margaret doherty.jpg

Rep. Margaret Doherty, D-Tigard, shows a sign-in sheet to a library volunteer at the Tigard Library.

(Jordan Curet/The Oregonian/2006)

The Oregon House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously passed a measure that seeks to identify certain ZIP codes as being Tigard -- not Portland.

Rep. Margaret Doherty, D-Tigard, introduced the measure, also known as House Joint Memorial 1. The measure, passed 58-0, aims to have the Postmaster General of the United States and the Postal Service Board of Governors classify the 97223 and 97224 ZIP codes as "Tigard ZIP codes that are separate and distinct from Portland ZIP codes."

"I think for Tigard it's a big deal... I mapquested Tigard City Hall and it came up Portland. [The measure would] give us an identity as Tigard," Doherty said. "Tigard is a separate community. We've got over 50,000 people in the city limits of Tigard. It's about time we were designated Tigard in the post office, and not be a substation of Portland."

The measure will go to the Oregon State Senate for approval, but, if passed, will only serve as a request to U.S. Congress, which regulates the U.S. Postal Service. The request will ultimately have to be reviewed and accepted by the USPS Portland District Manager's office, according to Peter Hass, spokesperson for USPS.

Hass added that Tigard is already "an accepted and recognized city name for mailing addresses in the ZIP Codes 97223 and 97224."

-- Nuran Alteir

nalteir@oregonian.com

503-294-4028

@whatnuransaid