Attend, or you might be told your opinion doesn’t count. You won’t get to vote on this, so turn out for this meeting JUNE 25 in Overlook!
NEWS RELEASE:
Mayor Hales, Commissioner Novick, Director Treat to gather public input on Transportation User Fee at two town halls
Addressing the needs of businesses, low-income Portlanders;
Updated details at OurStreetsPDX.com
(June 16, 2014) – Portland Mayor Charlie Hales, City Commissioner Steve Novick and Transportation Director Leah Treat invite the public to provide input on how the city can improve the proposed Transportation User Fee at two upcoming town hall meetings.
The City Council delayed the proposal June 4, after five months of Our Streets PDX town halls, online surveys, advisory committee meetings and a five-hour public hearing May 29. Two upcoming town halls will kick off the next phase of outreach through October, designed to gather input to address the needs of businesses, non-profits and low-income households.
“There’s no question that we need to pay to maintain our streets,” Mayor Hales said. “If someone has a way to improve the Transportation User Fee and still raise $50 million a year, let’s hear it. Our community can no longer pretend that Congress or the state will save us from the need to invest in basic maintenance.”
“Too many children are forced to walk to school in a ditch for lack of sidewalks,” Commissioner Novick said. “I understand that some business owners want to adjust the transportation fee to better protect small businesses. If we can’t find a way to improve it, Mayor Hales and I are prepared to move forward this fall with the proposal on the table.”
“Even if you don’t own a car, you count on Portland’s freight routes for food and other essentials,” Transportation Director Leah Treat said. “Everyone benefits from our streets, so everyone needs to help pay for proper maintenance and safety improvements.”
Town Hall on Business and Non-Residential Fee: 8 to 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, June 24, at Venture Portland, 1125 SE Madison St., Suite 112.
Town Hall on Residential Fee: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 25, at Kaiser Permanente’s Town Hall, 3704 N Interstate Ave.
The town hall meetings will provide an opportunity for the public to speak with transportation staff, ask questions and make comments to the Mayor, Commissioner and Director.
For more information about the Our Streets PDX funding conversation and the proposed Transportation User Fee, see the project web page: www.ourstreetspdx.com.
See updated information on the proposed fee the council amended May 29:
· Updated online calculator: PBOT has updated an online calculator that estimates the monthly fee for residential and non-residential ratepayers. PBOT has updated the web calculator from the proposed $11.56 fee to the 3-year phase-in starting at $6 a month for single-family properties.
· Transportation User Fee rate details: Details on the way the fee is calculated, to help business owners find the right information.
· Frequently Asked Questions: This series of questions and answers will help the public learn more about why the fee was proposed and what it would pay for.
· Email us for more information at TUF_Administrator@portlandoregon.gov
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Dylan Rivera
Communications Manager | Portland Bureau of Transportation
t: (503) 823-3723 | c: (503) 577-7534
dylan.rivera@portlandoregon.gov