Investments in equity, COVID recovery, violence prevention and environmental stewardship top Mayor Ted Wheeler’s list of budget priorities for the City’s annual fall spending review.

Each fall the Portland City Council reviews the City’s budget to determine whether any mid-year changes are needed because of new and unforeseen circumstances. The fall check-in typically is used for technical adjustments and small changes. This year, because of fiscal uncertainty caused by the pandemic, Council is considering more significant decisions.

The Mayor seeks to take measured steps to rebuild reserves while also making targeted investments to help Portland recover equitably and sustainably. Below is a description of the Mayor’s proposal (please note the dollar figures are approximate, may be rounded, and are subject to change).

Equity Community Investments

Community Reinvestment Initiative

Around the country, communities are calling for divestment from police agencies and reinvestment in community. The Mayor’s 19-point racial justice plan calls for reducing the Police Bureau’s budget and reinvesting in communities of color. The Mayor is partnering with City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly to propose a $3 million investment in a community-led process empowering Black Portlanders to decide how best to invest in the community. We will work with Reimagine Oregon and other community partners to design this process.

Approximately $1.9 million would come from ongoing cannabis tax revenues previously dedicated to the Police Bureau. An additional $1.5 million will be made available from one-time funds. The balance will be used to help staff, support and report on the process.

“Community members know what they need to advance public safety and economic empowerment,” the Mayor said. “This proposal will give the community voice and votes to decide how best to invest in the changes needed to advance equity and racial justice.”

Increasing the City’s Capacity to Advance Equity

People of color, indigenous people and members of the LGBTQIA+ community face barriers related to employment, health care, policing, education and more. The Mayor is committed to building city employees’ capacity to understand and fight for equal access to opportunity for everyone and to build relationships with community-based organizations. To do so, the Mayor will ask the Council to create new positions focused on equity and justice.

LGBTQIA+ Policy Analyst

This new position in the Office of Equity and Human Rights will supplement analysts who currently focus on racial equity. The position will help ensure every City bureau works to provide equal opportunity to members of the LGBTQIA+ community and to remove barriers faced by LGBTQIA+ people. Just as important, the position will increase the City’s ability to partner with organizations like the Cascade Aids Project, Pride Northwest and the Human Rights Campaign. The position will be supported with $125,000 in ongoing revenue.

Increased Capacity for the Office of Equity and Human Rights

The Mayor will ask the Council to support three new positions in the Office of Equity and Human Rights. The positions will focus on providing more training for City employees, on data analysis to ensure the City is making progress on its equity goals, and on increasing the accessibility of all City facilities and programs. The request also includes support for two AmeriCorps VISTA interns who will focus on Black male achievement. Finally, the Mayor will direct that bureaus jointly fund a fourth position focused on civil rights investigations and trainings. Combined, these requests require $430,000 in ongoing funds.

“We need better understanding and capacity among our employees, and we need a stronger focus on accountability for progress. This proposal helps us accomplish both these important objectives,” the Mayor said.

Improving Tribal Relations

The city of Portland has one of the largest urban Native American populations in the nation. Tens of thousands of tribal members live in the City. The City is a leader in working to improve relations with Native Americans and with Tribal nations. Currently, the City’s tribal relations program has two staff. The success created by the City’s one liaison, while significant, does not match the City’s goals of making Portland a destination for Native people to live, work and visit, and to ensure Native people are visible and supported.

“We need to weave knowledge of and respect for Native people and culture into the fabric of the City’s operations and relationships. That requires more than one person,” the Mayor said.

That’s why the Mayor will ask Council to approve a third position to support the existing tribal liaisons’ highly successful work. The new position requires $130,000 in ongoing funds.

COVID-19 Recovery

Portland was in the first wave of cities responding to the pandemic this spring. With both City funds and federal relief dollars, Council prioritized immediate relief to vulnerable renters, people living outside, and small businesses. The City stood up its Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) to keep people informed about the latest public health information and to ensure a coordinated City response to the pandemic. The ECC continues to work closely with Multnomah County to ensure the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness.

The Mayor’s proposal continues funding for the ECC so no staff there are laid off; invests in the central city so it is clean, healthy, and welcoming to employees and visitors; and offers a lifeline for City-owned arts venues to avoid higher costs down the road.

Housing Stability and Safe Sleep Options

The Mayor has prioritized renter and homeowner stability, and the safety of people experiencing homelessness, since the pandemic began. In his proposal, $3.6 million in federal funds is allocated for several hundred additional shelter beds through the cold and rainy winter months, and $1.4 million will support rent assistance to help people stay in their homes.

Two important programs to help people experiencing homelessness stay healthy and safe are funded with federal money that expires at the end of this calendar year: three outdoor camps serving about 100 people each; and 100 port-a-potties places throughout the community. The Mayor proposes to use unspent funds from the Portland Street Response, on a one-time basis, to continue these services through the end of this fiscal year. This allocation is $2.1 million in total.

Sustaining the COVID-19 Emergency Coordination Center

In addition, the Mayor also is asking to City Council to approve continued support for operation of the COVID Emergency Coordination Center with a one-time allocation of $290,000 to match FEMA funds supporting operations at the ECC.

Garbage and Litter Pick-Up

COVID health guidelines are changing how we live and work, and have affected how we are managing shared public spaces. That’s why the Mayor is asking the Council to approve an additional $800,000 for garbage and litter collection and to support the work of the Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program. The Mayor is requesting $650,000 in one-time funds and an additional $150,000 from reallocations within the existing budget.

Additionally, the Mayor proposes $77,000 in one-time dollars to extend our contract and continue our partnership with SOLVE for Keep it Pretty, Rose City cleanup events. This level of funding will allow SOLVE to expand their events and increase engagement in underserved neighborhoods, especially East Portland. This investment will fund the agreement through the end of 2021.

Downtown Retail Activation

Cleaning up Downtown is a great start. The Mayor also wants to help Downtown business re-open safely and help bring customers back to the City’s core. That’s why the Mayor is seeking Council approval of a one-time investment to support ongoing marketing of downtown’s wide range of open shops and businesses.

The Mayor seeks to invest $150,000 with Travel Portland, which is working closely with an array of partners including the Old Town Community Association, Portland Business Alliance, public agencies, and other community partners to raise the profile of businesses that are open downtown.

The Mayor also will ask the Council to make a one-time investment of $50,000 in Prosper Portland’s work to activate downtown neighborhoods. Prosper is working with local business and community groups to sponsor open-air markets, performances and other activities designed to bring people into the downtown core. This one-time $200,000 investment will be redirected from the City’s spectator venues fund.

Maintaining the Viability of City-Owned Performing Arts Venues

City-owned facilities operated by Portland’5 Centers for the Arts include the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, the Keller Auditorium, Antoinette Hatfield Hall and the Winningstad Theater, Newmark Theater and Brunish Theater. To protect public health, these City-owned facilities are closed.

Although some of the venues are offering virtual programs, revenues are not sufficient to sustain operations while the City of Portland and Multnomah County are still in Phase I of COVID recovery. To avoid major costs to the City, and to ensure the venues are ready to reopen when conditions allow, the Mayor is asking the City Council to approve a one-time investment of $1.6 million to maintain minimal staffing and maintenance.

“Our arts venues bring culture, people and jobs to our downtown. We need to them to be ready to re-open when conditions permit. We need to protect our past investment in these important community assets,” Mayor Wheeler said.

Violence Prevention

Enhancing the Public Health Response to Gun Violence

The COVID-19 crisis is increasing stresses and strains on people across the Portland community at the same time social distancing and other public health guidelines make providing social services more difficult and expensive than ever. One terrible result is an alarming increase in gun violence.

“Just like a virus, ending gun violence requires prevention, education and intervention,” the Mayor said. “We know what to do. We need the resources to do it. That’s why I am asking the City Council to increase its investment in the Office of Violence Prevention,” he said.

The Office of Violence Prevention works on the root causes of violence to both prevent violent incidents and reduce the need for law enforcement. The office coordinates resources and services, administers grants for non-profit organizations that strengthen community, and facilitates community conversation and problem-solving. Given the COVID-caused crises in our community, the need for more community-based violence prevention and problem solving has never been greater.

The Mayor is asking the Council to approve two new positions for the program. One will provide support for the office’s existing staff to increase their capacity and effectiveness. The other will focus on coordinating programs designed to foster existing and grow new community partnerships to prevent violence before it occurs. The Mayor seeks $271,000 in ongoing funds to support this vital work.

Environmental Stewardship

Portland has long been a leader in environmental stewardship. There is increasing urgency to protect Portland’s environment and for the City to do its part in the fight against climate change. The Mayor’s proposal makes several investments to keep important work going.

FEMA Floodplain Update

The National Flood Insurance Program is managed by FEMA and provides renters, homeowners, and businesses insurance coverage for flood damage. The program is complex, but a key feature is that local floodplain management rules must comply with Endangered Species Act protections for wild salmon and steelhead. City bureaus are working on a multi-year project to keep local certification and maintain flood insurance protection for the people of Portland. $260,000 in one-time funds will allow the City to meet a critical FEMA deadline, stay in compliance, and continue important community engagement about the future of floodplain management and flood protection.

Columbia River Levee Reconstruction

Portland is part of a group called Levee Ready Columbia working to bring the Columbia River’s local system of flood control levees, 27 miles in total, up to federal standards so local residents and business owners qualify for affordable flood insurance. Setting aside $315,000 on an ongoing basis ensures Portland continues to meet its obligations.

Dark Skies

The Portland Dark Skies Project will reduce light pollution in Portland, reducing negative health impacts to humans and negative impacts on wildlife, reducing energy waste, and bringing back the night sky. Last year, Council directed the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to develop recommendations to get us there. In his proposal, Mayor Wheeler directs the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to develop a budget proposal to fund an important piece of the solution, Code updates, for Council's consideration as soon as practicable and no later than the Spring FY 2021-22 Supplemental Budget Process.

Willamette River Superfund Clean-up

In 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated a 10-mile stretch of the Willamette River a Superfund Site. This is one of the most complex superfund sites in the country, and it wasn’t until 2017 that EPA released its final clean-up plan. The City is partnering with the EPA and others to make sure the work is moving forward and being led by community values and organizations. $1 million in one-time resources will ensure the City meets its obligations.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-21 17:22:37

Last Update: 2020-10-21 17:41:51

A disproportionate number of Democratic legislative candidates have found themselves in hot water this legislative cycle. In a year in which the party is hoping to pick up seats in order to cross the next threshold -- to gain a quorum-proof majority -- they seem to have problems with elections integrity in many of their races. This fact may hold them back.

One wonders why, among the surely many talented possible candidates, the Democratic side has been unable to field a slate of integrity. Could it be that there is such hubris in the party that ethics is regarded as optional? Here are some of the examples.

• Democrat Lynette Shaw running against incumbent Republican Ron Noble in House District 24, which is the McMinnville area found herself making a false statement in the voters' pamphlet about her education. She claimed that she received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota, which she did not.


• In Bend, Democrat Assistant District Attorney Jason Kropf has run into some trouble of his own. After the Oregon Trial Lawyer's Association reportedly asked a harassment victim working in the District Attorney's office to stay quiet in order to help Kropf's campaign. He has since returned $10,000 from the Trial Lawyers, which doesn't look good.
  
  This scandal is a sequel, of sorts. You'll remember in the previous cycle, Helt's opponent, Nathan Boddie was accused of groping a 23-year-old colleague. Boddie refused to step down and he went down to Helt, despite the large registration advantage Democrats hold in the district.


• Democratic Coos County Commissioner Melissa Cribbins is running in the Coos County area against local businessman, Republican Dick Anderson. She has been called out for spending public money on personal business. Cribbins spent over $56,000 on the county credit card in just three years for airfare, hotels, meals, drinks, gifts, transportation, parties and special classes.

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-21 10:27:48

Last Update: 2020-10-20 20:54:48

Violence seems without end in Portland, Oregon.

On October 19, 2020, at 10:03 p.m., Portland Police Bureau Officers from East Precinct and Transit Police responded to the 1100 block of Northeast 99th Ave in the Hazelwood neighborhood on reports of a robbery. It was reported that four young males between the ages of 11-15 exited the Max at Gateway where they approached an adult woman, who was homeless, and attempted to steal her purse. The woman struggled with the youth to retain her purse. The woman's husband confronted the youth and was stabbed in the neck by one of them. The victim was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The suspects fled the scene and no arrests were made. Once at the hospital, it was learned that the victim's injuries were non-life-threatening.

A few hours later, at 1:03 a.m. on October 20, 2020, a victim of a stabbing walked into an area hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. The adult male victim, who is also homeless, was stabbed five times near his camp in the Lents neighborhood by an unknown suspect. No crime scene was located and no arrests were made.

The last stabbing was reported at 2:39 a.m., where another victim walked into an area hospital with a serious, but non-life-threatening injury after being struck with a hatchet. The adult male victim was uncooperative with police, however, officers learned that the incident occurred in the Lents neighborhood near Southeast 92nd Ave and Flavel St. No crime scene was located and no arrests were made.


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-20 21:25:50

Last Update: 2020-10-20 22:05:39

Attornys from Alliance Defending Freedom representing a private, religious K-12 Oregon school filed a lawsuit in federal court Friday against Governor Kate Brown to challenge her order threatening private schools with 30 days jail time and $1,250 fines for reopening in-person instruction, despite allowing public schools of identical size in the same county permission to resume in-person classes.

After nearly two months of advising that Hermiston Christian School could provide in-person instruction to the 51 students enrolled in its K-12 program, Brown reversed course and, on July 29, ordered private schools in Umatilla County and elsewhere to remain closed while offering exemptions to public schools with 75 or fewer students. On the same day Brown extended the prohibition of in-person instruction to private schools, a spokesperson for the governor expressed a desire to prevent a “mass exodus” from public schools and emphasized that public schools could suffer a reduction in funding if students disenrolled to obtain education elsewhere.

“While responding to crises can be difficult, this case is not. There is no legitimate reason for allowing public schools with 75 or fewer students to provide in-person instruction while denying the same opportunity to small private schools, including religious ones,” said ADF Senior Counsel Ryan Tucker, director of the ADF Center for Christian Ministries. “Hermiston Christian School operates in the same county as a public school that is open, and it operates with the same number of students, who are performing the same type of activity, working in an even larger physical environment, and complying with the same health and safety protocols. Gov. Brown’s refusal to extend the same treatment to Hermiston Christian School as she does to small public schools violates the U.S. Constitution and discriminates against parents who choose to provide a religious education for their children.”

After receiving the governor’s assurance that in-person instruction would resume, Hermiston Christian retained its teachers and staff, made expenditures to meet or exceed the state’s health and safety protocols, and told parents that they could plan on in-person classes for their children. On September 16, the Oregon Department of Education granted Hermiston initial approval as an Emergency Child Care Facility for school aged children and, after conducting a virtual inspection of school facilities, noted that Hermiston Christian’s “facility is very clean and organized. [Staff] were very well prepared and are following the Health and Safety Guidelines.” However, the Umatilla County Public Health Department has advised the school that it is not permitted to provide in-person instruction even if the students are in its facilities for childcare.

“Gov. Brown’s personal preference for public over private education does not permit her to discriminate against faith-based schools,” said ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman. “Oregon’s Department of Education has personally evaluated Hermiston Christian School and found that it is a safe place for school-aged children to spend full days, but the very same department threatens imprisonment and fines if the school dares to educate those very same children while they’re in the building. Public health crises do not suspend the Constitution or permit elected leaders to favor secular public schools by granting them unique exceptions.”

The complaint notes that Hermiston Christian serves some low-income families in its community who cannot simultaneously supervise their children’s remote education while working outside of the home to provide essential income. As the complaint explains, “Most distance-learning models rely on increased levels of parental involvement, which imposes unique burdens upon single parents or low-income families with two working parents.”

ADF attorneys filed Hermiston Christian School v. Brown in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Pendleton Division.

This is the second lawsuit filed against the Governor in the past few days. Friday, a group of legislators filed a suit based on separation of powers and other issues.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-20 18:42:19

Last Update: 2020-10-20 19:27:48

Governor Kate Brown is seeking qualified candidates to apply for the Director of Executive Appointments position.

The Governor appoints nearly 300 policymaking, regulatory and advisory boards and commissions. Many of these set policy for executive branch agencies. The Executive Appointments Director works with the Governor’s Policy Advisors to recommend candidates for the Governor's selection and guides appointments through the Senate confirmation process.

This work requires an excellent grasp of the various missions of boards and commissions and how their work relates to that of state agencies, the Legislature, the Governor's Office. The Director must engage with a variety of stakeholder groups across the state to identify qualified volunteers and must balance the needs and goals of boards and commissions with demographic considerations such as geography, race, ethnicity, age, gender, military status, disability status, and experience.

Governor Brown is looking for a Director to build on current goals for increasing racial diversity in Oregon boards and commissions. Members of Oregon state boards and commissions are vital participants in the policy–making, regulatory, and advocacy efforts for a wide variety of issues affecting Oregonians. The board system contributes to the success of Oregon state government by bringing diverse and local talent and interest to the state level.

If you are interested in being appointed by the Governor to one of the almost 300 boards or commissions, you can get more information on the executive branch website. Members of Oregon State Boards and Commissions are vital participants in statewide decision-making and dedicated individuals have the opportunity to participate in developing a wide variety of important governmental policies. Major issues range from consumer protection, economic development, education, conservation, and health care—all of which are critical to the ongoing success of the State of Oregon.

You must be an Oregon resident and taxpayer to participate unless otherwise noted.




--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-20 08:28:02

Last Update: 2020-10-20 09:52:40

The Oregon Health Authority now recommends wearing a face covering/mask instead of a face shield (except in limited situations when a face shield by itself is appropriate, like talking to someone who is Deaf or hard of hearing and needs to read lips to communicate).

Jason Shurka studies body responses and is making a documentary on his findings, particularly body responses to diseases. A body always strives for balance. A fever is when the body heats to fight a virus. He says even cancer tumors are caused as a defense of another problem.

Shurka says a virus activates itself to detox the body against something that has attacked the body. He says that groups of people don’t spread a virus. They are just grouped in one frequency area so that the energy produced attacks the irregularity. The more vital the body is the more susceptible to toxic environments. He says the COVID-19 lockdown is detoxing the body from all the immunity our bodies have built up making us more susceptible to viruses.

So is COVID-19 a nature virus or a created irregularity attacking our bodies?

Dr. Reiner Fuellmich, consumer protection trial lawyer in California and Germany for 26 years and member of the German Corona Extra-Parliamentary Inquiry Committee, prosecutes those responsible for implementing the economically devastating lockdowns around the world as well as fraudulent testing to engineer the appearance of a dangerous pandemic.

In “Crimes against Humanity,” Fuellmich identifies their case showing lockdowns were unnecessary because the virus was already in retreat and infection rates were starting to decline when lockdowns were imposed. He says scientific evidence shows a majority of people already have built-in protection against the virus due to cross-reactive T-cell immunity. They also show that the PCR test -- a test for COVID-19 DNA -- cannot be used to identify an active infection with SARS-CoV-2 or any other virus, and mortality statistics during the pandemic have been within the norms of any given year, meaning the pandemic has not resulted in an excess number of deaths or a death toll higher than normal.

Fuellmich explains that crimes against humanity, first defined during the Nuremberg trials following World War II, are today regulated in Section 7 of the International Criminal Code. Pandemic measures, on the other hand, have "caused the loss of innumerable human lives, and have destroyed the economic existence of countless companies and individuals worldwide."

As noted by Fuellmich: "PCR tests are simply incapable of diagnosing any disease. A positive PCR test result does not mean that an infection is present. If someone tests positive, it does not mean that they're infected with anything, let alone with the contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus." Even the United States CDC … agrees with this and I quote directly from page 38 of one of its publications on the coronavirus and the PCR tests dated July 13 2020.

• Detection of viral RNA may not indicate the presence of infectious virus or that 2019-nCoV is the causative agent for clinical symptoms.
• The performance of this test has not been established for monitoring treatment of 2019-nCoV infection.
• This test cannot rule out diseases caused by other bacterial or viral pathogens.
• Equally important is the fact that PCR tests cannot distinguish between inactive viruses and "live" or reproductive ones that may pick up dead debris or inactive viral particles that pose no risk whatsoever to the patient and others.
• What's more, the test can pick up the presence of other coronaviruses, so a positive result may simply indicate that you've recuperated from a common cold in the past.

Public health, both physical and mental, as well as the global economy, have all suffered tremendous blows. According to Fuellmich, there's evidence showing a range of falsehoods and misrepresentations of facts have purposely been circulated, such that, based on the rules of criminal law, it can only be assessed as fraud. Under the rules of civil tort law, all those who have been harmed by these PCR tests induced lockdowns are entitled to receive full compensation for their losses.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-19 21:14:25

Last Update: 2020-10-20 08:28:02

City of Salem Center 50+ has launched the WOW van (Wellness on Wheels) to keep seniors connected to their community through life-enriching activities and services. With the support from Salem Health, United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley, P3 Health Partners Oregon, and Home Instead Senior Care, Center 50+ now delivers socially distanced wellness services to area seniors.

Front porch visits from the WOW Van includes fitness, nutrition, mobility and wellness programming, activities, lifelong learning instruction, social checks ins, and technology tutoring.

The Center 50+ is Salem’s premier non-membership community center providing programs and services to adults age 50 and older and their caregivers. Although the Center is temporarily closed to the public due to COVID-19, programs and services continue to be offered throughout the community. Center 50+ serves more than 850 people a day and hosts more than 150 programs and activities each term.

The WOW Van was inspired through the work of the Age-Friendly Salem Initiative and meets the goals of keeping seniors socially connected, engaged in their community, and able to remain safe and healthy in their homes for as long as possible. Center 50+ recognizes the importance of delivering services to older adults whose mobility and aptitude to travel around Salem has decreased because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Marilyn Daily who manages operations and programming for the center says, “Everyone on our staff is excited about the possibilities of this service and eager to bring classes and companionship to those who need it most.”

To find out more about the WOW Van residents are encouraged to email Connect50plus@cityofsalem.net or to visit the Center 50+ website.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-10-19 20:07:05

Last Update: 2020-10-19 20:22:28

Governor Kate Brown announced that she is accepting applications for a judicial vacancy on the Marion County Circuit Court created by the planned retirement of Judge Mary M. James. The Governor thanked Judge James for her dedicated judicial service, and announced that she will fill the position by appointment. Judge James’ retirement takes effect November 30, 2020.

Interested applicants should mail or submit online (no in-person delivery) their completed application forms to: Dustin Buehler, General Counsel, Office of the Governor, 900 Court Street NE #254, Salem, OR 97301-4047. Forms must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 9, 2020. Forms emailed by 5:00 p.m. on the closing date will be considered timely so long as original signed forms postmarked by the closing date are later received.

Governor Kate Brown fills judicial vacancies based on merit. She encourages applications from lawyers with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.

ORS 3.041 and 3.050 provide that at the time of appointment to the court, the candidate must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Oregon, and a member of the Oregon State Bar. SB 977, recently passed by the Legislature, creates a new requirement. It amends ORS 3.041 and requires that these vacancies must be filled by persons who are residents of or have principal offices in the judicial districts to which they are appointed or adjacent judicial districts.

For questions about the appointment process, or to request an interest form, contact Shevaun Gutridge via Email here or at 503-378-6246


--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-19 19:09:51

Last Update: 2020-10-19 20:30:44

The confluence of the Willamette and Calapooia Rivers was significant to the native Kalapuya peoples and to early European settlers who eventually built the city at this unique intersection of rivers, roads, and railroads.

Albany is one of last major cities on the Willamette to invest in its riverfront and today, the riverfront is separated from downtown Albany by parking lots, Water Avenue, railroad tracks, and is missing sidewalks and crossing options. The connection between downtown Albany and its waterfront has become largely hidden by thick foliage and poor water access.

Over time, the City has been taking steps to reestablish downtown Albany’s connection with its rivers. In recent years, the City has been preserving waterfront properties for public use, using the Central Albany Revitalization Area to make strategic investments in downtown, and planning improvements to Water Avenue and the waterfront parks.

Now, the City is taking the next steps in this long-standing effort to improve Albany’s waterfront and how it connects to downtown. The expectation is that new waterfront redevelopment will ultimately create one of the most unique downtowns in the state of Oregon. When complete, the riverfront will be a major downtown anchor, connecting the community to the river to which it was historically connected.

This project will create plans to improve Water Avenue, Monteith Park, and the publicly owned portion of the riverfront and Dave Clark Trail. The project area includes up to 24 acres of park space and 14 blocks of streetscape along Water Avenue between Monteith Park and Main Street.

This process is expected to generate a final design concept by Summer 2020 and a final design is expected to be ready for City Council approval by Spring 2021. A phased approach to construction will allow for individual projects to be built over time. Pending final review, approval, and permitting, it may be possible to begin construction of individual projects as soon as Fall/Winter of 2021. The cost has not been determined.

You can find out more at the Albany Waterfront Project website.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-18 11:23:18

Last Update: 2020-10-18 13:10:07

Members of the Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable met and issued the following statement:

“We, the members of the Portland Indian Leaders Roundtable, disapprove of the destruction and theft of property, and threat of violence, by those participating in demonstrations last night. As with other resistance movements who have turned out in countless numbers this year, we understand that there is justifiable righteous indignation over the unconscionable mistreatment of our people and communities over centuries, and that Indigenous People’s Day is a time to reflect and speak out against these injustices. Yet, we cannot condone pointless acts of vandalism and the brandishing of weapons that serve only to detract from the real message that must be heard:

Many of us have spent our lives advocating for the needs of our people and working to prevent re-traumatization of our elders and families. Acting only in anger is not our way. Disavowing the teachings of our elders is not our way. Wielding weapons and stealing what is not ours is not our way.

The destruction at the Oregon Historical Society was so very disappointing, especially given the great care they have given to their most recent exhibit that displays Native American history so honestly and respectfully. We thank them for their deep consultation with tribal nations to create this exhibit and wish them the best in the repairs to their building.

On this Indigenous People’s Day of October 12, 2020, we choose to continue our important work being of service to those who need us. Relying upon the Indigenous values of respect, humility, kindness, and accountability, we will continue to work toward healing, using our traditions and culture as a guide.”

--Ben Fisher

Post Date: 2020-10-18 11:20:01

Last Update: 2020-10-18 13:26:30

In a sign that the Secretary of State Election might be very close, a variety of left-leaning donors have dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Shemia Fagan campaign for Secretary of State.

At this point in the campaign, state law requires reporting of contributions no later than seven days after being received. Below is a report of major donors to Fagan's campaign, during the first 9 days of October. It represents a broad cross-section of left leaning interests, labor unions, and individuals.

Some analysts point out that Oregon voters don't like a highly partisan race, especially for the office of Secretary of State -- a person in the position of being the referee on Oregon's elections. They have suggested that this large last-minute surge of cash is the result of an election that is turning out much like the Brad Avakian/Dennis Richardson Race four years ago, when the respected Richardson defeated the partisan Avakian.

The election is a mere 17 days from now.

Major donations to Committee to Elect Shemia Fagan just during the month of October 2020
Date	Donor	Amount
10/09/2020	Blue Wave Project	$5,000
10/09/2020	Portland Metro Fire Fighters PAC (223)	$10,000
10/09/2020	Oregon Nurses Political Action Committee (12986)	$20,000
10/09/2020	Earl Blumenauer for Congress	$1,500
10/09/2020	Oregon Health Care Association PAC (275)	$5,000
10/09/2020	Blue Wave Project	$20,000
10/09/2020	Aaron Mitchell	$5,000
10/08/2020	Dentists of Oregon PAC (54)	$10,000
10/08/2020	Citizen Action for Political Education (33)	$2,500
10/08/2020	Elect Ellen Rosenblum for Attorney General (15406)	$2,500
10/08/2020	Save Democracy PAC	$5,000
10/08/2020	Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC (2352)	$25,000
10/07/2020	Citizen Action for Political Education (33)	$25,000
10/06/2020	Blue Wave Project	$5,000
10/06/2020	Holding Onto Oregons Priorities	$10,000
10/05/2020	The Mother PAC (14523)	$1,000
10/05/2020	Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde	$2,500
10/04/2020	Molly McCabe	$10,000
10/03/2020	OFNHP AFT 5017 Political Action Committee (17220)	$4,000
10/03/2020	Phillip Fogg Jr.	$5,000
10/03/2020	EmpRes Healthcare Management	$2,500
10/02/2020	Democratic Association of Secretaries of State	$50,000
10/02/2020	National Democratic Redistricting Committee	$100,000
10/02/2020	Local 48 Electricians PAC (4572)	$30,000
10/02/2020	Professional Firefighters PAC #3219 (3219)	$5,000
10/02/2020	Oregon League of Conservation Voters PAC (2352)	$25,000
10/01/2020	Salem Fire PAC (245)	$1,000

--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-17 18:32:45

Last Update: 2020-10-17 20:50:16

The Oregon Department of Revenue is reminding taxpayers that now is the perfect time to review their Oregon tax withholding and payments to avoid a surprise when filing next year.

“We encourage Oregon taxpayers to check their withholding for tax year 2020,” said Personal Tax and Compliance Division Administrator JoAnn Martin. “Not withholding enough during the year could lead to an unexpected tax bill in 2021.”

Oregon’s Form OR-W-4 and Revenue’s online withholding calculator allow taxpayers to determine the correct amount to withhold for Oregon personal income tax. The 2020 Form OR-W-4 and the withholding calculator are available on the department’s website.

Generally, wage earners should periodically review their withholding, especially when they had a recent personal or financial change that may affect their tax situation such as a change in income, filing status, or number of dependents.

This year, thousands of Oregon taxpayers have had to file for unemployment benefits, many of them for the first time. Unemployment compensation is taxable and withholding is not done automatically. If recipients did not elect to have state income tax withheld when applying for benefits, they will need to fill out Form 1040WH from the Oregon Employment Department website and submit it to the OED to authorize withholding.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon.


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2020-10-17 11:30:33

Last Update: 2020-10-17 18:32:45