of local nonprofit leaders offering to
endorse a city revenue proposal.
(Photos: J.Maus/BikePortland)
For months, almost no local institutions have been willing to voice public support for one of Mayor Charlie Hales and Transportation Commissioner Steve Novick’s signature agenda items: a new revenue stream for city transportation budgets (a.k.a. the Our Streets Transportation Funding Conversation).
On Thursday, a group of nonprofits, many of which focus on transportation, offered to do so — with conditions.
In a separate but related action Wednesday, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, which is among the nonprofit coalition, issued a rare action alert calling on its members to contact Portland City Council in support of “a new progressive street fee with strong discounts for low-income members of our community only if it prioritizes safety.”
That phrase lines up with the three conditions listed in the nonprofit coalition’s letter to the city:
- That the new revenue stream charge more from households with higher incomes, up to $2400 a year for the highest-earning Portlanders, while exempting Portlanders who earn less than $25,000;
- That it be expected to raise raise at least $40 million annually; and
- That at least half of that new revenue be dedicated to safety projects (as opposed to “maintenance” projects such as paving or traffic signal operations).
According to the city’s latest description of its proposal, one likely scenario for the tax structure would be as follows:
- $0 for people whose adjusted gross income is less than $30,000 per year
- $30.60 annually for people making $40,000 per year
- $97.56 for people making $100,000 per year
- $282.36 for people making $200,000 per year
- a cap of $2,400 for people making $1 million per year or more
The coalition supporting a structure similar to that one includes the BTA, Community Cycling Center, Oregon Walks, 1000 Friends of Oregon, and the public-transit-focused OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon as well as less usual suspects like AARP Oregon, the Oregon Food Bank and the Community Alliance of Tenants.
To raise $40 million or more, the tax on individuals described above would need to be accompanied by a fee or tax on businesses. Though the nonprofit coalition didn’t set any conditions for the business fee, the city is pursuing a low fee on every business or entity that is subject to the Portland Business License Tax (that is, those that make at least $50,000 a year by doing business in the city) including those that do not have a physical location in Portland. You can read much more about this concept here (PDF).
BTA: Revenue is ‘the next step’ for Portland bicycle advocacy
In an interview Thursday, BTA Advocacy Director Gerik Kransky called this an opportunity to fully fund two of its top infrastructure goals within the City of Portland.
“We see an opportunity to put protected bike lanes on North and Northeast Broadway,” Kransky said. “That’s on the project list. We see an opportunity to build neighborhood greenways in East Portland. That’s in our Blueprint for World-Class Biking.”
Paying for these projects, Kransky said, is “the next step” for Portland bicycle advocacy.
“For all of the conversations that have happened in the public sphere over the last couple months,” he said, “a lack of investment is one of the reasons we’re not moving the needle on mode share. So now’s the time. … Let’s fund this stuff.”
Advertisement
Business group pushes for less progressivity, less ‘safety’ spending
The BTA and its coalition partners are offering this conditional endorsement in part because if they don’t, their conditions might be less likely to be met. As we reported in June, some members of the city’s business advisory committee on the street fee have been pushing for less than half of the money to be spent on “safety” projects — about 1/3, according to the city’s summary of the consensus on that committee — so a higher share can go to road paving.
The city estimates that fully preventing deterioration of all its streets would cost $93 million every year.
Also according to the city’s summary, the business work group also agreed that a fee of $1,200 or more is too high for households making at least $1 million a year.
Finally, the business work group proposed that the new tax should automatically be referred to a public vote for renewal six years after it begins. Kransky said Thursday that the BTA opposes this concept.
“We think there’s no need,” Kransky said. “We know we need this thing.”
The BTA also opposes sending the issue to a public vote next year.
“I think this is why we elect representatives to deal with these issues,” Kransky said, adding that he believed the measure would be approved by voters if it went to ballot.
I asked Kransky what he would say to those who argue these needs could be accomplished with a gas tax hike.
“We support increasing state and local and federal gas taxes, too,” Kransky said. “I don’t think these are mutually exclusive approaches to transportation infrastructure finance. I think what the city has on the table — if it is in fact progressive, if it does provide a low-income discount — is actually better. I don’t like regressive taxes.”
The BTA’s recommended action
You can read the full list of conditions and nonprofit endorsers here. Here’s the letter the BTA is suggesting that its members send immediately to the five members of city council:
Dear Commissioner ____________,
Regarding the potential new street fee in Portland, safety is my number one priority.
Any new revenue package should emphasize safe streets above other needs.
I know that when there are more people riding bikes and more bicycle facilities on our streets research shows that everyone, no matter how they get around, is safer.
I support a new progressive street fee with strong discounts for low-income members of our community only if it prioritizes safety.
I would like to see some of the money dedicated to the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s priority projects. The project list tied to the street fee should dedicate significant funding to high crash corridors, completing the network of crosswalks, sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and transit station improvements, and should not simply maintaining the status quo of pavement on the streets.
I look forward to hearing from you on this issue.
Sincerely,
________
The council members’ addresses are mayorhales@portlandoregon.gov, nick@portlandoregon.gov, amanda@portlandoregon.gov, novick@portlandoregon.gov and dan@portlandoregon.gov.
The city is hosting a big meeting on Monday to discuss its proposal and plans with a large group of stakeholders. We’ll be there, and will continue covering this proposal as the city council aims for a Nov. 12 hearing and Nov. 19 vote.