Portland's popular mayor, Tom Potter, appears to be betting his term on a project to create a 20-year strategic plan for the city. Creating this kind of long-term plan for the future is exactly what top leaders should do.
Some residents question whether the vision is as important as fixing immediate problems like potholes, according to The Oregonian:
"It's almost like we're concentrating on the people who are moving here more than the people who are here now," said Bonny McKnight, an East Portland neighborhood activist.
The obvious alternative is city planning by the most vocal current residents, who often have more stake in preserving the status quo. If top leaders don't plan for future residents, who will?