Portland city councilors twisted themselves into knots last week as they, once again, tried to scrape together money to save jobs or extend programs on the chopping block in next year’s budget.
Like last month, they raided reserves meant for other purposes, including a fund that pays for new streetlight installations and energy-efficient LED bulb replacements. Like last month, they spent an inordinate amount of time debating the morality of using money in the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund, which collects $200 million a year — more than half what the city collects in property taxes for the general fund — but restricts uses.
And like last month, they are moving forward with a budget that still slashes more than 100 jobs, cuts essential police training, pares back community center hours and curtails other public services. Meanwhile, Portlanders’ bills are skyrocketing with new tax and fee increases for parks, water, garbage, parking, roads and the arts. Forget “the city that works;” Portland is the city that charges more and delivers less…