Once Seen as Likely Third Vote for Street Fee, Fritz Now Says She Won't Support Current Plan

Portland Mercury:

The street fee political math in city hall—never a simple matter in all the months of wrangling starting last spring—may have just become fatally complicated. The plan's one-time likely third vote, Commissioner Amanda Fritz, has announced this afternoon she won't support Commissioner Steve Novick and Mayor Charlie Hales' latest proposal for raising millions in new transportation revenue, a new, income-moderated fee based on residents' gas consumption. Novick and Hales announced that fee last week, after scrapping an income tax, in a bid to buy silence from key opponents like the Portland Business Alliance. Fritz, however, says the new proposal, which would raise more than half of the nearly $42 million sought by Hales and Novick, isn't progressive enough. She wants an income tax. She also wants that tax to go before voters in 2016, something Novick has repeatedly mused about doing. She's taken the rare step of announcing her opinion ahead of a public hearing planned, at her behest, this Thursday night. “I have many friends and constituents for whom even $3 per month would mean skipping a meal, or being unable to buy a bus ticket to get to work,” she said in a prepared statement. “Three dollars per month is $36 per year, more than the Arts Tax which is also regressive. We should learn from past experience, and we should not solve one problem by making another struggle worse.” Her lack of support means Hales and Novick will have to scramble just to get their street fund proposal out of the building—well before considering whether business groups or upset citizens might try to refer it to the ballot. Without changes to win Fritz over, Hales and Novick now have to win over either Commissioner Dan Saltzman or Nick Fish, both of whom have said they think the proposal should go before voters without a referral. That doesn't appear to have changed for Fish. A call to Saltzman's office has not been returned. It could be that a sweetener calling for a referral of the street fund in 2020 may give Saltzman the room he needs to change course. Read Fritz's full statement below. MONDAY, JAN. 5, 2015 – Commissioner Amanda Fritz announced today that she does not support the proposed street funding mechanism based on assumed gas use related to income.“My standard practice is to wait to consider testimony at the public hearing before announcing how I will vote on items on the Council Agenda,” said Commissioner Fritz in a press release issued mid-day on Monday. “I have heard from thousands of Portlanders since the first street funding proposal hearing in May. The latest proposal is similar to others that have already been widely discussed, and I want folks to know where I stand going into the public hearing on Thursday.” Fritz explained that while she is convinced that additional revenue is needed to repair our streets and provide crucial safety improvements, she cannot support a funding mechanism that would require people living in poverty to contribute, and would disproportionately burden middle class families. “I have many friends and constituents for whom even $3 per month would mean skipping a meal, or being unable to buy a bus ticket to get to work,” she said. “Three dollars per month is $36 per year, more than the Arts Tax which is also regressive. We should learn from past experience, and we should not solve one problem by making another struggle worse.” “Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Do what you believe in your heart is right, for you will be criticized anyway,” Fritz said. “I believe the right approach is a progressive income tax, which the Council should refer to the November 2016 ballot to allow maximum possible public participation. While I would consider voting for a progressive income tax with a sunset and no referral, I believe it would be better to provide certainty on the timing of a public vote.” [ Subscribe to the comments on this story ]

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