“For nearly two decades, fire departments, school districts and other special taxing districts in Oregon that rely on property taxes for operating expenses have watched potential money be diverted from their budgets to urban renewal areas with no say in the matter.”

That is not exactly accurate in that the political voice has been little exercised. For the most part they have chosen to go along rather than do the right thing. Urban renewal in Portland is not new having started in the 50s. Why have they been silent?

But the new law gives them a tool and maybe the legitimacy they need to voice their opposition – however – they still must use the tool. Will they? E.g., I haven’t seen much “opposition” coming from Multnomah County to the proposed Portland’s urban renewal district.

“Interstate Corridor urban renewal money helped pay for the Interstate MAX light-rail project. Multnomah County loses between $24 million to $25 million a year in potential property tax revenue because of urban renewal areas like the Interstate Corridor URA, said Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen.”

While it is said that the county loses – in fact – because of the nearly same geographical foot print – Portland loses. It is also important to realize that the promised development said to come because of light rail never materialized.

And, light rail is not (no where near) self-supporting. And now TriMet wants Portlanders to fund new buses after years of wasteful spending on light rail whose benefits are questioned. {Oregonian].

Despite what Jon Ostar, co-director of OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon said in the Oregonian that “[t]he fundamental point [for funding new buses] is what’s good for elderly disabled is in general good for all bus riders” is not a valid economic premise of fiscal responsibility.

A Perspective

And this is how panicked local officials are trying to snow job the public for more of it.