PORTLAND, Ore. — A key Portland City Council committee on Wednesday passed an amended proposal to institute a flat fee on utility bills in order to fund road upkeep throughout the city.
The Finance and Governance Committee of the Whole, which includes all 12 members of city council, met Wednesday afternoon to discuss the fee and several amendments to the original proposal.
Throughout the state of Oregon, transportation officials at all levels of government have increasingly sounded the alarm about funding sources falling short. The Portland Bureau of Transportation has told city council that it needs $45-50 million more per year just to keep “streets of citywide concern” from deteriorating further…