The new mayor of Portland, Oregon, defended major spending on the city’s police force while catching flak from residents over the large sum.
Presenting his first budget proposal on Wednesday, the mayor, Democrat Keith Wilson, said his $8.5 billion budget proposal, which includes $604 million for public safety services, is meant to “turn the tide” in Portland, which has almost 150 fewer cops than it did five years ago.
“We have an unsafe city,” said Mr. Wilson. “If we don’t invest in public safety, we’re not going to get that vibrancy and the livability back, which is very important for everybody.”…