According to an article in the Oregonian over the weekend, Portland City Council will delay their vote on the Safe, Sound, and Green Streets funding proposal one week.
The vote was supposed to happen this Wednesday (1/16), but, Commissioner Sam Adams wants to put the vote on hold to work on some changes.
Adams is revising the proposal in light of objections raised at last week’s hearing by Oregon Petroleum Association lobbyist Paul Romain.
The Oregonian reported that the new version, “would include a provision that would lower the city’s fee if the Legislature raises the state gas tax,” and that it would, “eliminate the automatic 3.5% a year increase, replacing it with a requirement that the City Council decide each year how much to increase the fee, if at all.”
UPDATE: The Willamette Week is reporting that Adams has split the resolution into three parts.
The proposal, which is expected to pass a Council vote, is now slated to be voted on next week (1/23). No word yet on whether Regardless of the changes, Romain and his “small but determined faction of lobbyists” still plan to mount an effort to refer the proposal to voters.
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Need more info on what Safe, Sound and Green Streets will mean for Portland cyclists? Come to the Bicycle Brown Bag this Thursday (Jan. 17), noon to one pm at the Portland Building. Details found here:
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=34816&a=144945
Smart move by Sam – split the proposal into three votes, and at least part will likely go through without a referendum – they\’d need 3 referendums to shoot it all down. (unless I misunderstand how the process works, in which case someone please enlighten me)