Portland Mercury


 
 

« Video of the Soon-to-Be-Famous Mike Daisey Walkout | Main | You Be the Editor »

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Politics Bikes Get Hosed In Mayor’s Budget

Posted by Scott Moore on Tue, Apr 24 at 1:50 PM

An update to Amy’s post, which is here.

Despite reports that the city is flush with cash, and that the biggest budgetary problem currently facing city council is how to spend all that money, more than one bicycling program has been slashed from the mayor’s proposed budget.

Completely de-funded is the Platinum Bike Master Plan, an ongoing program designed to keep Portland bike-friendly through the coming years. It was fully funded last year, but this year, all $100,000 requested for it by the Portland Department of Transportation has been denied.

That’s sent the Bicycle Transportation Alliance into a tizzy, calling on its members to bombard Mayor Potter’s office to ask him to reconsider. (Jeremy Van Keuren, who handles constituent services for Potter, says the calls and emails started at 6am this morning and haven’t stopped.)

The news gets worse: Of $300,000 requested by PDOT specifically for bicycle safety, only $150,000 has been approved. Likewise, of $300,000 requested for pedestrian safety improvements, PDOT will only get half.

Van Keuren says the decision to slash the budgets was the result of a “balancing act” of priorities.

But automobiles are also getting hosed. Of $1 million requested by PDOT and Commissioner Sam Adams’ office for auto safety improvements, less than half—$460,000—was okayed by the mayor.

Comments

Yeah, fuck bikes. It's not like the city's bike friendliness is one of its major selling points or anything.

Help me out with the math. PDOT wanted 100K + 300K for a total of 400K for bikes but is getting only 150K. That's about 37%. PDOT wanted 1 MIL for cars but is getting 460K, or 46%. Were there other PDOT requests that were also cut by over half? And was this out of the "one time" moneypot?

Seeing how the autos pay far more in taxes (gas, registration, etc) they should be the ones up in arms. The cyclists should just shut up and be happy that they are even allowed to use the roadway.

So what did they fund?

What did they fund?

The Couplet.

Ha, no. The couplet isn't included in these figures. The full budget won't be released until May 4, but you can click here for budget decisions by bureau. It doesn't, sadly, compare what was requested to what was granted.

BTW, "Bikers Are Freeloaders," the more bicyclists, the fewer cars are on the road clogging up arterials, driving up demand for more money for freeways, and eroding street surfaces. In exchange, it's probably not out of the question to expect the city to take steps to ensure we don't killed in the process.

It's the couplet, I tell you! THe couplet! The beast that promises to eat all city general funds, bicycles, autos and pedestrians be damned!

A HAHAHAHA

And the key thing is that a small amount of money spent on good planning (and $100,000, in the grand scheme of things, is tiny!) can mean big savings down the road.

For the $100,000 to get put back, the other commissioners have to at least support that amendment, if not propose it, when the budget goes before the council. So if you want it back in for the Bicycle Master Plan update, email one of the commissioners and ask them to support it when the time comes:

Dan Salztman - dsaltzman [at] ci.portland.or.us
Erik Sten - erik [at] ci.portland.or.us
Randy Leonard - rleonard [at] ci.portland.or.us

At least they get some money. Portland State is going to raise tuition by 18% and will have to condemn a few buildings.

http://www.sepdx.wordpress.com

tomorrow at the capitol! I'm going to Salem for the 3pm Ways and Means committee. We must bitch. Loudly.

Comments Closed

In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 45 days old).

Blogtown End Hits: The Merc's Music Blog MOD: Merc on Design 2008: Merc Election Coverage Mercury Eat and Drink Guide  

Our Friends

Our Enemies

  ba`a`aa`aaaaVmo0>SMl$D7IL[o⃛\olgmqڦ)ԎJi|\]}|{qG8 A |6@9(*43L 9}΍)L& jLdz,Bph/: Oñ3:Tc *#ȁfv; EcNg2R&gH5,kYZ8QI0}Ҝ* &fZ_8 zXA`CZlBzH L!<:ʤAZb+Ř轻\}fAvLV".I[Rab&z*R@W olt~^~Om` HZVՎ:6鸨UR1aaql ɵa@uG׹, [@I=fY6UWWN+M;iv~)tV$j'P3M+.Ε9f1FdC@)JZgݱͲmc5}GE:*ep/dA6އ~x^C[.ڰ/V啒#6 x31/—yh,cK͟9ܣqgB;!z:=ODА J&f1:jwZMWӲ/ċ\X+O'&6iM_w0H ޿ׇ 3̍CAFq(SNvSI$8Y~:|~I,j8$(AZhmj(A" !2` @rOJ́jr0o( C;Dh"6g@LI͵Wr0~4Sbڙ|'P: >~7 eHBZg=^BV: %g5fZnxG9W~ٽ';  KÕ,0U6iE0E!\`+200142064423455J40)+HLOO_2U"8+(U))H\PS d")D7?^PYldVFxtKLDePuBBol[%Dq֤+K,Rȭ -dm [`FsLP**A0d2`P upBJv0=jB5, 0!I`$'ԁembr @P1jZ "n,iB'TP8JSXA+H i#&bBPK,Lxe[ %9Y\s6WvSpd ٦C6t:ੱ2|$؈2vl'=KOB:|8SuZ^}ӓ_Ѓ5v\"#>W.=N}J^e4wBˡ.E'"N$88:~XKA[(A=bLqsu!o!E>%A{Y-v3zXU+If qlLr nK,k5IMoH_g!f w98 ^Vq5I~x&YXo" w~ ,!.tS v +H=Pv f XBv~uu IxY}.dfMI~}e ̝0kʂ%(Rt: -R,`U#Kv0&\}GjMs|:.y- H(#EP֡Ju^tTN(,plKZ',sCTt쒂/$TOD0?+% r t Ygn'u" pAO?ʞ-{yj4\|Q K2m@l>NuuhK3uA[q0Ն0\ Ri BzIa8I%}ρgJ{+9QDp#ꂡvˎغ@,> n|kR2Tqƃ.ʏjK -=@ Z D{$[)W%rl9w͚#rg ;,Ҋ;wH}X@k>Ӟ,0̂ҫՓIU ~`fg^ JsBl9"#ogA4Da'hճU%wC }gP<7c:'nN7g1`)NTmrك5Qu0csCǝt+b~wDTwK;aJYǟC&lYC" " oI;.7!]vɊՇZg}pgޮ6Z*8k0y&Ʒ8fٮ+x;*^Yo \wmBTZ O[(AqkT )y-H#YPY{U]ϦޭFKd>xۻ5Wmn#MւR %x*lVʉÍ0|&@PSe d kg#Xp}Q QC&U,6_ dLpX(G="IѫreE3f/m>Hc/Q'e`- sm?@( MH!g;`iZذ:ETð^TSbhysjvH8~W'xxqn-( ѡA/{sU^K"-DΠ5Yzz]9*Ǡ %& 80d@:X#@Φ$v@'HvD<2BD ,S  B" ,2S瀁[&F2P*O҇v2I67 eC7G ء z-tѠ { 9a@ xH [pHZ\K {91 ĭ+@,"Eo74t - phh&h딌' W E^QfA\4\ҙiO"7|^Wu&^ B\s@},= 4U/ G7@GAg,O}C;7mg;Dj]Uuų ȥ[<e<’@Ń[> +8J!X:˕ hB#bCt 6Fm"6u#$f "֚Ģ] K7\BA/O'`3f#̀1%%PCMS3557@*gr4Af"#U/tHplD*3pekCtc  $`Pl )L;+JԂb|һJ"-~")Om6[q""Br'›%7B"=ˆ"6sRtKK}RJ4O 4[ J.M!2"-9$") )/H_`d\P.O!JLM8#O""uF2›H%LBB<<Ü)aK a(# C .vcGv*0}l"6mAL~B=i9|x<BJJh7ȉLB "Eź3@w 'cΆFh**#21Ӏ={]ֿĜb cM rtv>*e< B4DB CZ/P":TA^WG6R+tHF~%`(@ΔAO7f*$B L ¦ Bط+3c=ZA(4`% |RTv{ akiaRXrIJB1W! "6?:@R Bu|E3B "щa҂ԢԢ|6) e0L2a<rQLF9 B!rk9LT&X$VU&'gJ6v%E 9=o 9@*91G>RӅ 83)R!(hQǜLT1%%BL BkBҡ *Bt ts,de > ע{4 J$`T'H Z A8y?j;ғWb^*h^@ok)–B"z"z7LˊWlJUakiTaRCj*A3W"6_>BOBs|;B "ʼn.QN.N͐J26w qu 50R !쟓 tle2Ajj|B6oAMJ=2u,*T/M)2@}ԼR3rAĔPa $?+71RXdT*{yI8MBL Bk+H,B_cjlaLMzzz7D O{_Z_- @EPH y F–B""FT"$WBVE+UBv"tI/>J[,Y aBN_􀽑;9C6W"6:B::9/ClBNm"֙L9hIn^~ ֝&-|20H5/-N 7`i8\RL=!XC"|HࠚTnAkOR( J}|ppW?X!A7)X!T*$+|ݏ 4mrh zSN,Jmmjԫo'(HDr\D$BB RBr$&g[;Qa/ k)(LtJ"v]Hh \ l?% INBf :1 6 >á4znQjr~Q%b,I0Xs@kV$1u MusA03K}%`u *tZ \%g(%& uh8l]F>0рobIML/MvVdkaYcZwp(BTPD̒*fA~181$,M:g iEUP Z LC\Vej*S;1-A>B" CSU`=BvBw5!5'ak45aBsܹTSE1W"6<B>wBI p"֡Fs0Sn nnbr0O`d~cC"27MK!r\mw; |!"!*t^kqKj. b `$_1GB'g+A:K:QXԂωpLNE1 \)8 $BBʈ$J)-ƲVyӠ\ )HP@c ~(;!, Bv$ i2bo~Yf*ġbX $>XAM!(ty=5pyakaBYr&MtJC6Wg "6\AAEyh6`M ؁38BIp"xDC/:mu{P;i!*tke0zg-mQ$BB@wBknULaE#lq2,I^ Jn |qwxt> @3)$tpjj j7qKT*unΆs{Bv0‡~zeQ~Rbq>~h['wK, {[1-%gDKBE oTA栜E rJ"N*GyEt/L_bPE-B,)H,(H  ݒ0 q ]N@zR J4ZM5jݙevb / %Yvvcy5ԕLei56DڊA0Z;,n y

+pu t J/{'wC<a;{Yl ɝ& 3 ߤ^R}4։n<7XgImB"~E@[\rI+4 |8{sҒ2S񆕐- ڄm#s} 7dI.j ^8HT a`8N2Eqz:o]qZEO""Vd"[."nP5`dk "YB>Ί4F%rR ]0`RAŸR>eQ 50b}0r gBnbi*{`C]mk +._.a%Yem:e~@6!&{;MXieQS/qk]ʧ:unQ nqY~7A4"da0V ߾Jq]H "0(-< N.:4/.&YړflS0Z/O83ZVvlGIm1,ᘓ '4\?ϦX|Նc5W6Cu{0125deF$Sy$ ͏e.ҧ*jU*M49,Wؼ{,{)MywVRVeT7/)xBΔ֝H24)(*% _T+DPO"# M h[ ([G2D%=B^\-)'?9րWn e~H(K\A)eE%("Ϣި 423JIL15QFJ˵y'lR<JhѤd;4Q.dsw 8Hv:".8/𨘒z{ 5/. /(A:",ILI_n` /CN0`$~dJ POǣ j ڏM_!)GvMIR~J%9Ev6%Cs@coJ(H & 1/5u J^~9Z _Vz»hG9^ Qܓ/d(]iQ */_! <|dA:b"vDNDFbBZN%xw::>)1;2@K@N2]B*9/S04ϱX:ǂj=:k,KVhE9 I3tfF\TT X'G \Z; DM 5'MAs!XT}QPXWRmgZ7Ej=:kEg%jiFqw٩ xR >Br 4/ *sb%3V>U p°rkj&Ғ0;y(Oo$ ZbJhmU.EeMTA$ lXQ-=Y`3841'3-3j<(iDT"6p`ر(9SoFF%rT"ϻaq"|B Gj׉°rG\\Z Z6 jZt0Q4s Qvt tVp qUpq VTpUVpUsE5Y . c#[ZK/WY y'&g=j:c>t_~'Dh%;EjC ٔ\<`J|%_ dA: 'R+5//3H*89(,u06 Ъ`(OGB$".ұ UcG  SЁ*}: B QjF$H 1* dFlĠ5lZ <;6; i5O@v((Z] F MjRSKJ B܋K 4 B(hYSC%BW ~GU<*дjAxf>Bn6·BZ}0(斣+p%%[h偹%lbWBΐ¹C ]~@`$.?0]~0 6GY.i5ΕH!5.azA2̜ضITB6iب c1 PsˡJs`槔椂N/aGqtrC BO6kMLMML84Z4BTP0`Q 2a{@YbK:zs%9+!:K2*!F'$VT^z|VA.PC^i.ҡB26URݥQ :BrB;LPsBN>," ƠЁzr/JH%6\:XRԷL31$'`6Y2B2"":и Œ*,"ff&pr!6R~fr~^>T 2uK@z3ӠrGB ""*rQrB,"ƖprILJ$6IyE {VB""~w:иc Œ),"Fp/(623//I. VS6RK/. s3U 60J6wtT)p2ԲrH,$6lQ xG(F/0Fm^„sAAa-]H{-̈۷p1хtF+,r7 BNf""B\'izVClPMLB!!!72 8͠ڎP m=6vs&lRs` )@۸AwϼKʯPoa,,ҥ:JJ@wk%&c3E/>Xg*)`%:؁@, 5][o0~`Mp)ТL*/SVc4,Nw>;Njo8)dd$ 2P̋}bG/Bʻv21S@!u ?XAte]O yh9;+^Y&^bh^-DWn,YJt?+O3OM>?ƣ_grk˧|})Kz& c SK~ʞ6BygYS-T\:uSdJAFO7td ne0Ղ*Db?,vx=,/Md)e?E/]*P<׍yY<~+rs}#J\ZxNNm=Ɩ3C*ۮҠZ%124FS69fakz{}t)RZľ &Ux ËN a|8)ќB(W./KvT.~:rGЧԕSJ(AQRU %P@ߦ%FQ6+ > ȫ?BM54JO AAB4!0,ABXS>Mf'tF Fh}$@jz8.YšҩKلA /X+BQQ8 zv0#BK# ήD` |nFko,MGތ7ƷdDrBVV8BrmD"r2"BVV<-Fqx#BVV< /'d$bg ؤѲql42-GRhlD /)7Bp5E%Ơ&ky@*K/AcB'9e^gqqi*|,='?)1j0hQBD1#Xr F+ |aM[C=N*'[k3Ah^*" 0.>"hĕ;h.RO෥n{`]/H` } A$DSTZQd5 p"6<|&CoIȁraG0 IT5"ʼLyXX871'iR(8 A(.C^N &Kc\݃7o/@?6bZX 흙BacLk 'WCkG01oF2]k&[9)3zr(08rVQtpxj4 X./}6wNŠRЄoݼWL"^' hhuel#G/7 {7{s(\WQANj@͛zoy;%EIcшoT f(HզG~(K­Q*%EG,K-qm3QMؚZw3Z{ad5Duc*B]p[ ,(jا:`wљKLy ^9۳ r{2F1FTKF֌ 嗽ah`(٫.pt[5ZIel1GPoVC~] ᲩwSݦ"ǯ X/\_a]m 0K! =*0$iw݌MXycfK@SqgktjHv3]-("ȥtw;KU]SɘY&ɔRHk$]ob͸̪6>1/%V4/ M 3Fi kj;``RBll !HPQͳ~6#3jS/e>B!jTj{FiXMt.~#f^xXdZƇ#a̝AO0&~>A(bxTIxu!!⇷}-t<>feY(kG{zJtP̓y3aK*gi|=VªO.@3:At 93,EgWx1UלToYE89şd\ٌsԕؼI(ǦYMU@Kqh.FAc) K2Y +*p42XBU`"W${/b1q5ǨZ%0eg%ڈ2s²"}ʡ{"ȳ7'.>v] LW&;98ߟ—0 o"2^ƛ]:RN/xTZp$xy9Eo-G x0{pB`iM'H˽Ii"픘Dm7*acE _ sr!`3Z c+͊(8HSJJQjq1d0|Z*ٙ**(8B6CGR4726zb(]Q"6Z^ YT"ֆ̲ʀJP1 V"Rp2r/LMmI) @AfDO CchAtTCV o2+u?xqGzMr3yq̮JYv+%T` |[?oMBZRNZ4쬿:=g#$P㎏ Kl +9$JNs\&<<bM!;lvV9>/) 6.&#2/EyTi97`{Ȼ W`$1aч^8bQ *@ER