THE CITY COUNCIL was supposed to vote on Mayor Tom Potter’s
proposed budget at their Wednesday morning meeting.
But the May 14 meeting may be a showdown, instead. Thanks to a few
omissions in Potter’s budget—namely funding for transportation
and arts-related projects, and funds to implement a recent council
mandate to move the Portland Development Commission’s attorneys under
the management of the city attorney—Commissioners Sam Adams and
Randy Leonard broke out their own red pens, and made massive edits to
the budget.
Their alternative proposal includes things like $2 million to
augment a city transportation budget damaged by rising fuel costs,
$200,000 to the Regional Arts and Culture Council for Arts Partners,
and $80,000 for the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, which has
been lobbying to restore funding that Potter cut.
It also contains a few snubs to Potter, like funding two of his
programs—the Office of Youth Violence Prevention and the new
Human Relations Commission—with one-time money that would be up
for renewal next year.
And finally, the alternative budget has $200,000 in additional
funding for a domestic violence center—Commissioner Dan
Saltzman’s baby—that Potter had already funded. That’s because
Saltzman’s the swing vote in the budget standoff—Adams and
Leonard need his support to pass their alternative proposal. If
Saltzman sticks with Potter’s original budget, the council is
deadlocked at 2-2, with former Commissioner Erik Sten’s seat still
vacant. Ultimately, that means the budget process will likely be
extended for several weeks, to accommodate further negotiation and
wrangling.