Discontent, the First All-Woman board, and “Willamette County” (1983–1990) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 19 the Infamous Measure 5, Columbia Gorge battles, and east County efforts to Secede (1990–2001) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 20 From Pioneering Women to “Mean Girls,” Plus a Controversial Sheriff (2001–2009) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221 21 Quo vadis? (2010) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 APPendixes A Multnomah County timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 b A brief Property tax Primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 C history of Multnomah County home rule Charter Changes . . . . . . . 254 D elected Multnomah County Officials: A Chronological List . . . . . . . . 263 e elected Multnomah County Officials: An Alphabetical List . . . . . . . . 270 notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309 index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313 ...

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