CAPTION: Five-year levy for Children's Investment Fund.
QUESTION: Shall Portland support early childhood, after school, child abuse programs; five-year levy $0.4026 per $1,000 assessed value beginning in 2003? This measure may cause property taxes to increase more than three percent.
SUMMARY: Measure would finance Portland Children's Investment Fund to support proven programs designed to help children arrive at school ready to learn, provide safe and constructive after school alternatives for kids, and prevent child abuse and neglect and family violence.
This Children's Investment Fund can only be used for:
Child abuse prevention and intervention, which addresses juvenile crime, school failure, drug and alcohol abuse and homeless youth.
Early childhood programs which make childcare more affordable and prepare children for success in school.
After school and mentoring programs that promote academic achievement, reduce the number of juveniles victimized by crime and increase graduation rates.
Accountability measures include:
Programs must be cost effective and have a proven record of success.
Investment fund will be subject to annual audits.
Administrative costs cannot exceed 5%.
Levy produces an estimated $50 million over 5 years, averaging $10 million per year. Levy is $0.4026 per $1,000 of assessed property value. A home valued at $150,000 pays $5.03 per month, $60.39 per year.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Portland Children’s Initiative
Successful kids mean a safer community, more effective schools and a better Portland.
Research tells us:
- Children who get to school ready to learn have greater academic success. That means they become more productive members of the community and the economy. And it eases the burdens on our schools.
- After school and mentoring programs also increase student success and graduation rates. And they give kids constructive things to do during the hours they are most at risk of getting into trouble.
- Preventing and intervening in child abuse and neglect not only delivers children from terrible circumstances, but also eliminates the greatest risk factor for juvenile crime, drug and alcohol abuse and homeless youth.
All these things are important to the quality of life in Portland. But there is a critical shortage in each of these areas. That is why the City Council placed Measure 26-33 on the ballot.
The Portland Children’s Investment Fund
Measure 26-33 will create a Portland Children’s Investment Fund through a five-year property tax levy. The money can only be used for proven programs to serve more children in the following areas:
- Child abuse prevention and intervention, which addresses juvenile crime, school failure, drug and alcohol abuse and homeless youth.
- Early childhood programs which make childcare more affordable and prepare children for success in school.
- After school and mentoring programs that promote academic achievement, reduce the number of juveniles victimized by crime and increase graduation rates.
These three areas were chosen because the need is great, and research shows they provide the greatest payoff both in children’s lives and long-term savings to the community. And they would make a strategic contribution to the City’s core mission of protecting public safety and making Portland more attractive to families and new business.
Accountability Measures
Measure 26-33 contains several elements to ensure accountability, efficiency and effectiveness:
- Funds can only be spent on programs that are cost effective and proven to work.
- It does not create a new department: existing administrative resources will be used.
- The law strictly limits administrative costs to 5% or less.
- There will be citizen oversight and annual audits.
The levy produces $9,191,172 in FY 2004; $9,569,900 in FY 2005; $9,980,456 in FY 2006; $10,399,159 in FY 2007; $10,859,313 in FY 2008. The rate is $.4026 per $1,000 of assessed property value. A home valued at $150,000 would pay $5.03 per month, or $60.39 per year.
Submitted by:
Dan Saltzman
Commissioner Portland City Council
No arguments AGAINST this measure were filed.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Make Portland’s Children a Higher Priority
We’ve all heard the phrase children are our future. It’s true: making sure that children grow into safe, healthy and successful adults determines whether our community is successful as well.
But too often the needs of children are at the back of the line when it comes to setting spending priorities. Whether or not you have children or grandchildren, Measure 26-33 make good sense. We all pay for failing to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect, or if kids don’t get to school ready to learn and succeed; if they drop out or become involved in the criminal justice system.
The Portland’s Children’s Initiative is our chance to change that. We can make children a higher priority, and make Portland a better place for all of us.
What It Does
Measure 26-33 will provide funding for proven, cost-effective programs in three critical areas:
• Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention.
• Early Childhood Development Programs.
• After School and Mentoring Programs.
Why These Three Areas?
It’s a smart investment. Research shows that addressing these needs has a great impact in both children’s lives and long-term savings to the community.
We can make a real difference. There are proven programs that get results in each of these areas.
The need is great. Portland has a significant shortage in each of these areas.
We Will Get What We Vote For
Measure 26-33 has safeguards written into the law:
• It creates no new bureaucracy.
• Funds from the Children’s Initiative can only be spent on programs proven to work.
• Administrative costs are strictly limited to no more than 5%.
• There are annual audits and citizen oversight.
Proven Success
Similar Children’s levies in other cities have helped:
• Reduce crime
• Reduce child abuse
• Improve school performance
• Save tax dollars
• Leverage additional private and federal funds to help kids
Vote YES on Measure 26-33:
The Portland Children’s Initiative
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
What’s the most important thing about
the Portland Children’s Initiative?
WE KNOW IT WILL WORK
The Portland Children’s Initiative will fund proven programs that help kids, make a safer and healthier community and will save all of us money in the long term. Research shows:
• One dollar spent in a high quality active learning pre-school saves more than seven dollars in long term costs and productivity gains. [SOURCE: High/Scope Perry Preschool Project, Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1985]
The same study showed:
• Higher levels of school completed;
• A lower percentage receiving social services;
• Fewer arrests.
• One dollar invested in child abuse prevention could save 19 dollars later. [SOURCE: Study for Michigan Children’s Trust Fund (Caldwell, 1992)]
This includes savings in:
• Protective Services;
• Foster care;
• Health care;
• Special Education;
• Juvenile justice and adult criminality.
• One dollar in after-school programs now saves 3 dollars later. [SOURCE: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2000]
Kids involved in these programs are:
• Less likely to become victims of crime;
• More likely to graduate;
• Less likely to have children during their high school years.
AND HERE IS HOW IT WORKED IN ANOTHER CITY
San Francisco passed a similar children’s levy in 1991. Here are the results:
• Juvenile felony arrests down by 24 percent
• Better school attendance
• Better school performance
• Reports of child abuse and neglect have decreased by 25 percent
• Foster care population has decreased by 19 percent
• High school completion rate increased by 11 percent
• Emergency mental health hospitalizations decreased by 32 percent
• Public schools’ SAT scores have increased.
Save Kids. Save Money
Vote YES on Measure 26-33
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
The Portland Children’s Initiative
Focus on Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention
Child abuse is a tragic and pervasive problem in Portland. The Portland Police get 14 cases of child abuse every day – and countless more go unreported. Measure 26-33 will increase the number of children served by programs proven to reduce child abuse and neglect.
Here’s what Measure 26-33 will do:
The Children’s Initiative will increase programs designed to reduce the incidents of child abuse, neglect, and family violence by identifying potential abusive situations and intervening before a problem develops. Examples of successful programs include:
• Child abuse assessment centers
• Teen parent programs
• Relief nurseries
• Home visitation
• Parent support
• In-school prevention programs
And here’s why it’s important:
- Research shows that when kids face a consistently unstable home life with an inadequate support system, they are at greater risk for failure in school and in life.
- These kids have an increased chance of becoming abusers themselves and thus continuing the cycle of abuse.
- Abused kids have an increased chance of becoming alcohol and drug users, and our homeless youth.
- Abuse not only costs precious lives, it costs us, as taxpayers, much higher costs. Preventing abuse is cheaper than managing an adult population that is not prepared to contribute to our community and economy.
AND THESE PROGRAMS WORK:
Statistics show that 92% of troubled families who participate in prevention services do not abuse again.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE 26-33
An investment with Real Returns
“Every day, we work with children who are abused and neglected. Child abuse cases are double tragedies; once because of the impact on children, and twice because we can prevent them. Our children need you. Please vote Yes on Measure 26-33!”
Barbara Roberts
Oregon Governor, 1991-1995
Board Member, Portland Relief Nursery
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
The Portland Children’s Initiative
Focus on Early Childhood
If you want to give a child a great start, help ease the burdens on our schools, and reduce long-term costs to society (and taxpayers!), early childhood is the time to do it. There are strategies and cost effective programs that are proven to do all these things, but too many of Portland’s children don’t have access to them. Measure 26-33 will help change that.
Here’s what Measure 26-33 will do:
The Children’s Initiative will increase early childhood programs for very young children, from newborns to preschoolers. These programs increase the number of children arriving at school healthy and developmentally ready to learn. Examples of successful early childhood programs include:
- Efforts like Head Start and Early Head Start, which provide comprehensive health, education and social services to low income children and their families.
- Programs such as relief nurseries, which provide early childhood services to families and children that are at high risk for abuse and neglect.
- Quality childcare programs which provide daily care and education for very young children while their families are at work.
And here’s why it’s important:
- Brain research has proven beyond a doubt that the most crucial time in a child’s development occurs before the age of three. Without quality childcare and programs that support young children many of Portland’s children will not meet important developmental milestones.
- In Portland alone, almost half of the pre-school aged children who are eligible for Head Start are not being served, due to lack of funding.
- Over 95% of infants and toddlers in Portland needing high quality childcare don’t have it. This means that each year, significant percentages of Portland’s kids are not entering kindergarten ready to learn. That is a heavy and costly burden on our schools.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE 26-33
An Investment with Real Returns
“By helping children at the beginning of their lives, Measure 26-33 will mean stronger schools, more productive citizens and a safer community for all of us.”
From…
Cynthia Wells
Early Headstart Family Center Marcia Mulvey
Peninsula Children’s Center
Rick Nintti
Neighborhood House
Ronnie Herndon
Albina Headstart
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
The Portland Children’s Initiative
Focus on After School and Mentoring Programs
Keeping kids safe, in school and on the right path are critical to their being successful, productive adults - and avoiding the huge costs of crime, drug abuse and other social problems.
Here’s what Measure 26-33 will do:
- The Children’s Initiative will increase the number of kids who are served by programs which enrich the school day by providing additional activities after (and often before) the regular school day.
- Mentoring programs link children with an individual mentor whose goal is to assist the child’s educational and social development.
- Examples of successful after school and mentoring programs include efforts such as the SUN School Program, Self-Enhancement, Inc., the Police Activities League, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the YMCA and YWCA, the Urban League, and Friends of the Children. All these programs are proven to work, but none of which has the resources to reach all the children that need them.
And here’s why it’s important:
- Between the hours of 3 PM and 6 PM is when kids either become victims of crime or become involved in criminal activity themselves. After school programs keep them safer and our neighborhoods safer.
- Students who drop out of school have an increased chance of adding to our teen pregnancy population.
- Children who get the additional support provided by these programs do better in school and the percentage of students who graduate goes up. That eases the burdens on our schools and leads to more productive citizens.
“There are moments in a child’s life that they stand at a crossroads. One path leads to a healthy, successful life. The other path leads to a heavy cost for the child and the community. The Portland Children’s Initiative will help us meet children at that crossroads, and keep them in the right direction.”
VOTE YES ON MEASURE 26-33
An Investment with Real Returns
Tony Hopson
Self Enhancement Incorporated
Duncan Campbell
Friends of Children
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Why This Senior Is Voting
Yes on the Portland Children’s Initiative
At the age of 83, I pay very close attention to what is on my ballot – especially anything having to do with money. I have looked carefully at Measure 26-33, and wanted to share with you why I will be voting yes with enthusiasm.
This measure will make a tremendous difference in the lives of kids throughout our city. But if I’m going to vote yes on a measure, I want to know what benefit I will get from it too. That’s not being selfish, it’s just being practical. And I am happy to say that Measure 26-33 offers me great benefits as a senior and a taxpayer.
Every dollar that we invest in children offers a terrific return. By helping keep kids safe, healthy and successful, we avoid far greater costs of social programs. A seat in Head Start or a constructive after-school program is a lot cheaper than a jail cell. And it means safer neighborhoods for families and seniors alike.
Most of all, I like that the Children’s Initiative uses money wisely, just like I do. It doesn’t create any new bureaucracy, and strictly limits administrative expenses. That means we will get what we are voting for. It will only fund programs that have been proven to work. And there are annual audits with citizen oversight.
Perhaps helping children is reason enough for you to vote Yes on Measure 26-33. But saving money and making our city safer certainly works for me. Please join me in voting Yes on Measure 26-33.
Sincerely,
Ruth Currie
THE PORTLAND CHILDREN’S INITIATIVE IS ENDORSED BY
OREGON STATE COUNCIL OF SENIOR CITIZENS
ELDERS IN ACTION
Make Portland Safer. Save Money
VOTE YES ON MEASURE 26-33.
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Portland’s Children’s Initiative:
Helping Children Learn, Easing the Burdens on Schools
We are all concerned about the challenges facing our public schools. As teachers currently working in Portland elementary and middle school classrooms, we can tell you that Measure 26-33 will help us meet those challenges.
That’s why we are voting yes, and why
The Portland Association of Teachers supports Measure 26-33.
The Portland Children’s Initiative will help more children get to school ready to learn and more prepared to succeed.
Kids who aren’t prepared start behind, have trouble catching up and are at far higher risk of dropping out.
We know how to solve the problem. But right now, almost half of all pre-school aged kids eligible for Head Start are not being served. Measure 26-33 will make a tremendous difference for children at the start of their school career.
Children who get to school ready to learn have greater academic success. This eases the burden on teachers and our schools.
The Portland Children’s Initiative will also help young people stay in school and stay on the right path.
Portland suffers a critical shortage of good after-school and mentorship programs. With a solid track record of improving academic achievement and increasing graduation rates, these programs are particularly helpful to schools. They mean fewer disruptive students. They also keep kids and neighborhoods safer: the hours after school are when kids and teens are most likely to become the victims of crime or get involved in illegal activity themselves.
By helping kids get to school ready to learn, and helping them succeed once they are there, Measure 26-33 will help our public schools focus on job number one: teaching kids in the classroom. Take it from us: it will make a great difference for our schools.
Edna Baseden, 1st Grade Teacher
Irvington Elementary School
Kirk Ordway, 8th Grade Teacher
Binnsmead Middle School
PORTLAND ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Portland’s Public Safety Leaders
Urge a Yes Vote on Measure 26-33
The proven programs that the Portland Children’s Initiative will support are the best way to reduce crime and to lower the cost of keeping our community a safer place to live.
That is why those who know public safety strongly support
the Portland Children’s Initiative.
This is an excerpt from the Crime Commission’s 2000 report on the importance of early intervention:
“The most effective and cost efficient way to reduce crime is to identify and intervene with high-risk children early in their lives. We now have research studies conducted over many years that back up what many have always believed: the sooner at-risk children get intervention, help and services, the greater the chances of keeping them out of the criminal justice system later.”
“We also know that the costs of these intervention programs, while not significant, are far less than the cost of incarcerating offenders later…Quite simply, it’s a matter of pay some now, or pay much more later.”
Measure 26-33 is important for several reasons:
- It focuses on proven programs that have been shown to reduce the conditions that often lead to public safety problems. For example, 92% of troubled families who participate in prevention programs do not abuse again.
- It provides funding in areas where there are critical shortfalls for children
- It provides constructive alternatives for young people between the hours of 3 PM and 6 PM – the time when they are most likely to become victims of crime, or be involved in criminal activity.
It costs $48,500 a year to incarcerate a juvenile. It costs $23,500 a year to incarcerate an adult.
The Portland Children’s Initiative will make our community safer and save tax dollars long-term.
We urge a Yes vote on Measure 26-33.
Michael Schrunk
Multnomah County District Attorney
Bernie Giusto
Multnomah County Sheriff-elect
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.
Measure 26-33 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
A Message from Portland Business Leaders
Measure 26-33 is a Smart Investment
As Portland business people, we understand that if you are going to make an investment, you want to have a good return on that investment. You don’t want to gamble: you make investments with a proven track record. And you want to have confidence in how your money is being spent.
The Portland Children’s Initiative scores on all these counts. That’s why we are excited to support it.
One of the frustrations we often feel with government is that it spends too much money trying to repair problems, instead of preventing them in the first place. The Children’s Initiative is a common sense way of getting to the root causes that put our children and community at risk.
Early Intervention gets the best results – Measure 26-33 identifies the areas that will have the greatest long-term benefit for children and the community, and where Portland also suffers a serious shortage.
Only proven programs qualify – After years of research on how to help kids grow into healthy, productive and successful adults, we know what works. Measure 26-33 requires that all programs funded have a proven record of getting results.
The money will be well-spent and carefully tracked – Measure 26-33 uses audits and oversight to ensure that the money is spent effectively – and on what we voted for.
Finally, Measure 26-33 will make Portland a better place to live and do business. It will help create a better-educated workforce. It will make Portland more attractive to families. Parents whose children are safe and who have access to the kind of opportunities Measure 26-33 will support make better employees. And all of these things make Portland more attractive for companies thinking about investing or locating here.
The bottom line: voting yes on Measure 26-33 is a smart investment.
Sho Dozono
Azumano Travel*
Gun Denhart
Hanna Anderson Children’s Foundation*
Greg Goodman
City Center Parking*
Richard Reiten
NW Natural*
Michael Pittman
PacifiCorp*
Erin Hubert
Trail Blazers/Oregon Arena*
Al Jubitz
Jubitz Corporation*
*for identification purposes only
(This information furnished by Courtni Dresser, Campaign for Safe Successful Children)
The printing of this argument does not constitute an endorsement by Multnomah County, nor does the county warrant the accuracy or truth of any statements made in the argument.