CAPTION: Five-year levy to restore park services, repairs, recreation programs.
QUESTION: Shall Portland repair, restore maintenance to parks, playgrounds, pools; levy $.39 per $1,000 assessed valuation for five years beginning 2003? (This measure may cause property taxes to increase by more than three percent.)
SUMMARY: This levy previously won two-thirds voter support in May but could not be put into effect because of inadequate voter turnout.
Since 1997 Portland Parks and Recreation has had to reduce maintenance, repair, safety in parks, playgrounds, play fields, community pools and recreation centers, and reduce park restroom hours because park usage has increased, facilities have aged further, and resources haven't kept up.
Levy funds will:
- Restore basic park maintenance including litter removal, restroom cleaning, mowing, natural area and trail care;
- Correct urgent safety problems with playground equipment, play fields, community centers, pools;
- Repair some playing fields around schools in Centennial, David Douglas, Reynolds, Parkrose and Portland school districts;
- Restore cuts to after-school tutoring, recreation activities, and summer playground program - providing kids safe, constructive places to go.
If levy fails, park cleaning, repairs, recreation programs will not be restored.
The rate is estimated to raise the following revenue: $8.8 million in 2003-04, $9.4 million in 2004-05, $9.9 million in 2005-06, $10.4 million in 2006-07, and $10.9 million in 2007-08, for a total of $49.4 million over 5 years.
Levy is $.39 per $1,000 assessed value. A home valued at $150,000 would pay $59 per year, $5 per month.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Portland Parks & Recreation: Part of our lives, every day.
Few things offer as much direct benefit to Portlanders as our Parks and Recreation system. This levy offers a chance to restore and maintain it.
In May, 2002, about 70% of those voting approved the Portland Parks & Recreation local option levy. However, the measure could not take effect because of inadequate voter turnout.
As a result, Parks had to reduce park maintenance and recreation programs by an additional $2.2 million this summer.
If voters reaffirm passage of the Parks & Recreation levy in the November election, cuts made in parks and recreation this summer will be restored AND we can restore reductions in services made in recent years.
Taking care of our parks and recreation facilities is a big job:
- Inspecting playground equipment everyday at 110 sites;
- Picking up litter (924 annual tons of garbage);
- Cleaning 150 restrooms;
- Mowing almost 1300 acres of grass;
- Caring for 150 miles of trails and pathways and 17 miles of paved roads;
- Over 7 million hours of recreation programs serving children, teens, families and seniors;
- Ongoing maintenance and repair for 13 community centers, 14 swimming pools, one music center, one arts center, The Children’s Museum, one cultural center, two tennis centers, one dance studio, and Pittock Mansion.
Parks & Recreation is unable to keep up with demand. Park & Recreation usage is up. We have a larger park system and more to maintain. Resources have not kept up. Services the public depends on have been reduced.
The Parks Levy will restore these cuts, and protect what we have.
The Parks Levy will help local parks and recreation facilities in every neighborhood:
- Restore basic maintenance like litter removal, restroom cleaning, path-clearing, stream protection and grass upkeep-in all 115 Portland parks;
- Reopen closed restrooms.
- Allow urgent safety repairs to playground equipment, including replacement of 41 swing sets with lead-base paint;
- Renovate playing fields by restoring mowing, aeration, top-dressing, and fertilizing;
- Ongoing maintenance of community centers, swimming pools, and picnic facilities;
- Restore recreation programs for all ages, serving 10,000 additional children with organized summer activities;
- Make more programs available for seniors by 25% to meet demand for classes, field trips, and intergenerational events.
The Parks levy will help all five Portland school districts.
Maintenance will be restored to play fields around schools in Portland’s five school districts-Centennial, David Douglas, Parkrose, Portland Public, and Reynolds.
What does the Parks Levy cost?
An additional 39 cents per $1,000 of assessed home value in property taxes. If approved, the typical homeowner pays an additional $5 per month for five years. (Portland’s average home is assessed at $126,000 with an average market value of $177,000.)
Money collected from the Parks levy-approximately $48 million, averaging $9.7 million per year- can only be used for purposes stated in the ballot language.
Submitted by:
Jim Francesconi,
Portland City Commissioner
No arguments AGAINST this measure were filed.
Measure 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Why are we voting on this again?
At the May primary election, about 70% of Portland voters voted Yes on the same parks levy you are considering now. Why are we voting again? Because not enough Portlanders returned their ballots to reach the required 50% turnout.
So, even though an overwhelming majority of us voted Yes for our parks, the measure could not go into effect. As a result, our Parks suffered additional cuts in services this summer, on top of the cuts of the past several years.
But we can restore our vote, and restore our parks.
Measure 26-34 is the same Parks measure we approved in May. The only difference is that the need is even greater to:
• Restore basic maintenance, litter removal and grass upkeep.
• Reopen and clean restrooms.
• Make urgent safety repairs.
• Restore lost recreation programs for kids, families and seniors.
• Help all 5 Portland school districts maintain play fields.
We count on our parks to be clean, open and safe.
Our parks are essential to keeping our neighborhoods strong, safe and great places to live.
RE-CONFIRM A GOOD DECISION.
VOTE YES FOR RESTORING BASIC MAINTENANCE
TO OUR PARKS!
(This information furnished by Liz Kaufman, Neighbors for Portland Parks Campaign)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Keep Our Parks and Neighborhoods Safe
I am a retired Portland Police Captain – having spent 27 years keeping Portland a safer place.
I still do that, working for a company that provides park security. Parks can be a neighborhood’s greatest asset. But unless you keep them safe, they could become a neighborhood’s biggest problem. That is one reason it is so important to vote yes on the Parks levy.
There are two very important elements of park security:
Preventing and intervening in crime, disorder, violation of parks rules and misuse of park facilities – basically making sure people behave themselves. That includes solving the wide range of park user conflicts that can come up. When it comes to taking care of these areas, the police are stretched thin, and park security is stretched even thinner.
Preventing safety hazards, accidental injuries of illnesses. Sharp edges, lead paint or exposure to other toxins and “slip/trip/fall” hazards are all real problems in parks. Right now, we don’t even have the resources to inspect for these dangers, much less fix them.
These are both urgent needs. Once a park gets a reputation as being an easy place to get away with crime or misbehavior, the neighborhood pays a heavy price. And do we really want kids playing on equipment and on playfields that pose a hazard to their health?
For far too long, the Parks and Recreation Bureau has been unable to keep up with these two very basic safety functions. Measure 26-34 is our chance to turn that situation around.
And here is one more thing to think about: when times are uncertain, parks are something we really count on. They are always there for all of us – if we keep them safe, open and working.
Let’s make sure our parks remain an asset to our neighborhoods’ safety. Take it from me, a ‘yes’ vote is the safe vote.
John Hren, retired Portland Police Captain
Portland Patrol Inc.
(This information furnished by Jim Hren, Portland Patrol, Inc)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
HELP OUR PARKS & HELP OUR SCHOOLS
Vote Yes on Measure 26-34
We are parents from each of Portland’s five school districts, and we can tell you that all five face serious challenges. Passing the Portland Parks & Recreation Levy will help our schools meet those challenges.
Here are two important ways the Parks & Recreation levy will work with schools to serve kids:
- Organized activities for kids – After-school activities in schools (funded by Parks & Recreation) as well as those in parks and community centers keep thousands of kids out of trouble. They also provide homework help, sports activities, arts instruction and mentoring to help make young people more successful.
- Easing schools’ financial burden – Parks & Recreation currently inspects park playground equipment for safety, and assists with maintenance of sports fields around some school buildings. That helps schools save resources for the classroom; it helps young people play on safer, better-maintained fields; and it helps neighborhoods keep up property values.
At a time our schools need help, our Parks system provides it. And if the Parks levy passes, after-school programs will be restored, and be available at more sites so more children will be served. Passing the Parks levy also means unsafe park and some school playground equipment will be repaired or replaced.
But if the Parks & Recreation levy fails, much of this help will disappear:
- Parks could not replace unsafe playground equipment.
- After-school programs helping kids succeed academically will serve far fewer children.
- Many after-school programs in schools will be closed permanently.
When it’s time to vote on the Portland Parks Levy, please think about our schools and their kids that count on them.
Please vote YES on the Portland Parks & Recreation Levy!
Mark Kramer, parent
Portland Public Schools
Annette Mattson, parent
David Douglas School District
Holly Gillette, parent
Parkrose Schools
Michelle Winningham, parent
Centennial Schools
Amy S. Rocha, parent
Reynolds School District
(This information furnished by Liz Kaufman, Neighbors for Portland Parks Campaign)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Two Reasons This Grandmother is voting
Yes on the Parks Levy
Dear Fellow Portlander,
I use the parks all the time, including with my grandchildren and my dog. In fact, I walk in Mt. Tabor Park almost every day. The time we spend there together is priceless.
But for all the things I appreciate about our parks and for all the things the Parks levy will do for them, two things are enough to win my enthusiastic yes vote.
Garbage and Bathrooms.
That might sound funny, but think of the last time you tried to stuff something into a litter basket that was beyond overflowing. That’s because the Parks Department doesn’t have enough money to empty them often enough.
And when you are with a child who desperately needs to go to the bathroom, there is no more sinking feeling than pulling on the door of a Park restroom, only to find that it is locked. Right now, many of them are, because there aren’t enough resources to keep them open.
Passing Measure 26-34 will mean that litter will be picked up more often, and that bathrooms will be open, and clean. As I said, it will do a lot more than that. But those two things are enough for me.
Let’s keep our Parks open and clean. Vote Yes on the Parks Levy!
Sincerely
Barbara Ryan-Baxter
(This information furnished by Barbara Ryan-Baxter)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Portland’s Parks Levy Is Good for EAST PORTLAND
Measure 26-34 will benefit every corner of Portland, and will stop the long slide in maintenance and repair that threaten the future of our parks and rec facilities. But as East Portland residents and community activists, what will the Parks levy do for our East Portland neighborhoods?
The answer is – plenty:
- Powell Butte Nature Park in east Portland is home to wildlife – including 160 species of birds, coyote, and deer. People enjoy it too, for hiking, viewing wildlife, biking and horseback riding. This 700-acre nature park will benefit from the levy through increased trail maintenance, litter removal, habitat restoration, control invasive growth, and work on the tree and plant collection.
- The East Portland Community Center will have an indoor swim pool added, the first full-time public pool east of 82nd Avenue. This indoor swim pool will provide 3,000 lessons per year, provide 50,000 people of all ages with drop-in swimming opportunities, water exercise and fitness swimming and senior citizens with a warm water pool.
- Schools in East Portland will benefit as well: David Douglas, Reynolds, Parkrose, Cenntennial and Portland Public School Districts will get help maintaining their play fields, provided with support for after-school programs and have playground equipment evaluated for safety.
- And 43 Portland Parks and Recreation sites east of I-205 will benefit from the Parks Levy, with services such as restored litter removal, restroom cleaning, path-clearing, care for grass and turf, including Ventura Park, Ed Benedict Park, Knott Park, Springwater Corridor Trail and Lincoln Park and many others.
VOTE YES FOR OUR PARKS
VOTE YES ON 26-34
Grace Fitzgerald, Treasurer, Cherry Blossom Seniors
(meetings & events at East Portland Community Center)
Tamra Dickinson, Member, Friends of Powell Butte Park
Tony Palermini, former Superintendent,
David Douglas School District
(This information furnished by Liz Kaufman, Neighbors for Portland Parks Campaign)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
PORTLAND’S POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE URGES
A YES VOTE ON THE PARKS LEVY
Safer Kids, and a Safer City
There are many reasons to support our Parks & Recreation. But one that might not come immediately to mind is the role they play in offering kids a better future, and making Portland a safer city.
We are the Police Activities League. PAL is a partnership of youth, the police, and the community, serving more than 3,400 young people each year through athletic, recreational and educational programs. PAL focuses on youth that live in high-risk neighborhoods, are low-income or classified as high-risk. But many, many kids can face challenges, so PAL rarely turns a child away.
Reaching out to young people and providing them with constructive alternatives is a critical way of keeping them out of trouble. But we cannot do that job without a healthy Portland Parks and Recreation system. The past few years of service cuts in Parks & Recreation has made that job more difficult.
And if we do not pass this Parks Levy, it could become next to impossible.
Parks & Recreation programs’ ability to serve kids is directly connected to the kind of community we have. Parks & Recreation help keep kids engaged in positive activities, especially during times they are at risk of getting into trouble – like after school hours.
By passing Measure 26-34, we can help restore and protect the programs young people count on, and the facilities that PAL need to help Portland’s at-risk children.
By voting yes on Measure 26-34, you are investing in parks that make Portland’s neighborhoods liveable. But you are also investing in a city that is safer and a more successful future for our children.
Vote Yes for Parks
(This information furnished by Maura White, Police Activities League)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Our Sports Fields and Swimming Pools Need Help!
Please pass the Parks Levy
We are soccer players, Little League players and the swimmers at public pools all around Portland. We ask for your support of the Parks & Recreation Levy because:
Thousands of kids and adults use the sports fields at over 200 Portland Parks and schools cared for by Portland Parks & Recreation.
The fact is that our local play fields and facilities are hurting.
In the last several years resources have not kept up with the demand for sports fields. The result: they’re sometimes actually dangerous for kids and adults to use, with rocks sticking up out of the soil, holes 6 inches deep causing injuries like sprained ankles, and turf care reductions making fields unplayable in non-summer months.
Passing the Parks Levy will stop the deterioration. It will restore basic field maintenance. Fewer fields will need to be taken out of play per season. All fields will be safer places to play.
And the same will apply to fields at local schools. If the levy fails, those fields will essentially become maintenance orphans.
Our public swimming pools also urgently need Measure 26-34.
Buckman and MLC pools have been closed due to budget cuts. If the Parks levy passes, those pools will re-open with regular hours. East Portland Community Center add an indoor swimming pool – the only public pool in Portland east of 82nd street. The eight existing neighborhood swimming pools will be better maintained through the installation of HVAC control systems to improve temperature control and energy conservation, and address breakdowns more quickly.
Sports and swimming are important for kids, families and the neighborhoods of our city.
Keep them going – Vote Yes on Measure 26-34!
(This information furnished by Thomas Crowder, Portland Youth Soccer Association)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Elders in Action Supports Measure 26-34:
PORTLAND’S PARKS ARE IMPORTANT TO
SENIOR CITIZENS
My name is Charles Kurtz, I’m the Chair of the Elders in Action Commission, and I urge you to vote Yes on Measure 26-34 – the Portland Parks Levy.
For over 30 years, the Elders in Action Commission has worked as a non-profit organization to improve the quality of life for Portland’s senior citizens.
And few institutions in our community are as important to seniors as our parks and recreation system.
- Parks are important to all of us. But seniors really rely on them – every day and in every corner of the city:
- Senior Recreation, a program specifically designed for adults over 55 years of age and sponsored by Portland Parks and Recreation, serves thousands of seniors every year.
- All Portland Parks & Rec classes and activities for seniors fill up, usually with waiting lists.
- Portland Parks and Recreation offers many classes and programs at Senior Centers and Loaves & Fishes locations throughout Portland.
What will the Parks and Recreation Levy do for seniors?
The demand for seniors programs is far more than the Parks Bureau can keep up with. Voting YES on Measure 26-34 means:
- Portland Parks & Rec will be able to serve 25% more seniors.
- Transportation from Senior Centers and Loaves & Fishes locations to swimming programs.
- Additional van excursion programs will be available such as hiking, performing arts programs, intergenerational, ethnic and cultural events.
- Additional courses will serve the needs of those on the wait list.
- Courses will be more accessible by offering them in more locations.
- At University Park Community Center, the kitchen serving Loaves and Fishes will be renovated.
If the levy fails, maintenance and repairs not be restored, making recreation facilities and activities less enjoyable and less welcoming to our senior citizens.
VOTE YES ON MEASURE 26-34
Important to seniors. A good value for all of us.
(This information furnished by Charles Kurtz, Elders in Action Commission)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
A Special Message from
Former Governor Victor Atiyeh and
Former Governor Neil Goldschmidt
One of us is a Republican. One of us is a Democrat. There are many things we see differently.
But here’s something we have in common: We are both proud to have spent an important part of our lives building a better community and protecting the things that make Oregon and Portland special.
That is why we both enthusiastically support Measure 26-34 – the Portland Parks Levy — and hope that you will too.
There are many things that make Portland great. There is the strength of our neighborhoods. Access to and reverence for our natural heritage. But most of all, this city is about people – and nothing provides more direct benefit to Portland’s families, kids and seniors than the system of parks and recreation.
Portland’s parks are a jewel, but one that we cannot take for granted. Over the past few years, we have fallen behind on maintenance and repair. Our parks and rec facilities are like any investment: if you don’t keep them up, they will lose their value. And the value we would lose is far beyond property or buildings. It is the value of a city of trees and green. It is the value of strong and attractive neighborhoods. It is the value of safe places near home for all of us to have fun, or just a little peace and quiet.
These things are what make Portland a great place – and they are worth protecting. The way we can do that is by passing the Portland Parks Levy, which will touch every part of Portland, and benefit all of its neighborhoods.
Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, that’s something we all can agree on.
PLEASE VOTE YES ON MEASURE 26-34
Sincerely,
Victor Atiyeh
Neil Goldschmidt
(This information furnished by former Governors Victor Atiyeh and Neil Goldschmidt)
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 26-34 | City of Portland
ARGUMENT IN FAVOR
Parks Volunteers Know:
Our Parks Need Measure 26-34
We are just some of the volunteer organizations who use the parks, and help maintain them. We do walking, hiking, jogging, wildlife viewing, tree-planting and offer local produce for sale. We help restore natural areas and habitat for wildlife. We help clean the parks, clear natural areas for public use, and our members volunteer in the parks.
One of the great secrets of Portland’s Parks and Recreation system is how much is done on a volunteer basis. It is a lean and efficient operation: Nearly 1/2 of their budget comes from non-tax sources. And 23% - nearly one-quarter – of parks maintenance, operations and recreation workers are volunteers.
We are proud of the contribution we make. But as people working in the parks every day, we can tell you that it is not nearly enough.
We have painfully watched our parks slip farther and farther behind due to deferred maintenance, repairs lost programs and services. We are at a crossroads between our parks continuing to be a jewel, and losing one of the things that makes Portland a truly wonderful place.
Measure 26-34 will cost the typical homeowner about $5 a month. Given the amazing benefits we all get from our parks, it’s hard to imagine a better deal.
Please join us – vote yes to keep our parks clean, open and safe!
Audubon Society of Portland
Friends of Forest Park
Hoyt Arboretum Friends
Friends of Powell Butte Nature Park
Oregon League of Conservation Voters
Oregon Humane Society
Oregon Trout
Friends of Trees
1000 Friends of Oregon
Portland Farmers Market
Trust for Public Land
(This information furnished by Liz Kaufman, Neighbors for Portland Parks Campaign)
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.