The PBA's Dislike of a Progressive Street Fee Might Result in a More Progressive Street Fee

Portland Mercury:

Obstinacy is a treacherous tactic. The Portland Business Alliance might soon find that out. Since Mayor Charlie Hales and Commissioner Steve Novick unveiled a new proposal to raise millions for the city's roads, the PBA has been unwavering in its opposition. Sure, the organization was at the table as the plan was hashed out—and even played a central role in softening it a bit, so that wealthier Portlanders aren't shouldering as much of a burden as they might—but Portland's business community now has put its foot down. It's vowing to put the proposal before voters, should Portland City Council pass it next month. Now, a mounting throng of transportation and environmental organizations are pushing back. As we reported yesterday, the group OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon penned a letter suggesting that, if the so-called Portland Street Fund is going to voters, it should go in a different form—one that's going to be far-less palatable for the PBA. OPAL's not making that suggestion alone. Today, seven more organizations have signed on, pledging their support for a more progressive version of the tax in the long slog of a campaign, if needed. Those groups: 1000 Friends of Oregon, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, Coalition for a Livable Future, Oregon Walks, Oregon Environmental Council, Safe Routes to Schools National Partnership, and Upstream Public Health. The letter, as Denis pointed out, doesn't list a specific alternative to the current proposal. But it's certainly possible these folks are thinking of a popular plan to tax Portlanders making more than $125,000. Once again, the salient parts of the letter: Should a proposal eventually be referred to voters, our willingness to join the “Yes” campaign and invest resources in upholding this proposal will likely depend on whether the City Council passes a truly progressive package, one that is fairer for the middle class and places a stronger emphasis on safety. Given our support, and given that the concessions afforded to the business community have not secured the level of support intended, we recommend that City Council amend the proposal to ensure that working families and middle-class households are not burdened at the expense of the wealthiest among us, who can clearly afford to pay more. By the way, public comment on the proposal is scheduled for 2 pm at Portland City Hall. Denis is going to slog through it so you don't have to, so check back for our liveblog. [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

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