[This article was written by contributor Elly Blue. You can read more from Ms. Blue here.]

When it comes to road maintenance, what’s good for bicyclists is good for everyone.

In fact, the proposed street fee that has dominated news headlines lately, amounts to a subsidy by those who drive little to those who drive a lot. [Read more…]

Adams speaking with reporters
after today’s meeting.
(Photo © Jonathan Maus)

City Commissioner Sam Adams has just emailed (and posted to his blog) a statement about the major turn his Safe, Sound, and Green Streets funding initiative took today:

Dear Portlander,

Today, at my request, city council referred the “Safe, Sound & Green Streets” program back to my office with an expectation that we will refer the program to voters in November 2008.

You have heard from me many times that Safe, Sound & Green Streets will be an important step forward for Portland when implemented. For the first time in nearly two decades, Portlanders will have stable funding to meet basic safety and maintenance needs on major streets.
[Read more…]

Adams (L) and Potter at this
morning’s City Council meeting.
(Photo © Jonathan Maus)

Mayor Potter has issued a statement in response to the BTA’s action alert that explains his current stance on the Safe, Sound and Green Streets proposal.

According to Mayor Potter’s public advocate Jeremy Van Keuren, their office has received 186 222 emails from concerned cyclists since late last night.

Here is Potter’s response:[Read more…]

[Updated: I’ve added full text of the statements made by Commissioner Adams, Mayor Potter, and the BTA’s Scott Bricker.]

BTA’s Scott Bricker testified this
morning. Read the text of his
testimony below.
(Photo © Jonathan Maus)

Commissioner Adams’ $464 million dollar “Safe, Sound, and Green” street maintenance and safety funding initiative went before Portland City Council this morning.

The big news is that Adams has decided to change course. He made a recommendation to put the proposal in front of voters in November’s general election. Also newsworthy was that Mayor Potter remained in favor of sending it to the May ballot.[Read more…]

The BTA has issued the action alert that I alluded to yesterday.

It was posted to their blog by Executive Director Scott Bricker and emailed to their Portland members yesterday afternoon.

The “Safe, Sound, and Green Streets” funding package will be in front of City Council this morning. I’m on my way over there and will have an update soon.

Here’s is the full text of the BTA action alert:[Read more…]

Mayor Tom Potter (in center)
(BikePortland.org File Photo)

In a not too surprising move, Mayor Potter has issued a memo (read it below) to his fellow Commissioners saying that he favors putting the “Safe, Sound, and Green Streets” funding plan back into a single ordinance (it’s currently split into three) and placing it on the ballot this May.[Read more…]

According to a source inside City Hall, Oregon Petroleum Association lobbyist and architect of the Street Fee opposition Paul Romain will not attempt a referral of Commissioner Adams’ street maintenance funding plan. Instead, he is expected to attempt to repeal the plan using Portland’s initiative process.

According to Portland City Code Section 2.04.090, Romain would have to get his initiative signed by equal or greater than 9 percent of Portland’s registered voters. Based on the May 2006 primary vote, that number was 27,255 signatures (after the upcoming May 2008 election, the Auditor would re-calculate the required number).[Read more…]

City Council will hear the “Safe, Sound
and Green” proposal again on Wednesday.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)

As first reported by the Portland Mercury, Commissioner Leonard’s move to pull-back the recently passed “Safe, Sound, and Green Streets” funding plan has resulted in the package being, once again, split into three separate ordinances.[Read more…]

Mr. Dozono
(Photo: ShoForMayor.com)

Oregonian politics blogger Jeff Mapes asked mayoral hopeful Sho Dozono what he thinks of the “Safe, Sound, and Green Streets” funding plan crafted by City Commissioner (and Dozono’s political rival) Sam Adams.

His answer seems to cement speculation about Dozono’s ties with the various lobbyists and special interests that oppose the fee-based plan.

Here’s a snip from Mapes’ blog:

“…Dozono added, “…the whole process was more about backroom dealing. I think I would prefer that the citizens would have a choice to vote on this from the beginning.”

[Read more…]

Commissioner Randy Leonard
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)

The maneuvering on both sides of the landmark “Safe, Sound, and Green Streets” transportation funding proposal has just taken another turn.

Amy Ruiz of the Portland Mercury just reported that City Commissioner Randy Leonard has filed an objection to the recently passed proposal based on a section of the City Charter (Sec. 2-124) that allows any member of Council to object to a passed ordinance. The section states in part:

“…If a majority shall vote to sustain such objections, the ordinance shall be deemed repealed and shall not take effect.”

[Read more…]