Jonathan Maus

Yep.

Hi again Rep Nelson. I’ve heard back from PBOT about your concerns. They confirmed you’ve contacted them as well. I assume we both got same info. Can you tell me if you’re satisfied with their response? Feel free to email me back or answer here. Thanks.

remains to be seen what happens with Moda. As is becoming evident in this (relatively insignificant) $15M discussion, tensions around the process of who has power to make these decisions aren't fully resolved.

That's what is being talked about right now. But understand that gov't/politicians also happen to be under tremendous pressure for funding right now given the various cracks in typical funding sources and lack of $$ in general. If all was more normal, council would rubber stamp PCEF committee.

No decision made at committee meeting today. From comments tho, sounds like Kanal, Morillo, Avalos would lean toward approving the PCEF committee recommendation as-is, without reallocating the $15 M to something else. Next meeting is Feb 22nd. / end

Basically, the intense interest in PCEF $$ (hello Moda Center!) — combined w new form of gov't and PCEF Climate Investment Plan process — has created more pressure & scrutiny than the process can handle. Council Climate Committee being very deliberate to honor that & forge a good path fwd.

I think what some folks forget is that PCEF is just built different. It was created as as something truly owned (in spirit) by the frontline communities who conceived it, got it passed, and who implement the grants. That's why taking decision making away from them is such a big deal.

Councilor Avalos saying that council legally must be final say on budget. But she feels just because council has that authority, doesn't mean they should go against what PCEF recommends.

Councilor Kanal's view is as long as PCEF committee funding decisions go to council, then council shd be able to make changes. He doesn't like that any attempt to change PCEF $$ decisions is seen as against spirit of the fund. He'd be OK changing rule & having PCEF committee decisions be final.

New from The Oregonian: Water is wet 😂

"I disagree w Hipolito & his contention that PCEF $$ belongs to the nonprofits that put it on the ballot. ... I think [PCEF $$] belongs to all people of Portland and the people of Portland's elected representatives should have a say about it." - Councilor Novick

The tension around this debate isn't just what to fund, it's about who has the power. Should the PCEF committee have 100% control of how "their" $$ is spent? Or should city councilors be able to dictate? (Council technically has final say, but politics is politics.)

"PCEF isn't your money. It's our money. We built the fund. We will never let it go." - Alan Hipolito, a very well-respected climate justice advocate delivered testimony that basically told councilors to get their frickin' hands off the PCEF $$ and do what the committee recommended.

Council hears pitch for 'Bikeable Portland' plan as other ideas emerge Bit of a feeding frenzy going on for this cash.

The debate over $15 million in PCEF funding is back at Council Climate & Resiliency Committee right now. This is where PCEF recommended reallocating $15M from EV subsidies into home energy. But Novick & others say the $$ shd stay in transportation.

Background >>> bikeportland.org/2026/01/29/c...

Oregon DMV employee Michelle Godin when confronted by a customer who says how much they love the excellent service the DMV provides but still signed the "No Taxes for ODOT" referendum.

Michelle is all of us.

This is an Oregon House Rep asking a DMV employee (and DMV union rep) abt the impacts of funding crisis. She tells a story abt what some customers do when she sees them at the service counter. Really shows the disconnect w some folks & effectiveness of Republican "no taxes ever" messaging. #orleg

And I’m listening to an ORLEG hearing where the head of DMV workers union said that a DMV near Portland saw such a big increase in customers after nearby DMV offices closed that they need a special crowd control permit from the local fire dept.

But yeah… “No new taxes!”

yes I hear you. I think it's possible to see it differently.

not sure yet. Probably. I hope so. The bill had a public hearing already.. but there've been tons of amendments so they should offer more public comment... but it's a short session so I don't know.

Rep. Boshart Davis also wants to limit state transit funding only to transit agencies that can prove they have a farebox recovery ratio of 50% or more. Looks like a clear ploy to freeze out TriMet, since their current ratio is about 7%.

Really hoping leaders and PCEF folks can negotiate a W with the Blazers funding thing. If we end up holding our nose & bailing out a billionaire, the $$ better have strong mandates to transform Rose Quarter area into a much less car-centric hellhole. Can Albina Vision Trust step in here?

Republican OR House Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis introduced a bill that prevents DEQ from enforcing Clean Truck Rule & says ODOT cannot require automakers to sell more lower emission vehicles.

Boshart Davis also owns a trucking company. www.bosharttrucking.com/boshart-truc...

exactly. This is similar to my post yesterday about NPR calling current R and D debates as "deeply divided" as if this is just some interesting contest of ideas and not one side doing fascism and the other side trying to stop it.

This isn't politics as usual, so it shouldn't be coverage as usual!!

thanks for the clip. Will be interesting to watch. Metro had already slowed down the Expo project due to general cutbacks, but it's very much still alive. Sucks that it might take even longer to happen because Blazers. Tough issue.

This was hard to watch.

Just FYI I'm not naming or showing the city staffer. I give a detailed recap, but you can find the video linked in the story if you want to see it.

no way did she really say that? If Metro does that it'll be so annoying! I've been advocating for new basketball courts in the project so it'd be pretty ironic when Blazers and a billionaire get priority over kids with no place to play.

One thing you’ll never see from @bikeportland.org is this type of clickbait headline where they don’t reveal the most important part of the story.

(And maybe that’s why they make $$ and I don’t. lol. 😂😂😂)

See how this headline reduces fascism by one side to an issue where both sides are “deeply divided”?

NPR isn’t federally funded anymore. I keep waiting for them to get more direct in framing what Trump admin is doing.

This is for South of Powell and PBOT says it'll be built in 2028. They've also announced a planning study for similar treatments north of Powell. LFG.

cc @travisnelson.bsky.social