FORGET ABOUT the horsies.
Sure, Mayor Ted Wheelerâs inaugural city budget, unveiled Monday, slashed funding for the copsâ much-fought-for Mounted Patrol Unit. And sure, thatâs going to lead to grousing as the budget marches toward final passage. Who knows? The horse cops might even avoid demise (again) before all is said and done.
But for my money, there are more compelling sticking points in the largely uncontroversial $515.6 million spending plan Wheeler laid out this week. Letâs take a look.
Build Portland
As previously discussed in this column, Wheeler has got a bold vision for dumping unprecedented money into Portlandâs crumbling infrastructure.
By tapping property tax money thatâll soon be released from expiring âurban renewal areas,â Wheeler says the city can pour $600 million into fixing roads, bridges, parks, and more in the next 20 years, without raising taxes. Heâs calling it âBuild Portland.â
But Wheeler might find some resistance to his plan.
Thatâs because the urban renewal money that will be coming back to city coffers has been used to fund the bulk of Portlandâs affordable housing initiatives. Currently 45 percent of urban renewal money goes to housing.
The city wonât see all of that when the cash begins flowing backâother governments get some, tooâbut Wheelerâs plan raises an obvious question: Are we simply going to turn the money away from housing?
As former transportation Commissioner Steve Novick told me: âIt would never have occurred to me to suggest what Wheeler is suggesting, because I couldnât imagine transportation winning a big fight with housing.â
Thatâs why a âbudget noteâ Wheelerâs proposing could draw flak. It would direct budget staff to assume that the city will bond for infrastructure every five years or so. Commissioners may want to derail those assumptions.
Money for Homelessness
The budget, Wheeler was keen to point out, invests $25 million in the countyâs Joint Office of Homeless Servicesâthe same amount Multnomah County is putting in.
If that seems simple, the complex interplay between the two governments makes it anything but. There is ire in the county building that Wheeler didnât raise the cityâs investment in homelessness by millions this year, as the county did.
County documents suggest Wheelerâs decision will jeopardize shelter beds and other services. Will the mayor stand his ground or concede more cash is needed?
Open and Accountable Elections
Remember the public campaign financing system Commissioner Amanda Fritz won passage for in 2016?
It doesnât begin until 2019, but was supposed to be funded by $1.2 million this year. Wheeler is instead pressing to use that money elsewhere. That surprised Commissioner Chloe Eudalyâs office, which would likely be tasked with setting the system up. And it raises questions about whether Wheelerâa skeptic of the programâwants to shepherd it going forward.
Fritzâs office didnât return our inquiries on this, but Eudalyâs folks are showing concern. Donât be surprised if this comes up as council moves toward a final budget.