Oregon has the option of decoupling from automatic implementation of changes in federal tax law.

If this isn’t the time to do exactly that, when would it be!!

Portland sitting on $21M that could have paid for rent aid, other services, review reveals The tranche of dollars could have gone to emergency rent assistance, eviction defense or other housing aid, according to documents reviewed by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

If Oliveira knew about the first $11 million in August, and told the mayor and city administrator in September-why wasn’t the full council apprised? When did Oliveira start working with only Avalos and Dunphy - and not the whole committee- on how to spend the $$?

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

4/Isn't it time to have a conversation about using some of this huge- and growing- Preschool surplus to fill in some funding gaps in critical county services? And indexing the tax to inflation?

3/The county just projected a general fund shortfall of $10.5 million for FY 27. The increase in the Preschool fund balance is more than 10 times that shortfall, while the interest alone generated in FY 25 was double the projected shortfall.

2/an increase of more than 25%. Revenues were $60 million, or 37%, higher than budgeted, while expenses were $23 million- or 20%- less than budgeted. This is the same pattern that we have seen in Preschool financial reports year after year since the program’s inception.

1/PRESCHOOL FUND BALANCE NOW EXCEEDS $600,000,000!!!!!

As I have been predicting since last year, the Preschool fund balance now exceeds $600 million per the FY 25 County Financial Report

The fund balance increased by $125 million from FY 24's $485 million to nearly $610 million in FY 25…

On Veterans Day, I always say thanks to
my dad and those who served their country in World War II.

Portland Cop Eli Arnold Will Run for City Council Again Eli Arnold, a Portland police officer who ran unsuccessfully for the Portland City Council in 2024, will try again next year to win the same seat.

www.wweek.com/news/city/20...

Metro-Area Homelessness Persists Despite $1.3 Billion Raised Since 2021, Point-in-Time Count Shows Even with a hoard of new cash, the three Portland-area counties can’t keep up with the number of people becoming newly homeless.

Not moving in the right direction.

Metro spokesman Nick Christensen says. “But for every 10 people that we move into permanent housing, 14 are becoming homeless in greater Portland.”

www.wweek.com/news/2025/11...

Portland councilor says he’ll vote against parks tax increase he helped refer to voters “I love our parks, but this levy asks Portlanders to pay for inefficiencies the bureau hasn’t fixed,” Councilor Dan Ryan said Friday.

“I love our parks, but this levy asks Portlanders to pay for inefficiencies the bureau hasn’t fixed,” Councilor Dan Ryan said Friday.

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Unfortunately Oregon follows changes in federal tax law. Needs to unwind it soon. I think I read the projected loss to Oregon from the recent giveaway is $300 million.

Well they should put a limit back, snd have sanctions for the, eg 149900 contracts were there a 150,000 limit. Also I heard several times but don’t know if true that st times contract that should have gone to bid have been broken up to steer to certain contractors.

Maybe it’s time to look at an immersed tunnel concept that’s been advocated by Bob Ortblad.

Was that mandated by charter or did (previous) council change code?

Typo fixed: Real nerd…..

Portland City Council Gets a Lesson in Tax Compression, Courtesy of Big Pink When it sold at a deep, deep discount in July, the iconic building set a bad precedent.

A City Council first! Good work by @councilorclark.bsky.social, who arranged the session, saying "It’s really important that people understand how local government is funded if we’re going to pay for the programs that people want throughout the city.”

www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

Local Businesses Offer Free Food to People Losing SNAP Benefits Heretic Coffee and Nan’s Taqueria have stepped up to fill the need starting in November.

Portland rises- pretty cool! "As SNAP benefits are poised to cut off Saturday, Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown, some local businesses in the Portland area have already stepped up to help people who will temporarily lose their food assistance."
www.wweek.com/food/2025/10...

Or if not accident (meaning someone started a fire in a storage shed), not targeting an elected official. That’s why it’s important for the mayor and others to wait for facts before making false assumptions.

Last week my team joined Governor Kotek and other leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new live music performance venue at Lloyd Center. This three-story, 68,000-square-foot venue will welcome up to 4,000 guests and create 17 full-time jobs — and it is fully financed with private dollars.

Readers respond: City Council’s troubling priorities Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.

"Voters are being asked yet again to raise taxes to cover what is, at its core, a problem of poor fiscal management."

www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025...

Seems to be the latest in arson violence being used against elected officials. Wheeler, Ryan, Gonzalez and now Avalos.

On non-Agenda items, right? Can still sign up for public comment in agenda items with no limit (?).

Last week I toured both of the Portland Farmers Market offerings downtown with Executive Director Katy Kolker and her staff. I learned a great deal about how local food is sourced, how the market operates, and how it supports access through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

youtu.be/IYJyEl4fXGI

#portland #parks #fiscalresponsibility

YouTube video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert A Message From The Frog Resistance

#portland #frog #resistsnce

youtu.be/bw5zxdSObso

Poor Planning Saddled Portland Parks with Maintenance Backlog of Up to $800 Million, City Auditor Says The parks department failed to account for life-long maintenance when it built new facilities and improved old ones, the report says.

“We found that Parks has not developed the plans necessary to fund critical services and amenities in the long term.”

The parks bureau didn’t have a “long-term fiscal sustainability plan” that would have exposed “impending funding gaps before they became a crisis.”

www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

Portland parks’ future imperiled by poor financial management, city watchdog warns City Auditor Simone Rede says that Portland Parks & Recreation lacks “a systematic approach” to save or raise enough money to care for all its parks.

“Portland’s Parks Bureau has no plan to pay for reasonable parks upkeep, even as the bulk of its assets continue to crumble and the agency remains without a long-term solution to cover day-to-day operations, the city’s elected watchdog said Wednesday.”

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Read what the city budget office told the council for years: Parks budget is on an unsustainable trajectory, it’s “untenable.” Parks not only ignored but increased authorized positions by 48% in 5 years.

A smaller levy won't solve Parks' problems. But even with a 75% tax increase, Parks can't afford to offer any new services. The city needs an urgent conversation - one that leaders can't duck - abt operating costs, keeping pools open & making sure light poles in Irving Park don't fall on kids.