 Portland City Council is voting today to pass a Technical Adjustment Ordinance (or TAO) for the Fall Supplemental Budget.
This should be a routine correction that’s required by the State of Oregon — not a time to rehash past policy decisions — but unfortunately there is an opportunistic amendment that is an affront to this process.
The amendment would slash millions of dollars from the City’s Impact Reduction Program, which provides garbage removal, hygiene access, resource referral, and job opportunities and removes campsites that pose the highest risk to health and safety.
The Impact Reduction Program conducts sophisticated abatement work that’s just now beginning to deliver really effective results — and this reckless amendment would reverse progress, particularly in District 4. I will be voting no, and I encourage constituents to make their voices heard today.
Please click here to read a message from Mayor Wilson about the impact of the amendment, please click here to submit testimony, and please click here to watch today’s meeting.
As I said last night in an emergency meeting of the Northwest District Association (as reported in NW Examiner), I’m disappointed that this amendment seems to represent a growing toxicity and lack of respect on Council.
It’s a direct betrayal of promises made to neighborhood and business associations to provide more emergency shelter beds, while removing street camping, addressing public drug use, and improving public safety — my top priority as your City Councilor.
Sincerely,
Councilor Olivia Clark
District 4
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