City Hall: Winners and Losers in Adams' Proposed Budget

By BETH SLOVIC

Last week's print edition of WW looked at 10 earmarks Mayor Sam Adams and city commissioners wanted in the mayor's upcoming budget. Today Adams unveiled his $400-plus million spending proposal for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Here are the winners and losers from among the 10 groups we highlighted last week.

Winners:

Oregon Food Bank: Adams upped Commissioner Randy Leonard's $75,000 request for needy families to $100,000. If approved, the payment would double the contribution Portland made last year to the food bank.

High School Sports Fields: Commissioner Nick Fish sought $400,000 to pay for improved playing fields at Portland schools. The mayor proposes setting aside $300,000 for that purpose.

David Douglas High School SUN Program: To support a new Schools Uniting Neighborhood (or SUN) School in the David Douglas School District, Adams pledged $100,000. He's keeping his word. (Multnomah County is also likely to pledge $25,000 for the program.)

Black Parent Initiative: Commissioner Dan Saltzman asked for—and got—a $100,000 pledge for the educational advocacy group.

CASH Oregon: The group known as Creating Assets, Savings and Hope will get $75,000 this upcoming year (like this current year) if commissioners approve the mayor's budget.

VOZ Day Laborer Center: The brainchild of former Mayor Tom Potter, the center appears poised to get the $25,000 Leonard requested for it.

The Portland Rose Festival Foundation: Temporary toilets will be available during the annual Rose Festival thanks to a $20,000 proposed contribution from the mayor.

Losers:

Portland Loos: Leonard won't get the $352,000 he needs for four new public loos, but he will get $152,000 for two.

Japanese Garden Society of Oregon: The 44-year-old park in Northwest Portland wanted $500,000 to support an expansion plan. Adams proposes to give the non-profit $40,000. That's far less than the $19.2 million the garden needs to execute its plan, but also more than, well, nothing.

CARES Northwest: Leonard asked for $100,000 for the regional non-profit that assesses possible victims of child abuse. Adams wants to give them half that amount.

WWeek 2015

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